As the child of immigrant parents, Noemi Golden grew up with two languages — the one spoken at home, the language of her parents, and the one of the world outside.
And like many children who grow up bilingual, she didn’t always appreciate it when her parents forced her to speak their language inside the house. But that was then. Today, she is grateful that her fluency in Spanish allows her to serve her community in more ways than one.
A registered nurse for the Madison County (Ill.) Health Department, Golden works in the communicable diseases and sexually transmitted diseases programs. She serves patients who come in for testing, exams and follow-up interviews, and she provides them information and resources. Many of them are anxious about the reason for their appointment in the first place; those who face a language barrier even more so.
“I try to ease the anxiety and embarrassment that many people feel when they come in, especially for an STD,” Golden says. “I like to tell them that it’s okay, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Those who speak only Spanish are often grateful that I helped lessen their anxiety. They feel better just knowing there is someone who can translate for them.”
Bobbie Tetidrick, a colleague of Golden’s who is also a registered nurse, says she often relies on Golden to call her Spanish-speaking patients, and Golden always responds “without blinking an eye.”
“Noemi goes the extra mile to make sure she can be the nurse for every Spanish-speaking person that walks in needing assistance, so they feel more comfortable getting the care they came to get,” Tetidrick says. “Her heart is big and she loves her community, and she refuses to not stand up and help, even when she has 60 other things waiting on her.”
For her service to her community, Golden, a member of AFSCME Local 799 (Council 31), is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. The award recognizes public service workers who go above and beyond the call of duty to make their communities better.
Golden, who has been with the health department for over 10 years and has served as a nurse for over 25, says her main drive is her children. She has three — Isaac, 25; Kylee, 21; and 17-year-old Shayna, a junior in high school.
They inspire her to serve other families in the best way she can.
“When families come in and they don’t speak the language, you feel for them, because they’re just as human as everyone else and they deserve to be treated the same as everyone,” Golden says. “We don’t know their story. The point is they’re here and they need help. If we can give them the resources they need, that’s what drives me. That’s what makes me feel good: knowing I made a difference in their lives.”