6.05.20 – Together We Can Do Better

Friday, June 5, 2020

TOGETHER WE CAN DO BETTER

Dear Fellow Flight Attendants:

I am writing this hotline with mixed emotions; my heart is both broken and hopeful. Broken due to the violent and tragic death of George Floyd, and hopeful that George Floyd did not die in vain, but that his death will result in long needed and lasting change that heighten our collective awareness of injustice. As I walked through the broken glass in my city of Chicago, I realized that the broken glass is emblematic of our broken society. Experiencing the challenges of adapting to COVID- 19, I reflected on the possibility that the challenges of COVID-19, were presented to us from the Universe, in order to raise our collective consciousness and appreciate each other as human beings; increasing the capacity to love and accept humanity at a deeper understanding.

We remember the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. Today would have been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday. All these recent events have left me and many others questioning life’s meaning. The primary emotion is one of anger, which is completely appropriate and necessary, to help us marshal our energies in a constructive way. Anger which causes extreme stress can lead to physical exhaustion, and you may also experience feelings of anxiety, depression, and feelings of being unable to cope.

As we address racial disparity; we are committed to naming racism and to actively engage with the discomfort, embarrassment, anger, shame, and grief that is required to begin the process of healing and reconciliation. Individually and collectively, we are committed to transforming racism in our airline, our community, and across the country. We ask ourselves how to do we move forward from feeling the numbness of despair?

As your National EAP Specialist, it is my responsibility to uplift and honor the needs of our Flight Attendant membership.To that end, I see us as Global Ambassadors, therefore in a unique position to affect change in a positive way. We can facilitate mindful dialogue and informed critical debate about racism in our work environment and in the public forums that we attend.

We have reached the precipice and we are finding ourselves in need of moral imagination.  To do this we have to weed through anger, fear, uncertainty, and grief. In order to influence a permanent societal change, we need to stand strong and approach racism with a strategic plan while knowing permanent change will require a long journey, as centuries of racism cannot be eradicated overnight. Together standing tall, proud, and intentional we can do this!

My fellow Flight Attendants, showing respect and care for one another is a first step. We must honor the fact that although we share the same job, we have lived different realities in this country. Listen to each other, find common ground, and stay peacefully focused. We are struggling emotionally and need to step back and realize a conversation could possibly heal another’s pain. With intentional action, these experiences can be a turning point in our nation’s journey to begin a healing process and to reach our highest ideals. As Flight Attendants, we are creative, intelligent Global Ambassadors and are uniquely qualified to embrace this challenge. Remember your EAP Department and CIRT are here with resources to assist you with these challenges.

National EAP Rep., Sharon Dunn attending a Black Lives Matter protest earlier today

APFA EAP DEPT.  (817) 540-0108 extension 8701
CIRT 24/7 CREW SUPPORT hotline (800) 998-8194

Abby Alconcher                 Sharon Dunn             Heidi Sakacs
Susie Wallace                    Bill Ibarra                  Joe Stanko

In Solidarity,

Abby Alconcher
APFA National EAP Specialist
[email protected]