As a young girl, MG dreamed of growing up to be a doctor. She wanted to be the first in her family to go to college. A real career, and one that made a difference in people’s lives. MG is smart, diligent, and kind. Yet, despite her several great qualities, the path to reaching her dream would not be smooth.
Growing up in Mesa, Arizona, MG was the eldest of five children in an abusive family. Her father was physically violent towards her mother, but the family depended on him to help financially and her mother could not leave. “Finally,” MG recalls, “she was able to divorce him.”
After high school, she was heartbroken to realize how expensive college is, even community college. Plus, her family depended on her helping her mother clean houses to make ends meet.
“I still dreamed about being the first in my family to go to college and have a medical career. But it was too expensive, and I started to think it would never happen.”
Several years passed, MG became pregnant, and her family had a clear message for her: “Who is going to take care of you and this child?” Financial stress and feelings of isolation overwhelmed MG and she suffered extreme postpartum depression. She felt alone and struggled with the day-to-day tasks of caring for her baby.
Then, she found Live & Learn. “The pieces started to come together,” MG explains. Her Live & Learn Client Coordinator was able to help with everything, even her personal life. She helped her make decisions based on her monthly goals. MG got married and had her second child. “It was completely different this time, no postpartum depression,” she describes.
Her Client Coordinator helped her enroll in a Certified Nursing Assistant program. “It was an entry point into the medical career I had always dreamed of! But I had never even known what a CNA was, I did not know that was an option before Live & Learn.” Her Client Coordinator was with her every step of the way, setting monthly goals, working on time management, and keeping her focused.
With Live & Learn’s support, MG completed the CNA program. Now, she is studying for the licensing exam.
My life has completely changed. I am not dependent on anyone else, and I will be a role model for my daughters. I am going to go to community college in the fall to do my prerequisites to become a Registered Nurse one day. My dream of college and a medical career is becoming my reality!
