Stories Women Have Shared Illustrating Resilience

For example, one mother came to the United States from an impoverished country abroad to work in the United States to be able to support her family back home. Given this woman’s low education and lack of knowledge of the English language, she has only been able to work as a housekeeper. However, despite her meager salary, she is able to support herself and her son in the United States as well as provide for her family back home. This particular woman has been working this way for nearly ten years.

I was also quite struck by one teenager who had run away from home at the age of sixteen due to some difficulties she experienced at home. This teenager ultimately found a way to support herself by working at a business at a below minimum wage in exchange for room and board. Sadly, the business owner not only took gross advantage of her in terms of the hours she was forced to work and the low wages she earned; he also sexually abused her. She responded by saving every penny she had so that she could ultimately move out and no longer be dependent upon this abusive business owner.

A third illustration that amazed me was an illiterate non-English speaking mother and wife who is in her twenties. Somehow she has two young children and is able to function and get by without knowing English or even how to read in her own native tongue. This takes immense survival and listening skills, particularly in our knowledge-based society.

I am so full of admiration for these women facing their respective difficult situations with such courage and little-to-no complaints. Their stories also made me realize how I much I have to be grateful for and how I took things like literacy for granted before having started my internship.