Bayside—or as the kids (mainly me) might say, “Bae-side.”
As we pulled up into the drive, I noticed the gated preschool that sat right beside the community center. Behind it, there was ongoing construction, the skeleton of a building that—as I would soon learn—was a miracle in the making. Once inside, we sat in a circle around Corey, the Executive Director of Bayside; his story is an inspiration.
As a USD student, Corey never realized how close he was to the Linda Vista community. It was only by happy chance that he discovered a job opening at Bayside and was quickly charmed by the tight-knit bond the community shared. He was sold and began to work alongside residents. However, only a few months into his new and rewarding job, Corey discovered that they were actually in six figures worth of debt. Some people were let go, others quit. The situation was dire. Corey even shared with us how (since the only real commodity Bayside boasted was property) there were realtors and prospective condo investors who wanted him to sell, reasoning that he was “young and broke,” and that he was as “high as a kite” in his staunch refusal to sell away the community’s most cherished cornerstone. As luck would have it, opportunity fell into his lap when someone reached out and asked if they could build a school right on the property.
It was exactly what the community had wished for. With the property sold and the debt paid off, Bayside is now on its way to seeing a new school and a newly renovated community center. Transparency is the key and Bayside is working to create economic and educational opportunities so that residents in the community can become even more empowered and self-sustaining.
Now I don’t mean to throw anyone under the bus, but it’s easy to love your job when the money is flowing in. It’s easy to say that you love community, that you love your residents when they’re keeping your pockets lined. But would you feel the same when you inherit an unasked burden of debt? When you have every opportunity to become a millionaire if only you throw away the community’s trust?
As we danced to Zumba with the folks that showed up to the center, as I learned of Rose’s forty-year dedication to Bayside (a commitment that goes back even to when she was a child), as I saw how proud people were of Bayside’s Vietnamese New Year celebrations and their free activities, I thought to myself—how can you throw this away? In the short run, yes, you can make big bucks and then you’re set for life. But in the long run, if you stick it out (and with the luck Corey was blessed with) and you manage to cinch an enormous yet in-the-works victory, you’ve just created a wellspring of wealth that can be shared tenfold. How many lives have you just benefited?
Money is a powerful incentive but it doesn’t have to be everything. Even though it might be rare, Corey’s case demonstrates just how powerful sticking to your beliefs can be.
As we pulled up into the drive, I noticed the gated preschool that sat right beside the community center. Behind it, there was ongoing construction, the skeleton of a building that—as I would soon learn—was a miracle in the making. Once inside, we sat in a circle around Corey, the Executive Director of Bayside; his story is an inspiration.
As a USD student, Corey never realized how close he was to the Linda Vista community. It was only by happy chance that he discovered a job opening at Bayside and was quickly charmed by the tight-knit bond the community shared. He was sold and began to work alongside residents. However, only a few months into his new and rewarding job, Corey discovered that they were actually in six figures worth of debt. Some people were let go, others quit. The situation was dire. Corey even shared with us how (since the only real commodity Bayside boasted was property) there were realtors and prospective condo investors who wanted him to sell, reasoning that he was “young and broke,” and that he was as “high as a kite” in his staunch refusal to sell away the community’s most cherished cornerstone. As luck would have it, opportunity fell into his lap when someone reached out and asked if they could build a school right on the property.
It was exactly what the community had wished for. With the property sold and the debt paid off, Bayside is now on its way to seeing a new school and a newly renovated community center. Transparency is the key and Bayside is working to create economic and educational opportunities so that residents in the community can become even more empowered and self-sustaining.
Now I don’t mean to throw anyone under the bus, but it’s easy to love your job when the money is flowing in. It’s easy to say that you love community, that you love your residents when they’re keeping your pockets lined. But would you feel the same when you inherit an unasked burden of debt? When you have every opportunity to become a millionaire if only you throw away the community’s trust?
As we danced to Zumba with the folks that showed up to the center, as I learned of Rose’s forty-year dedication to Bayside (a commitment that goes back even to when she was a child), as I saw how proud people were of Bayside’s Vietnamese New Year celebrations and their free activities, I thought to myself—how can you throw this away? In the short run, yes, you can make big bucks and then you’re set for life. But in the long run, if you stick it out (and with the luck Corey was blessed with) and you manage to cinch an enormous yet in-the-works victory, you’ve just created a wellspring of wealth that can be shared tenfold. How many lives have you just benefited?
Money is a powerful incentive but it doesn’t have to be everything. Even though it might be rare, Corey’s case demonstrates just how powerful sticking to your beliefs can be.