How may i help you?

How may I help you? Those five syllables bring many opportunities and connections. In fall 2021, those five syllables touched lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Washington, DC; and Summerville, Georgia. A year and a half into pandemic and supply chain issues and the quagmire of being disconnected from the world and each other, Chicas and Compañeros are out there, working and learning and waiting to ask those five little words. Promise.

In November, the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is catching her breath after a long summer season that seems to stretch a little farther past Labor Day each year. The summer shows held at mega inland auditoriums are switching over to holiday-themed spectaculars. The expansive outlet malls are working to keep goods on shelves and find ways to make bargains and bottom lines merge. In this strange tension, we met Sandra and Allison at Quiet Storm—Kings Road location.  It was late; the store was empty, and somewhere in the process of the try-on, I lost perhaps the most treasured earring I have owned. As I realized it, Manager Sandra and Assistant Manager Allison didn’t know the context. They just saw me running around and knew something was wrong. Sandra came over and shared those five syllables. Minutes later, against all odds in a store that size, Sandra shared two more syllables—FOUND IT! Thank you, Sandra, and cheers to all that you and Allison and Liz do to make your customers feel welcomed and important, the Myrtle Beach way.

The fall season also led the Project up the coast a bit to the Potomac River for a frenetic search for Thanksgiving seafood at Whole Foods, Foggy Bottom location in Washington, DC. That’s where DC native Harry met us with his earnest gifting of those five syllables. Mask on, his eyes showed his sincerity. His patience and knowledge of his products guided us through two rather neurotic visits before landing on the perfect provisions for this Project’s third Thanksgiving celebration. It takes courage and discipline to care about customers amid long hours and demanding corporate regulations.  Thank you, Compañero, for a Thanksgiving meal selected for and packaged by someone devoted to building a community with your customers, the old school DC way.

Community is also at the heart of our final Chica in the spotlight as we head inland and south to Northwest Georgia. That’s where this Project meets virtually with members of the Boys and Girls Club to share ideas about language, culture, and community. Club Director Deb is the leader who sets a standard for compassion that we all work to reach.  Together, we learned Spanish words for traditional Thanksgiving ideas and shared the larger context of how the United States fits into the culture of the Americas. Together, we used words from both English and Spanish to show gratitude for the blessings we feel when someone shares those five little syllables—how may I help you?

Thank you, Chicas and Compañeros, for asking…