6th Day - Interview and Departure to Kalispel

Tuesday, July 12, 2022, Its Interview and Departure back to POBR Trip...

Woke up, took care of my lawn and dogs to make sure everything was taken care of before leaving back to the POBR trip. Arrived to work and was briefed on a potential outage that was in no relation to yesterdays fiber and was actually with LSN (Light Speed Networks) only to find out the issue wasn't within our vault closure or else it could've been a long day of finding and fixing the break.  

We were also briefed on the areas needing to be checked from the damage that was done by the wildland fire in Medicine Valley, we have burnt fiber that had put down an antennae up on Ahtanum.  We were to evaluate the areas so we knew what supplies would be needed and routes needing to be taken care of. 

Once this was briefed to us, we got our splicing trailer prepped with a closure to do a sample splice for the videographers, as well as a set up space in our warehouse to give a visual background of the work area to best represent a trades work environment.  I was interviewed from 9am to 12pm giving answers to their questions on thriving in a men's dominated work place and the challenges I face. I really felt a lot of passion coming through me while answering these questions because I do feel there needs to be more opportunities for women to join these hard labor working jobs and stop being limited to non labor jobs. I wanted to make it a point that indigenous communities come from a background and upbringing of labor and it is important to keep that and encourage that so youth and women find their confidence and strength to fulfill these positions normally taken by men and women are more than capable of doing the work and could come completely natural to them and find their place in this work force.  I certainly did and wanted to answer their questions best I could to represent women like myself who was raised with this background along with with the generations of blood that flows through me with a long line of strong, hard working, ambitious women in my family. This is an area I have grown in and continue to thrive in wanting to learn more and experience all that I can in all trades that can be done within the Yakama Power utilities.  I am proud to have been selected for my voice to be heard and sure hope that it will help someone down the line to find their confidence and encouragement to apply for competitive jobs that require hard labor.  

After this, I took the 4 hour drive to Kalispel Tribe of Indians Reservation and had dinner with my classmates and mentors.  I was able to collect water samples from the Kalispel's Tribal Fishing Pond and a Creek not too far from our campgrounds.  It is a very beautiful area and was glad to still participate in the end of the days activities for the POBR Class. The only thing I am not enjoying here is being eaten alive by mosquitos lol.

Good Night...!



 


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