Stories

For almost 15 years, I tried to change things from the inside. I believed that with persistence, collaboration, and a loud enough voice, we could fix the system. And in some ways, we did.

I never saw myself stepping into union leadership—at least not at first. It started with a general sense that organizing was a good idea. Maybe I’m a natural organizer, so I began making calls to folks in my home health group in Hawai‘i.

If there’s anything I’m excited about, it’s the opportunity to do right by our patients, and to do right by the folks who are doing the work every single day.

In this heartfelt conversation recorded in Garden Grove, California, longtime nurses and union leaders Julie Ngin and Sue Yee reflect on their journeys from bedside caregivers to advocates for nurses.

Honestly, I didn’t set out to make waves. I just needed a way to explain what I was doing. Back in 2014, I was brand new as a contract specialist, and no one really understood the newly-established role—not even the officers I worked with. So, when I went on rounds, I’d write little notes about what was going on. That was the start of my rounding messages.