Blue Water Woman--Summer 2020--Interactive

OPEN
dialogue
BY PATTI SAMAR
As a woman of color, Jessica Totty has moved through the world very
differently than her Caucasian/ white counterparts.
She has raised her children differently; she has had to teach them
different lessons about the world around them and the way they will
be perceived.
Every time she walks into a store, she understands she might be
watched as a result of racial profiling.
She knows that every time she meets someone, they might judge her
before they even get to know anything about her.
She knows that every encounter she has with new people will be
based on their personal perceptions and biases.
She knows she will always, first, be judged by the color of her skin.
Adopted Community
A Mexican-American, Totty and her husband, Kevin, moved to the
Blue Water Area 25 years ago and decided to stay and raise their family.
Totty is a licensed practical nurse who has worked at Lake Huron
Medical Center for the past 23 years. Her husband, who brought
his family here to open the then-new Applebee’s restaurant, is now a
program director at the Community Foundation of St. Clair County.
“How can you not love it here, what with the water and all,” she said.
“Our kids, they all call Port Huron their home. And, God has opened
our eyes to the opportunities available here.”
The Blue Water Area has been good to them, and they have
contributed much to the community they have adopted as their home.
During the Coronavirus 19 pandemic, Totty has served the
community as a frontline, essential worker in her role at the hospital.
Pre-pandemic, Totty spent half of her work life as a medical staff
assistant, auditing and compiling data. The other half of her work life
was spent coordinating the Lake Huron Medical Center Breather’s
Club, a support group that assists those with pulmonary issues. When
the pandemic hit, the club was disbanded, ironically, just when a virus
that is known to attack those with compromised lung capacity was
hitting.
Totty has remained in touch with her Breather’s Club clients, and is
happy to report, to date, no illness due to COVID 19.
“I thank God none of them have contracted it,” she said. “They are
practicing what I taught them, and that time and investment that they
put in has really helped them through this.”
Totty now spends a part of her work day serving as in-take personnel
for people entering the hospital, signing them in, and running through
COVID 19 procedures, such as taking temperatures.
Living a Life of Faith
A number of years ago, Totty and her husband both became licensed
and ordained ministers. Together, they minister to a congregation in
Port Huron that is diverse.
Like other churches across the country, they have had to turn their
ministry toward the internet, but that has gone well, she said.
“God has us gearing toward this virtual church, and we’re really, really
enjoying it,” she said. Their church, which is called #c4yourselfchurch,
is not as structured as other religious services, and that is what draws
people to their offerings.
“We believe that you need to see God yourself,” she said. “There’s
such freedom in knowing you don’t need that structure and ritual.
We’ve really been walking in this freedom. We really encourage an
open, immense amount of trust, and finding God for themselves.”
In light of the racial unrest that has unfolded across the country, they
have spent more time recently discussing racial and cultural differences
with the congregation.
SUMMER 2020 BLUEWATERWOMAN.COM 13