Kim Boettner and Michael Berckenhoff

MB shares that he is participating in One Small Step to learn more about others perspectives. KB is curious about peoples stories and carrying your part in a larger group.

KB and MB read each other's bios. KB asks MB about his experience in Texas. MB shares his experience living in Houston, TX, North Texas, and Fort Worth. MB asks KB about her work in industrial automation. KB and MB discuss software and technology for PLC. KB shares her range from working with cars, rollercoasters, food distribution, and underground mining.

KB asks MB what drew him to stay in Houston. MB shares that he prefers North Texas, but Houston was the best location to start a family. KB shares that she grew up in downstate IL, and her grandparents were farmers. When she went to college she learned more about the world and had a larger scope.

KB and MB share their relationship to small farm towns. MB shares that his wife is from a small farm town and he sees the tough side of farming. KB shares how having a farm is not always the best financial decision.

MB asks KB about her children. KB shares that she had 3 children in 36 months, then had her fourth child shortly after. Her oldest daughters live close to her in AL. Her two younger children are not close but keep in contact. KB asks MB about his family. MB shares he has three younger children

MB shares that the most influential people in his life have been retired veterans. He has learned about leadership and how to share goals with others. He also shares that Glenn Beck has been a major influence. Beck's charity has taught MB how to work with his community to be less divisive.

KB shares that the most influential person in her life has been her high school math teacher Mrs. Polly Wilson. She had a degree in engineering, but could not get a job as an engineer in the 1970s. Mrs. Wilson encouraged KB to study engineering. KB shares how being a woman in her field was difficult, but a manager of hers was adamant on not tolerating sexism in the workplace. This manager was influential and taught her integrity.

MB shares how he did not think deeply about sexism in the workplace until he had daughters. He asks KB how do you teach your daughters how to survive in these spaces. KB shares that through her mentorship and motherhood, she has taught women to be authentically themselves, be courageous, and find trusted allies.

MB talks about the sexist standards associated with sales, his field of work. He shares how he has witness sexism happen to co-workers, and how he is trying to prepare himself as a father to keep his daughters safe.

KB describes her personal political values as community centered. She believes in high-levels of trust with her local community to keep the community strong.

MB describes his personal political values with a focus on protecting the rights that are in the Constitution. He does not rely on the government for aid, but rather the community for assistance. KB agrees with community assistance, but pushes back on the reliance on the constitution since the laws in the document are unfair for certain people in this country.

KB talks about gerrymandering laws in AL, and how it disproportionately effects communities since districts have to be realigned every 10 yrs.

KB discusses how Birmingham is trying to split up the majority Black county to loose its voting power. KB shares that the gerrymandering laws in AL are impacting communities in drastic ways.

KB and MB talk about the work their churches do to assist families in Afghanistan. They share that they financially donate to help those seeking refuge and asylum.

KB shares that she believes that the immigration system is broken. She acknowledges that the borders do need to be secure but as a nation we need to give a helping hand to those in need. MB agrees, but shares that not everyone coming to the US has good intentions. MB shares that he wants those coming in to the US to have good intentions and pave their way.

MB asks KB if she thinks assistance as a government or community responsibility. KB shares that she thinks it is a mix of both. KB volunteers in her community and acknowledges that there are systemic issues that need to be fixed by the government.