From the ghetto to the highrise

how to pivot from a survivor to a leader

From the beginning, life wasn’t all unicorns and rainbows from where I grew up. That was a fairy tale that was far from where I started. I was raised by a single mother with three children from the streets of El Paso, Texas. 

At an early age, I was abused several times in my life. Do you know those crazy abusive stories that come from the movies? I was living in one. My abuse started at an early age by my stepdad. To make it worse, the abuse did not stop there. Shortly afterward, I was abused by the babysitter’s son who lived in the same apartment complex we lived in. My abuse was too close to home. At the age of 17, my daughter was conceived from another rape.  

From my abuse, I suffered psychological conditions, including anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which forced me to walk a certain way and follow a predetermined path on the sidewalks. It was never-ending. It wasn’t long before the difficulties around my psychological circumstances, which included hearing voices and other self-inflicted issues, prohibited me from going outside.  

I have also experienced the life of being bullied. As a result, I ended up joining a gang at an early age where I fought with male members to gain respect and acceptance. This led to a life in and out of crime such as stealing, and stabbing, and I have seen two people die before my eyes. I was well known by the El Paso gang task force.  

A Calling for Change 

During that tribulation, I was called to a church, well-known for helping the outcast, those in gangs or drug addicts, called Victory Outreach. I was in and out of church trying to find myself. And the calling saved me in many ways, and the church community helped me for the first time in my life believe in myself and in the power of God.  

Soon, I was working with the gang task force, specifically Marylou Tarrillo, and speaking to detention centers and schools, helping to save committees, and focused on helping abused and at-risk kids, boys, and girls.  

Eventually, as time passed, my story and my ability to overcome such experiences was helping others. God works in mysterious ways they say. In my case, he continues to help me heal and be a vessel to help others heal, as well.  

Today, through all the hard work and healing, I have become a successful entrepreneur and business owner. The chapters of my past and the stories of my life are just the beginning of a long journey from struggle to triumph.  

This journey has taught me many lessons, but three I often communicate are:  

1. Walk away from negativity. Always stay positive and manifest your goals. 

2. Stay focused & work harder. Nobody can beat a hard worker.  

3. Never give up. Keep on moving. Every challenge is never easy, keep pushing forward.