Growing up with my mom, Elowen, was something truly special. As a secretary at RSD Financial, she worked tirelessly to support us—balancing early mornings, long hours, and late nights with grace. Even though we lived modestly, our home was filled with warmth, and I never once heard her complain. At thirteen, I admired her deeply but didn’t fully understand the weight she carried.

That changed one night when I overheard her on the phone, crying to Grandma about her boss mocking her thrift-store blazer in front of colleagues. I was stunned. The woman I saw as strong and unshakable was quietly being broken down. I confronted her, but she brushed it off. Still, I knew she deserved better—and I couldn’t let it go.

When her company’s awards dinner came around, she planned to skip it, believing it wasn’t for “people like her.” That lit a fire in me. With help from Zoe, the boss’s daughter, I recorded evidence of his cruel words and brought it to the event. When the audio played and I called him out, the entire room froze. Richard knelt in front of my mom and apologized publicly.

A week later, Mom came home with news that she had been promoted to a managerial position—finally recognized for all she had given. From then on, she walked taller. And I learned that true respect isn’t about job titles or clothes—it’s about standing up for the people who’ve always stood strong for you.