Gabriela* is a Mexican-born woman with two children and a long-standing history of physical and psychological abuse. Growing up, she witnessed domestic violence from her father against her mother and was often even on the receiving end of his abuse. Gabriela left Mexico at the age of 15, fleeing from the abuse and hoping for a better life for [...]
Ismael coordinated the distribution of donated bikes and backpacks to our young clients over the holiday season. I have worked in social services for over 30 years serving in a range of roles from community organizer, direct service provider, counselor, group facilitator, teacher and program administrator. My life journey and purpose in life has always been to [...]
Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month When I think about what it means to be AANHPI, the first thing that comes to mind is representation. Often, I internalize the pressure of being the spokesperson for an entire race or ethnicity, and that can bring a variety of mixed feelings. First, is that of nervousness, anxiety, and intimidation. Questions [...]
When he was five years old, Jonathan’s* father abandoned his family, eventually finding another wife and starting a new family in the United States. Back in El Salvador, his mother struggled to support her three children on her own, but she did everything she could. “My mom made sure we went to school and helped with homework,” Jonathan says. [...]
Growing up in Turkey, Kadir* hid his identity as a gay man to his conservative family and most friends in his circle. He even dated girls publicly to hide his sexuality – he says, “I never came out to my family or other friends because of fear that they would reject me, or that it could become public knowledge [...]
March 16, 2022 was a bittersweet day. It was a day to celebrate the Reauthorization of The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 2022 but also a day which marked the one-year anniversary of the killing of eight individuals which included six Asian women in Atlanta on March 16, 2021. As an attorney, I am thankful for the Reauthorization of [...]
March 8th, 2022 This quote from Audre Lorde comes to mind as we celebrate International Women's Day: "And that visibility which makes us most vulnerable is that which also is the source of our greatest strength." As I reflect on my career as an attorney representing women who experienced domestic violence and as an educator inspiring young women to find [...]
Sometimes, the most heartbreaking journeys can still end in new hope. Elisa’s* story is a testament to that. Growing up in Mexico, Elisa endured abuse from all angles just because she was different. She says, “From a very young age, I did not conform to or identify with the [male] gender assigned to me at birth.” Whenever she expressed her [...]
