WOMAN OF HOPE
WOMAN OF HOPE
By Anarita Compio Reyes
In 2003, I left the Philippines and moved across oceans embarking on a series of new journeys in the United States with only two dollars in my pocket and a giant leap of faith. Ten years later, I found myself relocating to California from the Big Apple. As I reflect on my journey as an immigrant who has experienced homelessness and as a mother of a son with severe autism, I think of so many amazing people who supported me by way of so many acts of love and solidarity that have brought me to where I am today. I want to share my journey with people who might identify with my story of hope and resilience in braving it all and standing tall throughout all of the hardships.
“..I left the Philippines and moved across oceans embarking on a series of new journeys in the United States with only two dollars in my pocket and a giant leap of faith.”
I, along with my husband and firstborn son, have lived in San Jose family shelters as an unhoused person through the grace of a nonprofit organization. I’ve experienced the struggle of joblessness with times where I filled out nearly fifty applications to various different jobs, oftentimes bringing my son with me, and I was denied several times because of inexperienced, rawness, and lack of familiarity with the flow of work. And still I persisted. I worked at the flea market, as a teacher’s assistant, and I didn’t stop there.
“I, along with my husband and firstborn son, have lived in San Jose family shelters as an unhoused person through the grace of a nonprofit organization.”
I planned big, I dreamed bigger, and I continued to work through the obstacles. I enrolled in school and I earned three degrees, which helped me develop further. I graduated as a Magna Cum Laude through determination and smart work. I was hired as a Site Director in the Child Development program with its enriching and nurturing mission. I also volunteered to give back to our San Jose community by way of my church, serving alongside families throughout the Eastside of San Jose who, like me, needed support and resources. I offered a giving heart, taught catechism, and advocated for the nurturing and care of children -especially those with special needs.
“I planned big, I dreamed bigger, and I continued to work through the obstacles.”