Laura navigating her first online class.
Laura, 25, arrived in the United States in June 2021, bringing her 8-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. She decided to undertake the risky journey from Guatemala to the U.S.-Mexico border after experiencing severe panic attacks caused by death threats from her ex-partner who demanded that she hand over custody of her children to avoid paying the child support awarded her in court.
With the opportunity for a fresh start, Laura has not only seen the physical and mental health of her children improve in a short period of time. Laura also was able to begin pursuing her childhood dream. Laura always wanted to be a nurse, but she could not pursue that dream due to socioeconomic conditions. Her father, who provided essential nursing services in her community, was her most crucial inspiration. “I always watched my dad as he helped others. He was my role model. Even though he was very poor, my father was always willing to help others.”
Laura's enrollment in the GED program offered by Santa Fe Community College has reignited her passion for learning, as well as her desire to be an inspiration to her children, just as her father was to her. "I feel a sense of pride knowing that I'm doing things right. My children have a mom who loves them and fights for them every day and teach them to keep their heads up despite any adversity."
Laura hopes to end the year feeling more confident about the computer skills she learned from the tutorials she got from her family navigator, Paola, with the Santuario del Corazón Program. Through the Santuario del Corazón Program, Paola has been able to help Laura to navigate her GED enrollment, manage the acquisition of a computer donated by Las Cumbres Community Services, and, first and foremost, recognize and appreciate Laura's willingness to pursue her dreams and trust her natural love of learning to overcome new academic challenges.