Team Talks: Q&A with Kandace Tisdale
Palmetto Goodwill is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month! Join us this March, as we share inspirational testimonials from a few of the strong women who make up our organization.
This week’s Team Talk Spotlight is on Kandace Tisdale. She is our Central Communications Specialist at the Palmetto Goodwill main office.
What does Woman’s History Month mean to you?
It means empowerment, showing leadership, and strength from all women of all ethnic groups.
Name a woman from history that you find especially inspiring, as well as the most influential woman in your life.
I would love to meet Harriet Tubman. Her stories always empowered and inspired me because when I look at her, I see strength. It didn’t matter to me how she looked, it was all about her being a leader and a humanitarian. In my life, my grandmother Mrs. Myrtle Tisdale, my mom the late Mrs. Marlene Tisdale-Nelson, my aunts Mrs. Demetria Hartwell, and the late Mrs. Johanna Coaxum. These women never stopped doing what was needed for their families. They taught me that it doesn’t matter how people viewed me. Whether I was too bright, loud, how dark my skin was, or how tall I was, they told me that I was always destined to be here on Earth.
What goes through your mind when you think of women who joined the workforce before you?
I am very proud of women who get their desired position or anything in life. They paved the way for others and me to be part of society and be comfortable in roles that some feel that men should only work in.
What words of wisdom did your mother/grandmothers/aunts share with you?
The wisdom that great ladies of my life shared was to always remain humble, serve God, never be scared to walk in faith, and to not worry about what people say.
What have been your barriers and how did you overcome them?
Being a single mom of a son with a disability (superpower) and not providing a powerful two-parent home. I overcame this barrier by meditating, praying, reading, my family support, remembering that my granddad, Mr. Robert Tisdale, made me feel like a queen.
What is one thing you wish more people knew about women in the workplace?
That we are more than what our position descriptions describe us as. We are mediators, sisters, mothers, a lending ear, a shoulder to cry on, and we make sure that the job gets done. We also make sure you have lunch, lol.
What piece of advice would you give to a struggling woman this WHM?
You are beautiful, you are strong, you are gracious, and you must keep on going. Never allow anything or anyone to deter you from your greatness. It is okay to trip and fall, but don’t stay in your mess. Don’t allow anything to cause your crown to fall because you are a QUEEN! I love you.
What has been your biggest career and/or personal achievement?
I was able to make my word my bond and stand firm on my beliefs that I would help an individual who is struggling. Whether it was with low self-esteem, having a child or children with disabilities (a.k.a. superpowers), being bullied, being homosexual, and being uniquely different.
How do you “promote hope”?
I promote hope by reminding someone that it will get better and giving a testimony. I make sure to say encouraging words, give a hug, and pay it forward every day. “Trouble don’t last always!” – Rev. Timothy Wright
