Leading with Empathy

Chapter 2The Toll on Humanity

2020 was a tough year to be an optimist. It was hard to find a silver lining in the tempestuous clouds of adversity.

Delilah was a single mother to three young children and worked at a clothing store, making about $10 per hour. When the lockdown occurred, similar to many other retail stores, her store shut down, and she was laid off. She was distraught and, like millions in her situation, hoped that the shelter-in-place and the lockdown orders would be temporary and she could get back to work. Her children were all at home and thankfully were able to join their classes through Zoom from Chromebooks provided by the school district. Her neighbors were considerate enough to share their WiFi password with her children, allowing them to continue learning without interruption. The money that she stashed away over the years disappeared within four months. She was late on rent but was rescued by the eviction moratorium act, which prevented landlords from evicting defaulting tenants until March 2021. She received a stimulus check of $2,400 and used it to pay utilities and rent. That left her with a mere $130 that she saved as emergency medical funds for her children.

With brick-and-mortar stores closed indefinitely, Delilah found a job at a nearby grocery store that paid $8.25 per hour. The work was taxing and stressful. She was always afraid of getting infected by the pandemic and carrying it into her home. Her children were under strict orders not to ...