Willie Parker
Human Resource Consultant
Department of Health and Human Services
State of North Carolina

Willie has always hated injustice. In the 60s and 70s she worked as a social worker and community activist in the roughest part of the Bronx, trying to instill self-esteem and ethnic pride in young Black and Latino street kids so they wouldn't find their identity in gang affiliations.

Today, Willie Parker works for the State of North Carolina. Her job is to make sure the state’s 20,000 employees are treated fairly anytime there’s any action against them that might end their job—such as disciplinary action, a firing, a grievance or a mediation. Each year she handles up to 300 cases involving doctors, nurses, teachers and employees of various agencies under the umbrella of the state Dept. of Health and Human Services.

"I still don’t like to see people treated unfairly," she says. "But it has nothing to do with people’s race, color, creed or national origin. It’s because Christ says we all have dignity and worth in Him."

Her skills as a peacemaker have earned her the nickname, "The Spirit." When a conflict flares in any state facility between an employee and management, her coworkers will often say, "… sounds like a case for The Spirit and The Law." Willie is teamed with a state attorney and sent to work things out.

"People on the job know I’m a Christian," Willie says. "But I let people know it’s what I do that will show them I’m a Christian-- not what I say. I’ve made a commitment to ‘walk the walk,’ not just ‘talk the talk.’ I know my life may be the only Bible some folks read."

Knowing Who’s in Charge

On the way to helping others, Willie admits she’s had a few lessons of her own to learn. "Early on in my career as a social worker, I worked hard with one particular woman to make it possible for her to live independently outside the hospital. I had her placed. I made sure she had everything she needed. But a few months later she was back in the hospital. I didn’t understand what happened! She told me she knew she wasn’t ready to be outside yet, but she saw that I wanted it so badly for her, she went along with it."

"I thought I was the change agent and could make a difference," Willie explains. "I had to learn it was not about me and what I needed. It was about her and what she needed. It was also about what God wanted to do through me for her."

Powered by Prayer

Now Willie relies heavily on prayer to keep her spirit quiet and focused so she can discern the leading of the Holy Spirit in each situation. "That’s a big change from my life as an activist when I would act first and pray later. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will say, ‘Hush!’ and I’ll realize it’s time to stop and acknowledge that this is not my battle to fight. It’s God’s."

She describes a recent situation where an employee needed to take a leave of absence for treatment for depression. He was extremely despondent and could no longer physically do his job. He didn’t want to lose his job, but the job could not stand empty. A temp seemed out of the question because of the level of expertise required. It was a highly technical one-of-a-kind job and, typically, anyone qualified for the job was looking for full-time work. It looked like a no-win situation.

Willie prayed. Really prayed. Prayed there would be a way the man could get the care he needed without permanently losing his job. "A candidate appeared out of the blue," Willie says. "The person had the exact expertise needed, had just moved into the area, and wasn’t yet ready to take on a full-time job. I believe God intervened."

"Many of the situations I deal with are not textbook cases," she says. "Sometimes I know if it weren’t for God’s Spirit there would be no resolution in some of these cases. That’s why I’m here—to bring the Spirit. I don’t quote scripture chapter and verse to people, but I can still use biblical principles in all I do. Truth is truth."