| I was born in the United States and raised in Haiti. I | | | | with culture shock! I had to learn to live with |
| moved back to the United States at the age of | | | | individuals of different backgrounds and religious |
| eleven. Being a witness to the struggles faced by my | | | | beliefs. I was impressed with the different student |
| mother, a single mother, made me more appreciative | | | | organizations to choose from. However, because I |
| of the education and the opportunities that I have | | | | wanted to feel like I belonged, I assisted in creating a |
| had as a Haitian-American woman. Having to learn | | | | Haitian-American organization so that I could meet |
| English as a second language and completing my | | | | other students of my own culture and who, I |
| Masters Degree in Social Work are my two greatest | | | | assumed, were faced with the same challenges as I |
| accomplishments. | | | | did. I soon began to realize that I was segregating |
| Growing up in the United States and having to adapt | | | | myself from the many different cultures represented |
| to a new culture was a difficult and challenging | | | | by other students on Campus. I began to branch out |
| experience for me. However, my struggles were | | | | and participate in different organizations so I could |
| minimal compared to those of my mother's. She | | | | learn more about different cultures. To my surprise, I |
| worked two jobs, at the time her English speaking | | | | found students from a wide variety of cultures who |
| skills were minimal, and she supported four young | | | | were struggling as I was and their parents struggled |
| children. Additionally, even after we moved to the | | | | as my mother did. |
| United States, my mother believed that she had a | | | | My first professional experience was as a Director of |
| responsibility to care for her siblings living in Haiti. As a | | | | a child abuse prevention program. Working with |
| result of this belief, she kept sending them money on | | | | parents was rewarding for me because I was able to |
| a regular basis. | | | | educate them about child rearing skills and help them |
| My mother always stressed the importance of | | | | to learn stress reduction techniques. After |
| education. She did not want to see her children | | | | approximately one year, I was accepted onto the |
| struggle as much as she did. With education in mind, I | | | | staff of an organization that specializes on domestic |
| completed High School believing that getting a High | | | | violence. In my capacity as a Senior Social Worker, I |
| School diploma was all of the education I needed. | | | | encountered many minority women who were |
| Unfortunately, I had a guidance counselor who, rather | | | | victims of violence in their primary relationships. I |
| than support the idea of my going to college, | | | | soon learned that it is often difficult for women to |
| reinforced my belief that High School was enough | | | | break away from violent relationships. For the |
| education for me. Luckily, I met a professional and | | | | women I worked with, matters were complicated |
| successful Black woman who became my mentor. | | | | even further because many of them were |
| She taught me the importance of furthering my | | | | undocumented and, as a result, they were usually |
| education. She believed in me and she helped me to | | | | unwilling to ask for help from any authorities because |
| believe in myself. Although my mom had also | | | | they feared they would be deported. These women |
| stressed the importance of education, up to this | | | | also faced language barriers, difficulties getting |
| point, my experience was in seeing the women from | | | | employment, and the social isolation we often see |
| my culture who had immigrated to the United States, | | | | both with battered women and in new immigrants |
| obtain jobs as cleaning ladies and I considered them | | | | who have not yet settled into American society. Of |
| to be successful. So, with a broader understanding of | | | | those who were able to leave the batterers, they |
| success, as well as some assistance from my | | | | often found themselves unable to navigate the |
| mentor, I applied and was accepted to Syracuse | | | | system and not able to support themselves financially |
| University where I majored in Social Work and | | | | without the help of public assistance. Of those who |
| ultimately obtained a Bachelor's Degree of Science | | | | did receive public assistance, they often came to rely |
| and Social Work. | | | | on public assistance because their English speaking |
| I learned many valuable life lessons during my | | | | and writing skills were poor and or they were unable |
| undergraduate years. I lived in Harlem, NY; and as a | | | | to get training in a vocation that would allow them to |
| result, I was not exposed to many different cultures. | | | | support themselves and their children. |
| When I went to Syracuse University, I was faced | | | | |