I was born and raised in Cuba by parents who were both educators and faithful believers that freedom and justice are essential rights for all human beings. My father was a political prisoner in Cuba in the early 60s, and after that my family and I suffered political persecution from the time he was released from prison until the government allowed us to come to the US in the early 90s.
When my family immigrated to the United States in the 90s, we carried with us unlimited hopes and dreams for what we would become and achieve in our new country. Those early experiences taught me resilience and the power of hope and education as tools for transformations.
The most influential role models in my life have been my parents and maternal grandmother. They exemplified love, devotion, and hard work—the core principles that define who I am and what I believe in. Watching them overcome challenges with grace, unrelenting faith, and determination instilled in me a sense of responsibility to serve others and create opportunities where none exist.
These values are the foundation of my passion and purpose in life…of what drives me and motivates me – and that is to serve others and to be that person who instill hope and bring positive change no matter what the circumstances are.
From Cuba, we landed in Newark, New Jersey in February. I was 18-years-old and remembered that night as if it was yesterday. We landed at 11:00 pm in Newark wearing shorts and sandals and feeling the crisp winter air which we thought at that time was the feeling of freedom and a new life.
After graduating from East Side High School in Newark and completing my BA in psychology at the Seton Hall University, I began my clinical journey providing therapy at a methadone clinic in Newark helping primarily women who were pregnant and battling the disease of addiction. I also worked as a mental health counselor in outpatient and inpatient psychiatric units at a hospital in NJ helping children and families facing trauma and poverty -- many of those families were recent immigrants to the United States. I still remember many of my clients, including those who were in so much emotional pain that they decided to take their own lives.
These experiences reaffirmed my commitment to devoting my career and life to serving others and my decision to pursue social work because social work is not just a career centered on providing services, it is about restoring dignity and hope.
