Having a Voice
On February 6, 2020, my youngest daughter, Hannah, and I attended the Annual Tyson Foods Shareholders Meeting in Springdale, Arkansas.
In early January Gina Falada of Investor Advocates of Social Justice asked me if I would be interested in speaking at the Annual Tyson Foods Shareholders Meeting on February 6, 2020, regarding the impact the spill has had on our community. IASJ represents faith-based investors who want to make positive changes using their investment ability.
I agreed. She explained that logistically, this would be a complicated undertaking. By February 2, I knew that I would be allowed to attend by proxy in the place of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. Hannah would be able to attend for Mercy Investment Services. By this time, it was too late to get an affordable flight (pre-quarantine), so we left on February 5 and drove straight there.
Springdale, Arkansas is a quaint town. It’s clean and well kept, and it’s all about Tyson. Hannah and I met with Gina that night after we had checked into a hotel. She informed me that I would be one of three people speaking. My time limit was firm. When we left Gina, Hannah and I went back to our hotel. We worked on my speech, making certain it was within that limit.
That morning it snowed. Hannah and I arrived at the Tyson Foods Headquarters about 20 minutes before I was to speak. The particular building we visited was for Tyson’s IT employees. It was a beautifully refurbished building. When we arrived in the parking lot, the police presence was obvious. A uniformed officer exited his vehicle as we exited ours. Protestors were being contained across the street from the IT building.
We entered the building. I was struck by the beauty of the natural light on what looked like refurbished wooden walls. A woman met us after we passed through security. “You’re Martha,” she said to me. I admitted my identity, and she directed me to Gina Falada, who was already there. As we approached Gina, I became aware of Tyson IT employees watching the proceedings on the mezzanines of the second and third floors.
Several Tyson executives came up and shook our hands. There was a moment, facing these tastefully dressed people, that I had the strong sense that this was not a place where I should be; this was a place where my people didn’t belong.
As the proceedings got underway and Tyson’s accomplishments were being lauded, I thought about our river. I thought about how it feels to be in a kayak, watching my paddle cut into the smooth water, so I can pull myself downstream. I thought about my father, my mother, and my grandfather.
When it was my time to speak, I spoke. I made eye contact with the three Tyson executives who sat in chairs on an elevated platform.
After the meeting, John Tyson, Chairman of the Board, shook our hands and stated his commitment to “make things right.”
We spoke with Kevin Igli, Sustainability and Chief Environmental Officer. He told also told us that they want to make things right regarding the “Hanceville Spill.” He seemed like a very nice, genuine person. During our conversation, I explained that it was the people downstream who were most affected. I mentioned Colony, Arkadelphia, Bremen, Sipsey, Empire, Coon Creek, Dilworth, Dora, Sumiton, Cordova.
I hope John Tyson and Kevin Igli are genuine. I hope good things can come from this meeting. Regardless, we are the ones who have to exercise our voice, even in those places where we don’t belong. Without OUR voice, hope means nothing.