By: Ying Qi
I met Mrs. Carol Adams on my first day at TechTown. Although I do not work directly with her, she welcomed me with a bright smile and a warm introduction. Since then, whenever I pass by her office, she always greets me with a sanguine demeanor. Her cheerful attitude never fails to create a warm ambiance wherever she is. So, I decided to sit down with Mrs. Carol and listen to her story.
Mrs. Carol grew up in Detroit during the most pivotal time period in Detroit’s history. Her parents raised eleven children, and she was the youngest. Her father was one of the first African American foremen in the city, who oversaw the construction of many iconic structures in downtown Detroit, including the American Natural Resources Building, also known as One Woodward Avenue. Because of her father’s job, Mrs. Carol was able to receive a great education. Growing up during the 1950s and 1960s, she witnessed both the rise and the fall of this industrial titan. As the city’s population declined, its public school system also began to collapse. So, when her son turned the age of ten, Mrs. Carol decided to move to the suburbs in order to give her son the chance to receive a quality education.
During the 2008-2009 recessions, the United States experienced over 2.6 millions in job loss, and unfortunately, Mrs. Carol’s job was one of them. After leaving Accenture in 2009, she began working part time at the Michigan Children’s Hospital Foundation while collecting unemployment benefits in order to support her family and children. It was the hardest period in her life, but her faith kept her going. Just as her contract with the Foundation was about to end, she received a call to interview for a position at TechTown. Luckily, she received the offer.
As the Executive Assistant at TechTown, Mrs. Carol believes the most meaningful aspect about her work is her ability to make a difference for other people. She told me, the most rewarding moments for her are the times she is helping someone else and making their work easier, and that is why she seeks to do her best in everything she does, from getting the traveling details done correctly to juggling the schedules of five busy executives.
Even though Mrs. Carol now lives in Warren, she is strongly connected to Midtown, the district she works in. Compared to several decades ago, Midtown is now bustling with numerous vibrant local businesses. But to Mrs. Carol, the best part of Midtown is that what happens in Midtown is not confined to its two square miles. Cross-sector collaborations between organizations in Midtown are seeking innovative ways to address social problems across the city of Detroit, extending their impacts far beyond its two square miles.
When Mrs. Carol is not TechTown, she can be found reading the daily news, enjoying action TV series (“24: Live Another Day” is her current favorite), watching HDTV’s House Hunter International, or enjoying a nice dinner with her family at Texas de Brazil.
I met Mrs. Carol Adams on my first day at TechTown. Although I do not work directly with her, she welcomed me with a bright smile and a warm introduction. Since then, whenever I pass by her office, she always greets me with a sanguine demeanor. Her cheerful attitude never fails to create a warm ambiance wherever she is. So, I decided to sit down with Mrs. Carol and listen to her story.
Mrs. Carol grew up in Detroit during the most pivotal time period in Detroit’s history. Her parents raised eleven children, and she was the youngest. Her father was one of the first African American foremen in the city, who oversaw the construction of many iconic structures in downtown Detroit, including the American Natural Resources Building, also known as One Woodward Avenue. Because of her father’s job, Mrs. Carol was able to receive a great education. Growing up during the 1950s and 1960s, she witnessed both the rise and the fall of this industrial titan. As the city’s population declined, its public school system also began to collapse. So, when her son turned the age of ten, Mrs. Carol decided to move to the suburbs in order to give her son the chance to receive a quality education.
During the 2008-2009 recessions, the United States experienced over 2.6 millions in job loss, and unfortunately, Mrs. Carol’s job was one of them. After leaving Accenture in 2009, she began working part time at the Michigan Children’s Hospital Foundation while collecting unemployment benefits in order to support her family and children. It was the hardest period in her life, but her faith kept her going. Just as her contract with the Foundation was about to end, she received a call to interview for a position at TechTown. Luckily, she received the offer.
As the Executive Assistant at TechTown, Mrs. Carol believes the most meaningful aspect about her work is her ability to make a difference for other people. She told me, the most rewarding moments for her are the times she is helping someone else and making their work easier, and that is why she seeks to do her best in everything she does, from getting the traveling details done correctly to juggling the schedules of five busy executives.
Even though Mrs. Carol now lives in Warren, she is strongly connected to Midtown, the district she works in. Compared to several decades ago, Midtown is now bustling with numerous vibrant local businesses. But to Mrs. Carol, the best part of Midtown is that what happens in Midtown is not confined to its two square miles. Cross-sector collaborations between organizations in Midtown are seeking innovative ways to address social problems across the city of Detroit, extending their impacts far beyond its two square miles.
When Mrs. Carol is not TechTown, she can be found reading the daily news, enjoying action TV series (“24: Live Another Day” is her current favorite), watching HDTV’s House Hunter International, or enjoying a nice dinner with her family at Texas de Brazil.
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