Juanita's Story: Everyone Has Purpose in Life, Foundations

The sun shines beaming through my bedroom window as I wake to my seven beautiful children, they give me a reason for living. I also found my purpose from the work I've been chosen to do, I help people who have been in prison or the jail system to get primary health care and learn how to take care of their health and well being.

Years ago, I would have never imagined being where I am today. When I tell people my story, they can never imagine I went through all that. I was in a very lonely and dark space for years, never knowing my own self worth.

I was caught in a cycle of relapse and thoughts of suicide, until one day, I met someone who had faith in me. She made me feel like a human being, like I wasn't crazy. She said, You are smart and you are beautiful. I started working on myself and most of all, learning to love myself. I also started taking classes at the local community college, and I was accepted into the community health worker program.

As I've grown into my professionalism, I still am learning my strengths and my weaknesses and to accept them. I'm a human being. I'm allowed to make mistakes. Because of my past, I shut down from time to time and isolate myself from the world. I'm not only the happy, bubbly person who other people think I am, but now I have the tools and people who support me, and I know when to ask for help.

Every day.

I engage with clients, listening to them, advocating for them. I'm working with a woman right now who has stage three breast cancer. I'm able to look into her eyes and just be present with her in her pain. She finally has her own place to live. She's taking care of her health, and even though she's facing death, I'm able to inspire her and help her to make healthier choices, and She inspires me right back all my clients.