Elizabeth’s Story

Who I Am & Where I’ve Been:

I am a 42-year-old mother of two. I was born in Mexico and came here so that my daughter could have a life-saving surgery. I met a man here so I stayed and we had a son, but I did not have my papers and so he used that as a way to control me. I was constantly threatened with deportation which would mean that my son would have to stay here with the abuser. I did whatever he demanded in order to stay. I wanted to leave so many times but because of my status, I couldn’t find much work and would never be able to make it on my own.

How Thrive Has Helped:

When I came to Thrive I was so scared that they would report me to immigration. Or that they would somehow make me feel less than everyone else because of who I was. But instead, they welcomed me with open arms and helped me to understand that I wasn’t alone. There were several other immigrants there going through the same thing I was. With their help I was able to leave my abuser and find work. They have been such a huge support for me and my children and have connected me with so many resources. I couldn’t have gotten this far without them!