"One day, I finally just decided to believe in myself..."—Meet Norma
“When my husband left us early in the pandemic, I was so afraid…”
Norma tugged at her bracelet then continued: “I thought my world might fall apart, or maybe it already had. It was a dark place. One day, I finally just decided to believe in myself, to believe I could make it through this. So I went out and bought this bracelet.”
She held up the same bracelet she’d been absent-mindedly touching to show us the word: Believe.
“I didn’t have much money, but I bought it as a reminder to keep believing that we would make it through this. At first it was mostly hope, but then I did start believing in myself—for the sake of my girls. I believed we could survive this pandemic, the loss of my husband and their father, and so much more. I worked hard and still am.”
Norma isn’t exaggerating. She’s known for her hard work in the community and her willingness to try new businesses and kinds of work to make sure her children have what they need. In fact, Norma had just returned from other coastal communities where she handed out business cards for her new cleaning service (see below and be sure to reach out, she’s great!).
An immigrant from Guatemala, Norma’s life has been an uphill battle at every turn. She knows struggle, and she channels that into empathy. She started a Facebook group for other moms of kids with special needs in her community. She’s active in housing justice circles and does volunteer work as often as she can.
“I was heartbroken when he left, but I learned that, if I keep loving people, I can survive anything. Love is the foundation. If we don’t lose love, we can’t lose.”
Norma and her daughters were nearly evicted. Without options, that could have meant homelessness or an abrupt and painful move. Thanks to donors like you, Norma was able to stay in her home for another month as she works to find more work. Thank you for keeping amazing neighbors like Norma safely housed!
Special thanks to two amazing partners, The San Diego Foundation and The San Diego Housing Commission for helping make this eviction prevention work possible!