Miller
Editor’s note: Tonya Miller, a developmental assistant 3 (DA3) and CSEA Hudson Valley DDSO Local 1st Vice President, told The Work Force’s Jessica Ladlee about how a career in direct support is rewarding.
“There’s great satisfaction in our jobs because you’re impacting people’s lives. You’re learning from the individuals and the individuals are learning from you. I could be having a bad day, but when I walk into one of our homes and an individual remembers who I am, that feels good. That is what I love about this job.
I’ve worked in retail and there wasn’t that same sense of accomplishment. In this line of work, we’re the individuals’ family. For some of them, we’re the only family they have. In the long run, the things we learn on the job impact our lives and they make you a better person at the end of the day.
When I got here, I realized that the longevity and benefits of this job will help me. I’m a DA3, so I have different houses I supervise. I bring information back to our union members working in the homes to try to get them more involved. I’m always talking about how CSEA fights for us, not just within our local but on a region and statewide level.”
