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STORY: Hiring from the Heart
This is a story about Karen, a Native American woman supported by the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center and hired by a local business. Karen’s dedication and drive to improve her life enabled her to move out of subsidized housing and make a living by doing what she loves to do. Her story demonstrates a successful model for partnership between human services, government, and business.
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| Discussion Questions |
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- What helped Karen to "overcome her past"?
- How important is personal dedication and drive in overcoming one's difficulties?
- When Tom Siwek talks about "choosing based not only on what our math says but on what our heart says," what does he mean?
- What are other situations in which you may want to make a similar choice?
- What is the significance of the dual reality of "contributing and reliance" in Karen's story?
- What did Suzanne Koepplinger have to say about the role of the government in resolving societal issues, such as Karen's?
- What do you think the government's role should be?
- Who else should be involved?
- What can you do?
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| Ideas for Action |
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Personal Reflection
Have students individually reflect on their personal goals and barriers to achievement by answering the following questions:
- What holds you back?
- What helps you to move forward?
- What are the barriers?
- How can you overcome them?
Strategizing for Action
Have students research local government services, business opportunities, and non-profit organizations that could partner to resolve issues such as Karen's. It is important to know the stakeholders to be able to effect change.
Human Rights Framework
Have students work in small groups to examine the story through the human rights lens. What human rights issues are present in Karen's story? What rights are involved? What local, and international human rights documents protect these rights? Who else do you think faces these same human rights violations?
Examining Hiring Practices
Have students interview a local business or their school board or administration officials about their hiring practices. How are these decisions made? What impact do they have on the larger community? Why is it important to hire a diverse workforce?
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