Obehioye Isesele

The title of the drawing is “A Woman of Many Hats”. Through interviewing the staff at Youth Emergency Services (YES), a common theme I noticed is that staff takes on many roles besides the one they were hired for. Building trust with a child that has experienced trauma is difficult, but once the bond forms, the child relies on you for many things because they feel safe with you. The staff acknowledged that this process was a privilege but reflected how it could be draining at times. Depicted in this drawing are a chef hat, a clown wig, a police hat, and a “#1 Mom hat”. When the children are hungry or need a snack, the staff often have to cook, when the children are bored, they have to entertain them, when they fight, they have to settle the disputes, and overall when they feel sad they have to comfort them. Watching the staff at YES work has shown me what dedication looks like. The staff shared with me how emotionally and physically drained they are when they go home after all that the day entails, but they enjoy their work and the lives they change.