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2007 Face of
Success Honorees
 Tina
When Tina found the strength to escape her abusive relationship,
she was determined to make a new and better life for
herself and her children. With AWEE's help, she found
a temporary job working for Community Legal Services
in Yavapai County. There, she discovered a new passion
for law and the aspiration to become a paralegal. Tina's
Case Manager helped her created a detailed career plan
to acquire the necessary skills. Soon, she was on her
way to a paralegal career.
With AWEE's support, Tina attended Yavapai
College where she developed a new sense of self-confidence
and the education she needed to achieve her goals. Since
then, she has earned a series of promotions at Community
Legal Services and now serves as both a paralegal and
as the agency's pro-bono coordinator, coordinating the
family law ombudsman program.
Thanks to her new-found financial independence, Tina
was able to purchase a home for her family, something
that would have seemed completely out of reach only
a few years before. However, Tina hasn’t forgotten
where she came from and the challenges faced by so many
others like her. She has become a vocal supporter of
AWEE and how it enables participants to change their
lives. “Never let anybody control or hurt you,”
she says. “You are your own person. You control
your own destiny.”
 Iditris
When Iditris' nursing career was derailed by drug addiction,
she knew it was time to get her life in order. She promptly
enrolled in a variety of AWEE programs, including the
Skills for Success workshop and a vocational training
course to acquire a Commercial Driver’s License
(CDL). She also tapped AWEE’s Clothing Boutique
for interview attire. Soon after, Iditris landed a job
with the Arizona Recycling Company as a CDL driver,
where her hard work and dedication were rewarded with
multiple pay raises. Eventually, she was able to move
into her own home. "You’ve got to stay focused,"
she says now. "You have to take responsibility
for meeting your goals. You have to have determination
and willpower. But you must learn to love yourself first.”
 Laura
Laura knows firsthand the challenge of restoring a shattered
life to wholeness. When she was only nine, her stepfather
sexually abused her, a horror she tried to escape with
drugs and alcohol.
Laura got married at 19 and had two daughters
by age 22. But the marriage was marked by continuous
violence at the hands of her abusive husband. She lost
track of her trips to the hospital for the broken arms,
crushed ribs and black eyes that drove her to drugs—and
eventually—landed her in prison.
Desperate to heal and get back to her
girls, Laura participated in every self-improvement
program available. AWEE’s pre-release Women Living
Free program helped prepare her for the transition back
into society and reunification with her family. Laura
also took part in AWEE’s post-release program,
Paths to Living Free.
AWEE provided Laura with the essentials
she needed to get back on her feet, including rent,
gas, clothing and eyeglasses. She was also referred
to legal resources for her custody battle to reclaim
her children.
As a result, Laura was able to win custody
of her older daughter, who now teams up with her to
share their stories with people who have been convicted
of domestic violence. “If I can share my experience,
strength and hope and have it change the life of just
one woman, then it's all worth it," she says.
Recently, Laura was promoted to a program
manager position with an international organization
that works to end domestic violence, sexual assault
and substance abuse. She receives a generous paycheck
and a package of benefits that has enabled her to buy
a new home. Little by little, she has reconnected the
shattered pieces of her life into a new and beautiful
whole. “There are people—like the ones at
AWEE— who will help you make a new life for yourself
if you reach out," she says now. “Just be
true to yourself and have a dream.”
 Thary
Whether she ultimately ends up with a career in nursing,
pharmacy, radiology or business, Thary is determined
to make the most of all that life has to offer.
At home, Thary's family spoke only Cambodian
and much of her time was spent helping her mom take
care of her two younger sisters. As a result, Thary
found herself behind many of her peers when she entered
Sunnyslope High School. But she applied herself and
caught up quickly. She also found a job at the nearby
AWEE office. Once there, she realized that AWEE could
be much more than an employer. It could also be a strategic
partner and supporter in helping her achieve her career
aspirations.
AWEE helped Thary secure Workforce Investment
Act grants to continue her education, and covered other
expenses the grants did not address. She responded by
"fast tracking" her way through a Certified
Nurses Assistant program. Next, she pursued training
as a pharmacy technician.
Today, she is employed by CVS Pharmacy,
where she uses her newly acquired technical skills to
help pharmacists fill prescriptions. She will become
a full-fledged Registered Pharmacy Technician as soon
as she passes the state board examinations.
As gratified as she is by what she's
already accomplished, Thary is still setting new goals
for herself. She's considering pursuing a business degree
so that she can help her mom start and run a new company.
She's also interested in advancing within the healthcare
sector, perhaps as a Radiologist. “AWEE has been
like a family to me,” says Thary. “They've
supported when I needed help. They've listened when
I needed to talk to someone. They're still inspiring
me to do my best."
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