By Paola
Being at Taller de José for almost 3 months now, I am proud to be an intern at this organization. We are here to empower and advocate for the community that we are in. Even though we may not see the ending of our client’s story, we are proud that we were part of their story. I have had the opportunity to work with Maria* as she is renewing her residency here in the United States. I have accompanied her to different offices in Chicago and during that time she has continued to thank me for taking these steps with her. She has gone through so much and her focus right now is to move forward.
I would like to say that we are both nervous. We are both experiencing a new chapter in her story together, but from when we first met she was at ease and began to trust me right at the beginning of the appointment. She confided in me and shared her new dreams that she has for her and her kids. She mentioned, “I want to own my own house one day. Nothing too big, just something I can call my home”. At the end of the appointment she seemed more confident and encouraged to keep moving forward. She thanked me again for helping her, but I thanked her as well.
She allowed me to be a part of her journey. I had the privilege to be a part of that chapter in her story and felt honored that she trusted me to support her. Even though I will probably not get a chance to see the end of her story, I know that being a part of it means so much. Our clients do not understand that they teach us every single day how to be better advocates, better compañera/os, and better people. While we get a chance to be part of their story, they make a difference in ours, and for that I am grateful.
*All stories are based on real client stories, but names and details have been changed to protect client confidentiality.
