Juanita and her sisters were born in Mexico but raised in Goleta, California by their single mother. She remembers at an early age people throwing eggs at their windows. It wasn’t until she was older that she realized this happened because they were Mexican and not wanted in the neighborhood. Her mother worked evenings and her and her sisters would arrive home from school as their mother was heading off to work. Juanita, being the oldest, was in charge of her three younger sisters. She was in the fourth grade. She became pregnant at 17 and was kicked out of the house so she moved in with her boyfriend. He became physically abusive. She got connected to LifeNetwork, an agency that helped pregnant women find shelter. A kind, loving woman opened her home to her 2-month old daughter and her. They lived with her while Juanita finished high school. Juanita raised her two daughters while working and going to college, becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college and get a teaching credential. For the past 11 years she has been a special education teacher in two different dual language schools. Recently, with the help of Greenline, Juanita was able to accomplish another goal, becoming a homeowner. She says, “There are no words that can express my deepest gratitude for the grant I was given. My life is forever changed thanks to Greenline and the tremendously generous gift that has allowed me to purchase my very first home. This is a dream I did not think I could reach. I still can’t believe this is now my home. Without your help, I may never have been able to own my own home. Your generosity has brought me so much joy.”
