“It’s cool to be like oh, compared to this company who have questionable practices, we’re going to put forward these products. Things like that, that I had never even considered, because in Greenfield Indiana, you shop at Wal-Mart and you buy what’s there, and you buy what’s cheapest. With the minimum wage that we’re guaranteed to make at $15 an hour, it’s afforded me a lifestyle where I can be more conscientious about what I purchase and as a result it’s opened up my awareness of things that go on in the world. When you’re forced to be aware, oh, that comes from this kind of farm, versus a factory or whatever, you kind of conceptualize food differently and it changes the way your purchase food, it changes the way you consume food, and all those components come together at the CoOp in kind of a magical way. As an employee, I’m not just pumping my labor into a machine just to get food on the table for myself. I can show up to work, and as you see, I’m involved in a lot of different parts of the store. I’m always learning, from my coworkers to the customers asking about different types of cinnamon and where it’s sourced from, what’s the difference in goats milk and cows milk and how does that affect my digestion. Why is this the only place in the state I can buy it raw, xyz, that we can offer. Everyday I come to work and learn from customer questions and inquiries. Things like Kombucha, I’ve never heard of until I moved her and now it’s like one of my favorites and I ferment my own Kombucha. The bulk department has changed the way I shop, I have my own jars and it makes you think about every plastic bag you use and the amount of waste we produce. It’s been transformative in ways I didn’t expect. It’s a good thing. You’re evolving with the times and constantly learning, which constantly informs your decision making. Favorite thing about the job: The people. On the ground level, every department has it’s own character, compared to some places where I’ve worked that have been really gossipy and mean, here I show up and feel such a sense of camaraderie with my coworkers, but also the customers, there’s beloved folks that I see that charm you and disarm you. The people are what make it worth it and keep the machine rolling.”