Respect

We see the MFH values posted in various locations within our walls, and are reminded of them each time we see them.To pick the most important value is an easy task. Not long ago, we were charged by Dr. Kimmey at an All Hands meeting to always respect one another.
We all want to be respected, but sometimes we are not respectful of each other. What goes around comes around, and we learn this lesson on a daily basis. Changing behavior is difficult at best. So I am accepting the charge to become more respectful of my fellow staffers. Now, don’t expect perfection; embracing a value takes time and commitment, but more importantly, it takes practice. So I pledge I will be respectful. Wish me luck.
Dr. Kimmey also has taught us that personal stories have a profound effect on how we interact with one another. I am reminded of Trudi Scott’s moving message as she stepped down from two years as MFH’s board chair. Hers was a rags-to-riches story, cast in a different light. Her personal struggles from growing up poor to running one of the country’s most successful foundations created a common ground from which we all can improve our lives. It’s about simply taking the challenges that come our way.
As the PRIDE Charter states:
Diversity affords opportunities, possibilities, and benefits to us as individuals as well as to the Foundation as a whole. It requires an atmosphere where no one is advantaged or disadvantaged by prejudices and biases, but where everyone is encouraged to fully utilize their unique talents, skills, and abilities. When each of us, regardless of position, acknowledges the benefits of diversity, we all profit from enhanced interpersonal and collective communication within the Foundation, and between the Foundation and the communities we serve. We reinforce the MFH staff values, making this a great place to work. Embracing diversity at MFH holds us all accountable to each other and to the wider community. The supportive environment that results helps us to fulfill our mission to improve the health of Missouri’s citizens.
So, as for the story of my life… Here is the abbreviated tale of Thomas “TAG” Adams:

I grew up as a poor farmer in a rural area of northeast Iowa. My parents were high school graduates, but they made the commitment that my sisters and I would all graduate from college. They wanted us to have a better life.
After graduating from Luther College with bachelor’s degrees in political science and religion, I entered seminary and in 1984 graduated with a master’s degree of divinity, from Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary.
No one was more surprised or angered than my parents when I decided not to be ordained. They did not speak to me for two years.
After the seminary, I worked as a hospital chaplain, and my first job was at Barnes Hospital. There I established a chaplaincy program for people living with HIV/AIDS, an initiative that continued for decades.
After bouncing around as a chaplain, I landed back in St. Louis and needed a job. Part-time work at Catering St. Louis led to a full-time job. It was there that I learned how to bake, and I still enjoy baking as a hobby.
In June 1994, on a bet, I applied for an executive director position at an AIDS organization in Belleville, Illinois. I was the 49th candidate to interview, and was hired.
After five great but high-burnout years, I jumped back over the river and worked at the AIDS Foundation of St. Louis, before landing here at MFH. I am single; I live in south St. Louis; I am a fallen-away Episcopalian, and I regard myself as more spiritual than religious. My hobbies include photography, collecting more art than my walls can hold, and architecture. I value my friends, work and family.
Well, enough about me; now it is your turn! Tell your story, and let’s move forward on the values that hold us to each other and the mission we serve.
TAG