Last Saturday I attended the National Conference on Ending poverty. One of the reasons I wanted to be there is because I wanted to volunteer, learn and help the organization that gave me a hand (or two) when I first came to the United States. They are Empowered Women International (EWI).

The panel of speakers had many notable advocates from around the nation who met on March 28, 2015 at the Washington Convention Center to create a dialogue between people experiencing poverty and those who want to help.

Of course, I attended the EWI panel who had women telling their story of overcoming many obstacles to live a better live. What does this have to do with ending poverty? Some students mentioned they were poor on the inside, they had to battle with their own  demons inside before they could get out of their isolation and the many problems some faced before they live in a better place.

So as I was listening to all these wonderful women, I went back and thought about my beginnings. How both my parents overcame many obstacles to give a better future to their kids. My father had very limited opportunities as a kid, I vividly remember the day he told me he had a rock to play with and pretend it was his car, or the day he told me his mom sent him to work at the age of eleven to his godfather’s  farm, or how he learned about making jewelry at the age of fourteen. Wasn’t he just a child, or a teenager? My mom also suffered verbal and psycological abuse from her step father. I could even attempt to say he was trying to sexually abuse her although she hasn’t openly said it.

In all honesty this is the first time I openly say it and I want you to read it because no matter where you come from or how your life was, you are your own builder or everything that happens to you. If you surround yourself with the right people good things will come to you.

How much do you involve your kids in helping the community, how much social work they do? All this things are going to help them value more all they have, and how hard we as parents try to always do our best to give them a better future.

I have been a member of Empowered Women International from the beginning, over TEN years ago, and one of the first ones to graduate from the entrepreneurship program. For the National Conference on Ending Poverty, I wanted to come back, help and learn about those issues; I also reaffirm that that sense of family that EWI is and,  I felt ten years ago, that sincere hug from another woman that may have suffered, and now belongs to these community of women that help each other.

As I continue growing as a jewelry designer and mompreneur, we continue to strongly believe in giving back and there is no better feeling than giving back to our community. Through different projects raising funds for different organizations, through creating beautiful custom pieces to raise funds and many other projects we work to continue with our social responsible mission.

Poverty goes beyond having a better place to live, or food to eat, a place to work; it is also getting out to become a better person and being happy from within.

With this said, sometimes we make poor decisions, or we make decisions based in frugal things, not the real meaningful things in life that no money can buy.

If you feel you can change your life there are many organizations that can help you, and many different programs that can help you. Looking to venture in a new proyect, or business, or dreaming to do something but don’t know what?

Empowered Women International can help, visit their website at http://www.ewint.org

Till next time

Evelyn Brooks

Last Saturday I attended the National Conference on Ending poverty. One of the reasons I wanted to be there is because I wanted to volunteer, learn and help the organization that gave me a hand (or two) when I first came to the United States. They are Empowered Women International (EWI).

The panel of speakers had many notable advocates from around the nation who met on March 28, 2015 at the Washington Convention Center to create a dialogue between people experiencing poverty and those who want to help.

Of course, I attended the EWI panel who had women telling their story of overcoming many obstacles to live a better live. What does this have to do with ending poverty? Some students mentioned they were poor on the inside, they had to battle with their own  demons inside before they could get out of their isolation and the many problems some faced before they live in a better place.

So as I was listening to all these wonderful women, I went back and thought about my beginnings. How both my parents overcame many obstacles to give a better future to their kids. My father had very limited opportunities as a kid, I vividly remember the day he told me he had a rock to play with and pretend it was his car, or the day he told me his mom sent him to work at the age of eleven to his godfather’s  farm, or how he learned about making jewelry at the age of fourteen. Wasn’t he just a child, or a teenager? My mom also suffered verbal and psycological abuse from her step father. I could even attempt to say he was trying to sexually abuse her although she hasn’t openly said it.

In all honesty this is the first time I openly say it and I want you to read it because no matter where you come from or how your life was, you are your own builder or everything that happens to you. If you surround yourself with the right people good things will come to you.

How much do you involve your kids in helping the community, how much social work they do? All this things are going to help them value more all they have, and how hard we as parents try to always do our best to give them a better future.

I have been a member of Empowered Women International from the beginning, over TEN years ago, and one of the first ones to graduate from the entrepreneurship program. For the National Conference on Ending Poverty, I wanted to come back, help and learn about those issues; I also reaffirm that that sense of family that EWI is and,  I felt ten years ago, that sincere hug from another woman that may have suffered, and now belongs to these community of women that help each other.

As I continue growing as a jewelry designer and mompreneur, we continue to strongly believe in giving back and there is no better feeling than giving back to our community. Through different projects raising funds for different organizations, through creating beautiful custom pieces to raise funds and many other projects we work to continue with our social responsible mission.

Poverty goes beyond having a better place to live, or food to eat, a place to work; it is also getting out to become a better person and being happy from within.

With this said, sometimes we make poor decisions, or we make decisions based in frugal things, not the real meaningful things in life that no money can buy.

If you feel you can change your life there are many organizations that can help you, and many different programs that can help you. Looking to venture in a new proyect, or business, or dreaming to do something but don’t know what?

Empowered Women International can help, visit their website at http://www.ewint.org

Till next time

Evelyn Brooks