About Us
An Easier Mile was established to meet working class immigrant and minority parents where they are - to give them a drink of water and a better pair of shoes in their sacrificial marathons of love.
Our Inspiration
May was an illiterate, single mom of two toddlers. Her husband married her in rags and abandoned her in riches. She had a roof over head in the form of a shack, but no electricity or running water. She didn't have any money or great skills, but she was equipped with two things: a relentless work ethic and belief that education was essential to her children's future.
For two decades she got up at 2am to make pastries that she sold on the streets for 3 cents a piece. Any and all savings went toward enabling her children's education - used books, used uniforms, used pencils. She worked nonstop to make ends meet - making pastries by night, selling them while cooking and sewing clothes by day... and repeat, 365 days a year.
At the end of those two decades, her children graduated from top-ranked universities in the country. One of them immigrated to North America and raised a family of his own, including children who went on to graduate from Ivy League schools. Before he emigrated, he bought her a 3 bedroom apartment where she lived until she passed at the age of 86, surrounded by grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
May worked hard, but she also got lucky. She got lucky in that her children did not get into drugs or crime during the countless hours when she could not tend to them. She got lucky in that her shack happened to be in a school district, completely by chance, where her children could receive a decent education. She got lucky that there was no COVID-19 during the years when she relied on every penny from selling pastries at a roadside stand.
Where May started is not all that unique - so many parents work just as hard, with just as much heart to provide for their children. Some get lucky and are able to have similar life stories told at the end of their days. Others less so, and their next generation cannot realize the step change these parents worked their lives for. Still others aren't even able to make ends meet today, let alone dream of a future of tomorrows for their children. Regardless of which path they end up on, one thing is shared by all these parents - they toil relentlessly, fueled by nothing but faith that one day their children can live better lives. They toil with no promise of such outcome, and no clear signs of validation along the way.
They want not, for they are the lost generation seeking simply to be the foundation upon which their children can build better futures.
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An Easier Mile was established by May's granddaughter's family, to serve these parents - the working poor, the lost generation.
Our Story
The year was 2020. We were about to start our transition year from full-time work to a much more leisurely lifestyle, having spent our adult lives aggressively sprinting toward our goal of retiring in our 30s. Then – COVID hit, and along with it we felt a wave of gratitude, guilt, and grief. Gratitude that our lives actually got better as we became fully work from home, granting us even more time with our children. Guilt as all of a sudden our retirement plans filled us with emotions of waste and frivolousness instead of pride and anticipation. Grief as the world collapsed around us, and the wealth gap once again amplified risks for those who can least afford it.
And then George Floyd was murdered.
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From there, it was impossible to ignore the privilege we’ve had our whole lives. We realized that in the marathon of life, one of us - born a white man with doctors as parents - started at mile 25. The other of us - an Asian immigrant woman - was born at mile 10 and then rode on her parents’ sweaty shoulders to mile 20. Yes we then “worked hard” to get to where we are, but our race was short and our shoes had wings. We really just had to not screw up.
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It’s discomforting what it took for us to finally realize this, but for once we turned that angst into passion. In a matter of weeks we went from toying with the idea of giving away one salary to both of our incomes, and to continue working at our jobs full time with hopes of giving it all away. In a matter of months a business plan was created and An Easier Mile was born. It brought new purpose to our jobs - we no longer knew what we were working for since we had more than one needed, and incremental spending was lending temporary joy at best. All of a sudden long work days got easier, and our big life questions felt answered. We felt proud to apply the privilege our parents had gifted us towards more than just ourselves. We are excited for our kids to experience similar joy through our foundation and have them craft their own stories of purpose.
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We fully recognize this is not sacrificial generosity. We remain comfortable in our lifestyle but are grateful to use our extra financial gifts in a way that inspires more joy and meaning that any “thing” money can buy. We remain exceptionally privileged and are blessed to be able to share some of it with those confronted with little. This is our journey, and we hope An Easier Mile can help you find yours too.
Melissa Hiner
Program Administrator at An Easier Mile
"My true fulfillment comes from making a positive impact on the lives of others as the Program Administrator at An Easier Mile. Witnessing the transformation and growth of the individuals we serve fills me with immense joy and a sense of purpose. It's not just a job; it's my calling, and I'm honored to contribute to a brighter future for those in need."
Employee Spotlight
Melissa Hiner is an invaluable part of the team at An Easier Mile. She brings immense empathy, compassion and unwavering dedication to every interaction with AEM recipients.