I’ve always had trouble answering the question, “who are you?”
I wish I had an easy and clear response.
I was raised in Argentina and moved to Bolivia when I was 12 years old. I didn’t fit in at my Argentinian school because of my skin color and I didn’t fit in at my Bolivian school because of my accent; even though Spanish is the most prominent language in both countries, Argentinian and Bolivian accents are terribly different from each other!
Despite sticking out in the wrong way, I did my best to establish myself in Bolivia for the next 18 years. Feeling settled in the same place for so long helped me feel like I belonged--like I could finally answer that nagging question of “who are you?” I finally had a great job, a nice place to live, plenty of friends and connections. I was even able to volunteer with Instituto Latinoamericano de Liderazgo Cristóforo, a leadership organization where, for over ten years, I was able to help empower others to rediscover themselves and embrace resiliency.
But then, I married a Michigander and moved to the U.S.--and that question once again became a riddle to me. And in the states, though I kept pondering it myself, I also heard it over and over again from others--and this time it was in English: a language I didn’t even truly understand, much less a language that I could use to explain such a spiritual question.
Eventually, though, I found my way. Following in the footsteps of my volunteer work in Bolivia, I took a job at Holy Cross College to support first-generation students. Then, I helped folks experiencing homelessness through a role at Motels4Now.
Now, at enFocus, I provide emergency financial assistance to families who have struggled to pay rent and utilities due to the adverse effects of the pandemic. These families experience frustration, sadness, and desperation as they worry about keeping their homes and their lives intact--and we do our best to ease these concerns by helping applicants gather the proper documentation, putting them in the best position to be approved for funding.
Despite the tragedies brought upon by this pandemic, there are people out there who don’t give up--who know that there is something better on the other side. At enFocus, we get to say to these folks, “you are right--and you are worth the effort.”
That’s why I joined enFocus: it gives me the opportunity to put into practice what I learned in my experiences in Argentina, Bolivia, and in my initial years here in the U.S.--to be with people who teach me how to be resilient, so that I can teach others to be resilient, too.
And, at my core, that’s who I am. enFocus is the right place for me to find myself once again.