Humans of Burnaby

Value of Giving

“When I was young, I was bullied. That experience was very traumatic and stays with me today. But that’s part of what helps me be more empathetic towards others.

The earliest memory that I have was in elementary school. I was out in the playground when all of a sudden, I found myself surrounded by a group of kids. I remember one girl in particular was making fun of me and started to physically gang up on me. That’s all that I remember about that day.

Later on, I had a couple of other experiences of being bullied in elementary school. I was shy and insecure when I was young. Kids pick up on those vibes. Maybe something was going on at home for those girls; who knows – that could be why they bullied me. Everyone has a story, right? But it’s unfortunate that that’s how kids behave sometimes.

As a kid I always felt a bit different because I was usually one of the only Jewish kids in my school – I was an invisible minority. It was hard to understand this as a kid but I do now.

I grew up with my maternal grandparents around and they believed strongly in giving back and the importance of community. Their legacy was instilled in me and my family. I believe my experience being bullied combined with being surrounded by family who believed so strongly in community helped shape who I am today. One of ABC Recycling’s core values is to strengthen our community. Part of my role is to ensure that we are living that value.

The value of giving back and community involvement resonated with me. It has stayed with me until today and guides me in the work that I do.”

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