I’m originally from El Salvador. It was in 1989 when I came to San Francisco with my brother to seek out a better life. We lived with my mother who was already living here in the Mission District.  

I spoke no English. But our mother was able to get us enrolled in what was then called Potrero Hill Middle School. I later attended Woodrow Wilson High school. But at 17, I got pregnant.  

What made things even harder was I was in a series of abusive relationships. I was always self-conscious about myself and the father of my first child would criticize me for the way I looked, dressed, and even cooked. He made me doubt myself and it proved devastating to me. When my son was six, he abandoned us.  

I met someone new, but that person proved no better. He began hitting and humiliating me. He was later arrested but so much damage had been done. I felt so much shame and guilt. It took some time, but I eventually attended a support group. It was there I learned more about domestic violence and felt as if they were talking about me. I broke down. I was also homeless for some time, being forced to move constantly over a period of ten years. 

It wasn’t until 2019 when I began attending other support groups and I began learning how I could help myself and become a better version of myself.  And that’s when GLIDE entered my life thanks to a recommendation from someone I knew.  

Two years ago, I was looking mainly for a food bank to help me with groceries. I learned from a fellow mom about GLIDE’s Zero food waste pantry, which, at the time, was making bags of fresh vegetables and fruit available to low-income families. This really helped me.  

I also was able to participate in parenting classes and workshops at GLIDE, including a presentation put on by Kid Power International. I later participated in a violence intervention program led by GLIDE’s Women’s Center Program Manager, Ileana Montano.  

GLIDE has helped me in more ways than I can tell you. Now I have a stable job with a non-profit out in the Bayview of San Francisco and I’m a much happier person.