Laura’s journey: From challenging time to healing 

Survivors like Laura find safety, reunite with their children, and begin a path toward lasting healing with Esperanza United’s advocacy and support. 

Laura’s story reminds us of what is possible when culturally specific support meets resilience. Earlier this year, Laura*, a Latina mother outside the metro area of Minnesota, fled severe domestic violence, seeking a safe home for herself and her children. After making that courageous decision, she faced new and unforeseen barriers: separation from her children by child protection services due to the history of abuse and  denied housing because she lacked formal income records of employement due to the time commitment with the different systems and processes she was encounterning around her children and their safety, her situation was judged as instability rather than strength. 

She stood on the edge of losing everything. 

When Laura came to Esperanza United, our advocacy team didn’t just see her challenges – we saw her resilience. With care rooted in her culture and language, we helped her secure stable housing, reunite with her children, and navigate complex systems with dignity. 

With a safe home in place, Laura began to gain stability reclaiming her voice. She also learned how to reconnect with her children, particularly one of them who had begun to show signs of the trauma they had endured. Rather than labeling him as a “troubled child,” we recognized what he truly needed: care, understanding, and healing. 

Laura’s courage, paired with Esperanza United’s culturally responsive support, shifted how local systems saw her and how she saw herself: as a strong, capable survivor and mother. Her story is one of strength, healing, and transformation – and a reflection of what is possible when community-centered advocacy is at the heart of the response.