Growth

I would love to use my past experiences to tell my story and give hope to those out there who need it. I want to be a voice to those who feel like they can’t speak and prove to them that they do have a voice. I want my story to prove that anyone can overcome barriers, just as I have. I want to make a change to our current homeless situation as well as provide stability and health to the community.

I represent one of the smallest minority groups in Colorado, I am Native American. Being Native American meant that I had to fight through many obstacles to reach the point in my life now. homelessness is at the top of that list. I moved to Denver in 2015 and have lived on the streets through 2017. I came to Denver looking for a fresh start in a new and healthy environment, which I did not have at home. Home to me is a small reservation in New Mexico. The reservation has its own ecosystem, if you don’t live your life according to the ways of the reservation, you can find yourself ostracized and at the bottom of the ladder. On the reservation, tribal politics play a huge role in how well you succeed. It’s a system of who you know not what you know. We have our own tribal court system, our own tribal administration, and our own school system. Everything on the reservation is basically handled by whoever is on top at the moment. And those who don’t succeed in the checks and balances of the rez, get lost in the system. I was one of the lost ones. I was in an abusive relationship, which had caused me to lose custody of my three children. I became an alcoholic and depressed and I attempted suicide more times than I care to admit. After deciding enough was enough, I left New Mexico and I ended up in Denver for the first time. I was ready for a fresh start.

While being homeless I found and utilized some programs that helped me connect with fellow native Americans, one of which was the talking circle. I have now been a part of the talking circle for 7 years, and through them, my determination to work through my struggles has led me to be nominated for a position to work alongside the mayor as a Native American advisor, and to have a role in a housing program for fellow native Americans called the Native American Housing Circle.

Through a series of missteps and unhealthy relationships, I found myself homeless and pregnant. Becoming pregnant with my daughter was the match under my feet and I found a new sense of purpose. I realized I could choose to give up and go home and raise my daughter in a toxic environment, or I could choose to fight, which I did. I had many barriers that were against me, but I got through.

Being a single female, I have circulated through the shelter/ temp housing programs, until I ultimately moved my daughter into our new home through the Denver Housing Authority’s housing program. I even got my daughter into a good Montessori program, where she has been since she was 2 months old. I have been on the policy council for my daughter’s school, and I have sat on the board for my daughter’s school as well. Her school is the Family Star Montessori, a nonprofit organization. Being on the policy council at family star gave me a good general understanding of how policies and guidelines are set for a nonprofit. This helped me gain a position on the board for the nonprofit called Open Up. Open up is a home share organization that helps to match homeowners with extra rooms, to individuals who need a place to live but don’t necessarily have the means or finances to sustain housing.

In just a few years, I was able to transform from homeless to hero, to an amazing three-year-old little girl. I’ll admit, raising my daughter hasn’t been the easiest, she had surgery twice in her eye due to esotropia, and just last year she was diagnosed with autism. No matter what situation we have going on, I always make sure she is happy. I’ve worked two jobs, three at one point, to put my little girl in school, and make sure she has food in her belly and a roof over her head. I promised my daughter the world, and I won't stop until I can give it to her. Our story may have started in struggle, but it will not end in defeat.

I take pride in knowing that I am capable of setting goals and reaching them. One goal I had was to become a teacher and now that is what I am. I am a teacher at Family star Montessori, and it fits perfectly with where I want to be, and it supports the type of teacher I want to be. I believe that every child needs to have a safe and caring environment to learn and thrive, Education is important in the development of young minds, and they need a safe and welcoming environment to do so. I also believe that every child can learn and deserves to be taught in the way that best suits their individual needs. I want all children to feel included regardless of who they are and where they come from. I believe that every child has their own way of learning, and it is our job as teachers to find and support that child and meet their needs so they can thrive in a classroom environment. I also want to be able to support the emotional needs of children as well, I believe if a child is not in the right state of mind, their focus and learning capabilities won’t be at their best. There is a quote I once heard “just because you are right, doesn’t mean I am wrong”. This quote helped me to understand that there is not always one right answer, and that should apply to teaching, there is no one way of doing things, we need to teach with an open mind and an understanding that not every child is exactly the same.

When I came to Denver, I never intended to struggle and suffer, and I’ll admit, I almost wanted to quit and run home. Life tried to bury me, but I am a seed, and through the rubble, I rose, and from the ashes, I grew, because everything that was meant to bury me helped me come back stronger than before.