Sandy Smith Retires
Sandy Smith recently retired from Blue Cross Blue Shield after many years of service. In this interview with the GR Times she talks about living overseas, living in the Upper Peninsular of Michigan and more.
GRT: Where did you attend college?
Smith: After high school, I went to IV Tech and studied computer programming and data processing. After being overseas, I took several classes at different colleges. Because my husband was in the military, I lived in Germany for four years and I took classes through a few different universities. I have taken classes through Ball State, IUPUI, Davenport. When I lived in the Upper Peninsular I lived in Marquette, Michigan for five years, I took classes at Northern Michigan University. I didn't see too many Black people up there except on the military base where Blacks might have been about five percent of the soldiers.
GRT: What was it like being one of few Blacks living in the UP?
Smith: I was the first African American to work downtown in Marquette and I had quite an experience, and I taught a lot of diversity around there. They were not accustomed to have an African American up in the UP. I taught the people who I came in contact with a lot about me. They had their own preconceived notions and stereotypes of Black people. I got a lot of them to not judge or make their own assumptions of Black people through what they see on television or in movies. Because my eyes are hazel and I am fair complected with light hair, they would ask me, "what are you?" Even when I was in Germany they would ask me what I was and I would tell them that I was African American and that we come in all kinds of shades and colors and that is what is so beautiful about African Americans. Because I didn't fit into what they thought was a normal Black person, they assumed that I was something other than African American.
GRT: Where did you go after spending time in Northern Michigan?
Smith: I was hired in at Blue Cross Blue Shield in Marquette, Michigan, and I was the first African American who ever worked at their offices. After five years, I then transferred to their offices in Grand Rapids. It was a challenge for me and for them, because of the fact that a lot of them resented the fact that I was an outsider coming in and taking a job that their child might have had. Sorry but I had passed the test, they hired me and I am more than qualified for the job that I was doing. After they got to know me, they realized that I was not going anywhere.
GRT: How long did you work for BCBS in Grand Rapids?
Smith: All together, I worked for BCBS for twenty-nine years. I started out as a clerk, and then I went to customer service and then I went on to becoming become a quality analyst and then I became Vice President of our UAW and bargaining chair. I was the first African American to be president of our local 2145. I was in a UAW appointed position as a joint program liaison and I did that until I retired.
GRT: How did you get active with the Democratic Party?
Smith: I have been active with the Democratic Party since I was sixteen years old. I did phone banking for Robert Kennedy and did a lot of literature passing out and just was really active and have been. I was even active I the party when I was in the UP and have been active in Grand Rapids the whole time. Now that I am retired I want to focus more of my time helping with homeless projects and just giving back to the community that I live in.
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