Gender Activist, Trade Unionist, Negotiator, Educator, Warrior, Cape Town, South Africa

For those who wonder what it’s like for an African woman to work on a factory floor of South Africa’s metal machinery manufacturer, here is your chance. Ms. Lumka Tamboer is my WOW Woman because she does not take shit from anyone, because she single-handedly raised her family up and out of hardship; because she didn’t take no for an answer when they denied her earned credits required to complete high school; because as a negotiator she calmly deals with distraught males all day long; because she is trained in conflict resolution; because she knows how to de-escalate and use her voice to communicate and understand grievances from both sides of the worker/employer aisle; because she sued one of her organization’s biggest clients for on-the-job harassment and now they see her as a superb negotiator and specifically request her services.

Because, because, because…the list goes on.

Winnie Mandela once said: “Strike a woman, and you strike a rock”. Ms. Tamboer’s attackers were met with spirit, grit and resilience. In retaliation she studied, built up her skills, reached new heights in her career, became an indispensable expert in her field, and GOT PAID!

1. Name.

My name is Lumka Tamboer.

2. Where is your hometown?

I was born in a small town, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, called Sada in Whittlesea. My family relocated in 1984 to the Western Cape to join my father who was a migrant worker in Cape Town, he was a truck driver. The relocation was not planned; it propelled by my mother’s illness and she was unable to get medical attention in our new location as health facilities were very limited.

3. What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? What does your average day look like?

Currently my designation is Regional Educator in a trade union called National Union of Mineworkers, I label myself as Gender Activist and Trade Unionist as my whole career has been pinned in fighting the inequality and abuse of women in workplace.

Wow, my average day starts as early as 5 AM; being a single mother of two sons has something to do with that. My 17-year-old is autistic, his schooling is 34 km away so I wake up to assist him and take him to the bus stop. As the union official I have members that I service and most of my meetings with workers happen as early as 6:30 AM, before they start their duties or after hours. After my early meetings I go into the office to respond to emails and tend to my primary duties as an educator. I organize workshops and create content for reports, put together equality memorandums for different institutions, and write funding proposals for our education programs. My day is not limited to the above as I also deal with phone enquiries from members and employers. I have one of the busiest phones in my organization, because member tend to make use of the phone instead of coming into the office, due to high travelling cost and the COVID- 19 restrictions.

I am also active in my other role, as a Provincial co-convener of an organization call Progressive Women Movement of South Africa (PWMSA). As a co-convener I have the responsibility of ensuring that we run effective programs and provide support to our members. We organized campaigns against gender-based violence and support abused women in their court cases, so from time to time I am expected to be part of those programs.

I also serve as None Executive Director at The Federated Employers Mutual (FEM). FEM is private workman’s compensation assurance company for construction sector. On any given day I give myself two hours to focus on my role there, and the difference I can make in that organization.

4. What did you study in school?

1999: In high school I studied general subjects and I passed my metric in 1999 (in South Africa, matriculation or matric, is the final year of high school. Once the Matric year has been passed, students are said to have "matriculated".) Unfortunately I could not proceed to the tertiary studies as my parents could not afford to pay the proper fees. That situation forced me to look for employment. I was fortunate to find employment at the Shoprite Checkers (grocery store) as a Till-packer (check out clerk). At the time I had to look after my newborn baby who was born on the 07 September 1999 exactly a year I was doing my matric year (final year of high school).

2001: I worked at Shoprite for a year (2001). In the middle of 2001 I decided to go back to school with the goal of improving my subjects and marks. I enrolled myself at a local finishing school (Lagunya). I studied Criminology as one of my major modules as well as computer studies. The latter was the module which at the time we believed could provide more opportunities for employment. That was a right move to make. I passed my 2nd matric at Lagunya in 2001. Unfortunately I had to continue working without achieving my dream of studying further.

2011: I decided go back to school and study. I registered with University of South Africa (UNISA) to try and obtain an Administrative Management Diploma; it’s a three-year program.

In 2012 an opportunity presented itself to me of going to study in UWC Economic Development and Gender Studies. This program was meant for the management of the organisation (SACCAWU) I was working for at the time.

Fortunately my regional boss was not interested in this enrichment program. I approached him to take his space. he agreed on the condition that my studies would not affect my day to day work.

2014: I continued with both programs and graduated from both institutions in 2014.

2019: I then further obtained an Advance Diploma in Public Admininstrataion as well as the Honors in Public Administration.

5. What was the journey like to get where you are (in life and career-wise)? Write about some of the achievements that you are most proud of. What was the moment for you that changed your life (in your personal life and/or career?) that set you on the current path in life?

My career odyssey was packed with challenges that, on many occasions, made me feel like I was wasting my time. But my persistence and optimism did not let me give up.

With the background I have as a black woman in South Africa I would say that having a career is itself an achievement. I would never have dreamed, as a child, of climbing this high in the role I’m in, creating this role for myself, advocating for myself, advancing this far and thriving. In our township girls did not have role models they could emulate or look up to as young women; most people didn’t ever see themselves driving a car let alone owning one. Here is a bit of my background:

My childhood I would say was filled with displacement which resulted in many difficulties. One was my inability to connect with people. I was born out of a wedlock, not raised by either of my parents. The parents that took care of me had an impression that my biological parents would come for me at any time. As a result, I constantly lived in a state of panic, like I was going to leave at any moment. Sometimes that assisted me in coping with the challenges I encountered, such as dealing with the pain of being bullied by family members who said that I was not a real part of the family, that I must leave. The idea that my parents would come for me at anytime gave me hope that one day I would be reunited with them and finally be happy.

I was that child that had a different surname in this family as they registered me with my biological father’s surname. I graduated with that surname. Unfortunately my biological parents never came for me. Fast forward, to the age of 18. As I became eligible for an Identity Document in South Africa I encountered a problem. I was unable to get one because there was no one in the family who was older than me over 10 years with the same surname. For the new ID holder that is the requirement in South Africa, and I couldn’t receive my identification card. My surname was Mpinda and the surname of the family that I grew up in is Harens. This surname issue had caused me many hassles in my career journey. I had Mpinda on my graduation diploma and Harens on my identity document. I was forced to get a South African ID with the Harens surname. It continued to be a constant reminder in my life that I was a displaced woman. Each and every time I applied for a job or tried to enroll to continue my education I had to have a sworn in affidavit explaining my situation; I had to constantly prove that I was the person who received education. I had to keep defending my qualifications.

Growing up I have always understood my situation, realized the poverty my family was in; that propelled me to be responsible at a very young age. Even then I knew that nothing could get done if I sat and did nothing. At 14 I began working, at a local vineyard. Each and every school holiday we would go to the rural areas of Western Cape (Gouda) where fruit farms where employing seasonal workers. In many wine farms I was chased away because I was a tiny human, I was so young. Until one day, a team leader Aunty Dottie gave me a chance to work. I worked so hard trying to prove myself to her and to many others workers who didn’t want me on their teams, they were scared I would delay their production. Farm workers were earning 20 cents per crate. The job was very difficult, I was spending full days in the hot South African sun. My nose used to bleed so much that everyone was scared I would collapse. We all had blisters on our hands, suffered from headaches and swollen feet. That was the order of my life while working in the wine farms. But I knew that the money I was making during the seasonal work was assisting me at home, helped me buy clothes for example. When I passed my high school exams my sister, who was a cleaner in a grocery store Shoprite, assisted in getting a job as a cashier. I worked for some months and decided to resign, as the job was not adding any value to myself and I didn’t foresee any career growth opportunities, especially for a black woman.

I reallocated to Port Elizabeth in early December of 2003. I wanted to reunite with my biological mother, for whom I searched for and found in the late 2002. The main purpose of my reallocation was my desire to study and build a career for myself; I needed to provide my child who at the time he was only three. Unfortunately things in a new place did not go as I envisioned. My biological mother treated me and my son badly; it became very clear very quickly that she did not make a mistake by leaving me with a nanny when I was three months old.

Thanks to my church friend, Yoliswa Mlambo, I secured a job at Nando’s (a fast food restaurant chain). Ms. Mlambo noticed the hardships I was experiencing at my newly found “family”. I worked at Nando’s mostly in the night shift which meant that I had to leave my child with my mother. However, her treatment of my son was so bad that I decided in the middle of the year to let him stay with his father’s family until I got back up on my feet financially. I moved out of my biological mother’s house and stayed with a friend of mine in a one-room flat. While staying with her there was this guy who was always hanging around. He was a driver of the bus I took to Port Elizabeth. He kept on asking me out and wanted to date me. Although I was not in any way ready for a romantic relationship, I assessed my situation: I was in a strange town without a support system or trusty people, I decided I should give him a try. Some time later, I moved in with him, he asked me to marry him and I said yes. We got married on the 2nd of February in 2005.

Being married to this man brought a sort of stability in my life. I was able to finally bring my son to live with us. At this time I had resigned at Nando’s and was now working for Edcon LImited (a retail company) as part time service operator. I worked part time until my contract expired; I was also pregnant with my 2nd child, Iviwe. I became a stay at home mom. This was a tough time as my husband was a sole breadwinner for his entire family; he had three kids before our marriage and also looked after his mother and his other eight siblings.

In 2006 I decided to look for a job. I started where I left off few years back going to each and every industrial area in the region. I submitted my CV everywhere, registered with every job-seeking database and talked to every employment agency. I did not leave any stones unturned. I would buy the Herald Newspaper every Monday, scan weekly job listings and apply to multiple jobs. I was called in for an interview by a company called Heinz Fischer Engineering (aka Fischer Profile). It is a metal working machinery manufacturer. The listing was for an Operator position. I was clueless and did not have factory experience, but they saw something in me and fortunately for me I was employed on 26th of June in 2006. I worked in a factory as a Seat-slide operator. Unfortunately on the 03 August of 2006 , my finger was cut off by a press machine which forced me on IOD leave (Injury On Duty) for a month.

In my opinion, Fischer Profile was a typical South African automotive factory that was heavily dominated by men, white supremacy reigned. White workers were the First Class citizens, followed by the coloured workers who were the majority of the factory’s workforce. Black people were few and in between, even fewer in the supervisory positions. Those who were, never wanted to be in the bad books of the big boys upstairs, thus they themselves continued the oppression of their own people. The were no career opportunities for blacks, in particular black women. The were no black people working in the head offices either. The first thing I noticed was how women in the company were treated. Management treated female workers as if someone was doing them a huge favour by allowing women to work in the company. Such was the mentality of the supervisors. They instilled this in the female workforce. I am a very rebellious person, so that didn’t work on me. I don’t like to be treated differently from others, men or women; I believe that this sort of differential treatment is a continuation of the apartheid. I was not in any way going to accept it. This was the pivotal moment in my life.

As I continued working at Fischer Profile I learned more about the work environment and all its challenges. I started engaging with the different workers, began questioning status quo with my supervisor but it was fruitless, since most of the time the supervisors were following orders from above unquestioningly. The first thing I questioned was the fact that the factory workers were timed when going to the toilets but the white guys could come and go at any given moment. One day I decided not to tell my supervisor and went to the ladies room; to add insult to injury I was on my period. I did my thing and came back. Upon my return I found her (my supervisor) standing with the production manager and they proceeded to question my whereabouts. He was asking why she allowed me to take so long in the ladies room. I responded to this guy by saying: “Firstly I am an adult who voluntarily took this job. I understand the rule of the labour law and I perform my work tasks diligently. Secondly, I have a right to privacy such as attending nature’s call. Lastly, as a woman I have different needs from a man when it come to hygiene. Your toilets, for the factory workers, are in in a terrible state, which forces me as a woman to worry about infection on top of everything else. Excuse me for taking longer, as your toilets are not up to the required standard for a human. So you will be having me taking longer until you fix them”. At the time all workers were standing watching me and you could see the fear in their eyes. He responded by saying that no other workers have ever complained about the toilets and being timed while using them. He then proceeded to speak to the supervisor in Afrikaans. The following Monday the supervisor came back with the report that there were temporary toilets for us workers for now, while the main toilets were being renovated. The factory then proceeded to clean the toilets every day, just like the toilets in the office toilets upstairs. To me, that was an achievement.

While working in the factory I would often sit with the other women, eat lunch and converse about many things. I noticed that none of the female factory workers seemed to envision themselves beyond operators. Furthermore, none wanted to speak about the sexual harassment they were getting from the supervisors. Many of them had to work overtime, so they didn’t want to jeopardize that. Supervisors often used their power by threatening women with cutting overtime, if women didn’t do sexual favours. Female supervisors were suffering from the same thing but they were silent, and the silence of these women was working well for the perverts in power. The women confided in me for different reasons, some were trying to warn me about these guys, others were making sure that I didn’t overtake them on their boys; the only thing I heard though was the pain that these women were going through. I tried to encourage them to speak up, and talked about uniting against these illegal behaviour. I started to recruit members to join a union so there was some sort of majority around this issue. We started having meetings in the plant, and slowly these issues were addressed.

While I was on my IOD leave, a position of an Admin Clerk in the finance department was advertised and I applied. I had close to zero computer experience, but since I was on a leave I used that time to my advantage. I went to a nearby internet cafe to register for a computer class. I took the classes in the evenings and as a result got the position. That was my first professional job, a result of my hard work. I felt that it was a real achievement and a clear new direction for my career.

Ini that moment, I was the first African working, not on the factory floor but in the offices of fischer Profile.

I must say it was not rosy and was the most difficult time of my life. I was really put to the challenge but I was up for it! There were number of times I thought I was going to loose my job as I was challenging the status quo by just being there. I encouraged workers to apply for benefits (courses, etc) that seemed to be offered to and taken advantage by the select few. That led to dissemination of information, the workers bulletin boards were now full of application deadlines for things like trade tests, CETA grants (skills development services to the construction sector) and continuing education opportunities to further their skills. The one achievement that excited me was the Abet school that started in 2007 on-site at the plant. I pushed for these ladies to finish their high school degree. Three of my ladies passed their matric that year and one guy passed with the exemplary grades. One worker, Nqanqa after completing her matric, started on-site training as the CO2 welder. By the time I left Fischer Profile in 2009 she was the Senior CO2 welder. Zukie went for the apprenticeship training. She passed and commenced in a tool room as a Tool Maker. Damn, the big boys were not happy but unfortunately they couldn’t do anything; we were there to transform that organisation.

On my side I was given all the unwanted projects and I made sure that I aced them all. The company was tendering for a job at the Lear Cooperation. The specifications were clear: we needed to have SABS ISO 9001 in order to get the tender. We were given only six weeks to get it, and every one didn’t believe we can do it in such short space of time. I requested to be given the project. My manager refused stating the fact that I have the experience nor the expertise and the project needed to be outsourced. However the owner of the company gave me the go-ahead. I completed the project working with SABS and the Lear Cooperation in Germany. We ended up with the certificate and the tender of billions. That was a huge achievement for me. I developed leadership skills and worked well with all the departments.

I moved to work for a Trade Union towards the end of 2009 after taking a voluntary retrenchment at the Fischer Profile. At the South African Commercial Catering Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) my responsibilities revolved around working with women as a Local Gender Coordinator. I’m proud to say that we developed careers of many young women, especially in the retail sector. I organised a number of campaigns such as Equal Pay for Equal Work of the same value and many Gender-based Violence Campaigns. During this time I was personally experiencing sexual harassment at the workplace, and furthermore I was emotionally abused by my then husband. It went so bad that I handed in his firearm to the nearest police station as every day he would threaten to kill himself and the children not knowing he would get another firearm. One day when we came home he had his fire arm in his hand in front of the kids threatening to kill himself I got so fed up with him I took the damn fire arm and fired. How I missed him God only knows.

Working in the trade union entails travelling a lot constantly having meetings with the workers and the management of various companies. There is a stigma for the trade union female employees, that they are sleeping with all the men in the organisation. Unfortunately this was cemented in my husband’s head that I was sleeping around with my colleagues and comrades. Additionally, when I worked for SACCAWU my salary increased and was now above his. For me this was not an issue, but it was for him, although I did not know it at the time. I was also providing for us, for our family. My medical aid (insurance) at my work was better than his too, and we switched over, as it was paying 100% of costs. All these things that were supposed to be an achievement for us were perceived negatively by him and his family. According to his family, women could not earn more than men. He was then supposed to “show me who wore the pants at home” and my travelling was to be minimised.

On the 4th of May, 2010 my ex-husband decided to beat the hell out of me in front of my children; my child had to run for help. My ex-husband dragged me out of the house, fire arm in his hand. When I tried to run away, down the street, I saw my son and my sister approaching. I stopped in my tracks because I thought that If I continued to run the bullets may accidentally hit them. I thought the best action was to stop and allow my husband to do what he wanted with me. He grabbed me, pushed me into the car and sped away. Apparently he was taking us to the colleague he believed I was cheating with him with. Fortunately my phone was in my pocket and I was able to send a tracker to my sister. After I was rescued, I moved out on that very day; we officially divorced on the 16th of March in 2011.

I resigned from the SACCAWU after December 2015, after many challenges within the organisation, such as grievances of sexual harassment by the senior staff member. I received lots of threats and was continuously victimized. They also put me on a “precautional suspension” for six months, with no charges given. I took the matter to the The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) citing an unfair suspension as I stayed at home for more that three months without being notified of my “transgressions”. The employer did not show up to the CCMA meeting and I was reinstated back at work. Around this time I decided to resign with the aim of relocating back to Cape Town; Port Elizabeth had too many bad memories.

I started 2016 with no direction of what I was going to do. I was still in a legal battle with my ex-husband as he was refusing to dissolve our assets amicable. While I was struggling to find a suitable living quarters, he was living in the house that we were paying for together.

In February I applied for a position of a Provincial Gender Coordinator/ Administrator at the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). I got the job and started on the 16 of March in 2016.

I think COSATU was one of my biggest career breaks in terms of exposure to interesting projects. I led a number of campaigns focused on emancipation of workers and workers issues; in particular women workers. Here are some of my latest achievements:

• We successfully campaigned against Mduduzi Manana to be removed from the Parliament after he assaulted a female at a night club.

• We successfully marched to the Provincial Commissioner’s Office with the agenda of enforcing most police station to become fully equipped with the officers trained in handling gender-based violence cases. We partially achieved this goal, because some police stations are still not fully trained.

• We successfully forced the Portfolio Committee of police in the Parliament of South Africa to start a conversation about the National State of Emergency and prioritize their fight against gender-based violence. As early as 2016 we drafted all required documents to show proof that gender-based violence was happening. We focused that report on the workplace violence.

• We successfully applied to the Nedlec for a section 77 against violent crimes and on the 03 August 2017 we marched to parliament to table our grievances.

• I held a number of workshops and seminars to educate workers on various issues

• I have developed a number of female leaders and am thankful for the platform COSATU provided to me to be able to achieve that

• We successfully assisted many migrant domestic workers (without papers) who were exploited by their employers. These were individuals who were locked in the houses for days; as their employers knew that a call to the police would be unlikely.

• We successfully led the International Labour Organization campaign to be put into place by the South African government (C189). International labour standards are legal laws drawn up by the ILO's constituents (governments, employers and workers); they set out basic principles and rights at work. Our focus was on recognizing domestic workers as workers too. As such they would receive benefits and be eligible for workmen compensation. C190 Convention focused on eliminating Gender-based violence and sexual harassment in the world of work. Both these Conventions are now encompassed in our national bills.

In 2019 I resigned at COSATU as I felt that I have reached a career growth ceiling. I started working for The National Union of Mineworkers, as a Provincial Educator. I am also serving as a Non-Executive Board member at FEM, a private compensation fund for construction workers. I equally serve on the Ethics and Social Committee.

6. How is your life different from what you pictured at 20?

Yhooo! Very different, as I have my full independence now as well as a career that I have worked very hard for.

7. Was there a time when life knocked you down or out and how did you get back up on your feet?

Yes there was, the time I moved to PE (Port Elizabeth) and things did not go the way I expected. That was a very tough time for me, without employment or direction. I fell into a depression and had to think on my feet in order to survive.

8. Advice for other women?

To never underestimate their inner power and always trust their capabilities. To always find peace and laughter in any situation; bitterness never change anything for the better, only brings heaviness within.

9. Knowing what we know now in a current political climate, can women be "all that we can be" in today's world? What is the way forward, as you see it, for "feminist values"?

Unity and cohesion is the way to go. United we will stand, divided we will never conquer any of the hardships we face. Read, read, and read some more, as knowledge is power. We will never conquer what we don’t know.

But eventually we will be all we can be coz we hard workers and we are clear of what want in our different corners.

10. Where in the world do you feel “tallest” (i.e. where is your happy place)?

My happy place exists wherever I am with my children, where I can see them free and smiling.

11. What extracurricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why?

My mountain climbing. This hobby brings inner peace to me and a sense of joy.

My gosh my music, I listen to music a lot; it’s my childhood hobby.

Taking pictures and feeling beautiful are my favourite hobbies. This was something that my grandmother taught me during my divorce: “Never allow pain to be written all over your face. On your darkest days remember you have nothing else but yourself. So wear your highest heels, put make up on and look your best, as if it’s your last day on earth. Your mind functions better when you feel confident”. Since then I always enjoyed looking good.

12. What do you want to be when you grow up? Future goals/challenges?

Honestly I will always want to be a gender activist, however my activism must be more focused on the intellectual understanding behind the policy making decisions in our society. I want to advocate on that level, and change policies in a way that will benefit South African women.

13. What fears are you still hoping to overcome?

Fear of dying alone without family surrounding me. I also have to overcome the fear of being displaced, not fitting in. I want to overcome the constant worries that I must always stand up for myself and self-protect. These are not unfounded fears, since I don’t trust South African systems to protect me as a black woman. Finally, last but not least, is the fear of being unemployed one day and not be able to provide for my children.

15. What/who inspires you?

Workers inspire me; their perseverance and trust (in me) make me want to do more in my own life.

16. What are you hopeful about?

That the best is yet to come.

17. What are some ingredients to a good life? Has the global pandemic changed your perspective about the world, about your life, your goals and dreams?

Love unconditionally and tell those close to you that you love them.

Save and save more! Multiple strings of income are a must.

I always remind myself to look after my health and that of my children and never take anything for granted.

I want to finish my second Masters Program this year, in 2022. And I want to start a Non-Profit Organization focusing on helping children with learning disorders and mental health issues.

18. What are (at least) three qualities you most love about yourself and why? What are your superpowers?

• I go out of my way to help because I know how it feels and what it’s like to be in need of help.

• I am a go-getter; NO is never an answer for me. Sometimes some doors just need a little push

• I love honestly and I am a happy person, but I’m a fighter when a need to fight arises.

Ahhhh, my superpower is my voice!

19. What advice would you give your 14-year-old self?

To have clear priorities and to have confidence. And study like there is no tomorrow. You must build a solid foundation for yourself. That’s a key to freedom.

20. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favourite reads?)

I am currently reading “Beauty of the Heart: The Life and Times of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke” by Zubeida Jaffer.

Some of my favourites are:

“Love and Courage: A Story of Insubordination” by Pregs Govender.

“Conversation with my Sons and Daughters” by Mamphela Ramphele.

I also loved “My Own Liberator: A Memoir” by Dikgang Moseneke.

21. Who is a WOW WOMAN in your world who inspires you and why? Can you nominate three (or more) women you know who perfectly fit WOW WOMAN description? What would you tell them, if you had an opportunity, about why you admire them?

Mathapelo Khanye - she is a National Secretary for Women’s Structure in National Union of mine workers. I am nominating her on the basis of her leadership in a largely male-dominated organisation. In her term as a Secretary, she was able to achieve a lot for female workers.

Nobulumko Nkondlo - she is a member of parliament who grew up in the dusty streets of Gugulethu (one of Cape Town’s townships). She is always devoting her time to emancipating young women and for that, she is a WOW Woman!

22. Where can others find you/your work (links to websites, blogs, etc.)?

LinkedIn: @lumka-tamboer

Instagram: @lumka1147

Twitter: @lumkatamboer

Facebook: Lumka Luu Yirhakazi

TikTok: @luu_tam1

Bonus Quick Round Qs:

1. What and who is worth suffering for?

Who? My children. What? The truth.

2. What would you do if you knew that nobody would judge you?

I don’t bother myself worrying about others judging me. The only time I pause with my plan is when it doesn’t sit well with me and my own conscience.

3. Who is/are your mentor/s (men or women)?

I don’t have any mentors, unfortunately.

4. If you didn't have to work anymore what would you do with your days?

I would do farming. I love farming.

5. If you could be anyone for a day who would you be?

I would have loved to spend a day in the life of Winnie Mandela (may her beautiful soul rest in peace).

6. If you could relive one year in your life, which one would it be?

2021 - the year I turned 40.

7. What bothers you most about other people? What do you love most about other people?

Negative thinkers bother me.

I love when people enjoy discussing progressive ideas and share their thoughts,