LIFT-DC Parent Member Ismane moved from Haiti to be with her family in Miami, FL in 1990. In July of 2015, she and her children moved to Washington, D.C. in search of a better future. Shortly thereafter, in August of 2015, she came across LIFT when searching for help online with job readiness. She began working with a coach that summer and focused her energy on finding a job. She took advantage of LIFT’s free resources and goal planning techniques and secured a full time job working as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) at Virginia Hospital Center. It was at this point that Ismane became interested in patients’ rights and patient advocacy.
Another goal that Ismane set with her LIFT coach was to finish schooling. With LIFT’s help, Ismane was accepted to Trinity University, and worked full time while attending school and raising her children. She majored in Health Services, specifically because they offered programming regarding patient advocacy, and stayed on track to achieve her goals with the guidance and support of her LIFT coach and our DC team. And thanks to the generosity of one of our LIFT-DC supporters, Ismane was part of a cohort of LIFT moms who received full scholarships to Trinity University.
We’re proud to say that this past May, Ismane graduated from Trinity with a BA! Ismane says her faith has kept her going, and perhaps most importantly, her children have served as her main inspiration for continuing to push onwards toward accomplishing her goals.
Moving forward, Ismane is interested in pursuing a Master’s in Public Health. Ideally, she’d like to work with the elderly as well as women and children. Ultimately, Ismane hopes to create a better life for her children, her community, and society. Congratulations Ismane!
This blog post was written by Margaux Blau, a coach at LIFT-DC.