“I’m a different person. I feel empowered because I’m making my own decisions for myself and my kids. Before, my ex-husband would make the decisions, so now I feel important. I’ve met a lot of people who appreciate who I am.”
“Before Fresh Start, I was in a horrible place,” said Rosa*. “I was crying all the time; sometimes we didn’t have enough food or money to pay rent.”
Like many women in abusive relationships, Rosa found herself in a dire situation after filing a protective order against her then-husband and the father of their eight children.
“I was living alone suddenly because I had to leave the home that we shared with our eight kids. So, I started looking for a place and found a studio apartment [for all nine of us].”
The harshness of Rosa’s situation continued to increase when she had to become the sole financial provider after child support payments ceased. In her marriage, she was the homemaker, homeschooling her children, and hadn’t held a job outside the home in over a decade.
“I started looking for a job, and all I could get was a job at a fast-food chain because I didn’t have any work experience. I didn’t have transportation, I still needed to school my kids, I had to do so many things at the same time.”
Rosa had always been a fighter, especially after she moved to the United States from her native country of Mexico at the age of 14. She didn’t speak any English and vividly recalled her first day of school, when she didn’t understand a single word.
“When I came to the U.S., I wanted to be the same person I was in Mexico, but my English skills made it hard, so I got depressed.”
As 17 years of marriage passed, Rosa ultimately felt her light grow dim to cater to her husband’s jealousy. Just like in school when she couldn’t accurately express herself, Rosa found herself unable to be her true self within her own marriage.
“He didn’t like my personality…Ever since I was a kid, I liked to go out and be smiley, and my husband didn’t like it.”
During the divorce filing process, Rosa felt confused. At the courthouse, she received a flyer with available resources and discovered Fresh Start.
“I called Fresh Start and explained my situation. I was confused about all of my divorce paperwork, and Fresh Start said they were having a Law Day event where I could come and talk to a lawyer.”
Rosa attended Fresh Start’s Law Day for Women event and continued to explore Fresh Start’s website, noticing all the available opportunities, including the Women in Finance program.
After applying and being accepted into the Women in Finance program, beginning in July 2025, Rosa worked with the manager at her current job to adjust her hours so that she could continue working and attending classes. She was excited to take the chance to learn everything she possibly could to best set herself and her children up for success.
“When this opportunity came to be in finance where more money and my customer service experience could come together…I saw potential in that career path. I like to help people and work with people.”
The Women in Finance program taught Rosa about basic finances, which she desperately needed after years of having her finances handled by others.
“I learned a lot of things in the program, professional things. I’ve never had credit because I’ve never had a job. For me, all of those things were new.”
Sometimes, Rosa felt lost in class when topics like credit cards and bank accounts were discussed. It seemed to her that everyone else had experience with financial basics, but she did not.
As she gained more knowledge about finances, her self-confidence also grew.
“I think I’m more prepared than when I left my husband. I’m a different person. I feel empowered because I’m making my own decisions for myself and my kids.”
She is proud that, through her Fresh Start journey, her children are getting to see her in a new light.
“I think my kids are now seeing me for who I am. I put all my effort into what I want. I always taught my kids to fight for what they want.”
As the class wound down, Rosa utilized the interview skills she learned in the Women in Finance program to secure multiple interviews with local branches of national banks. After four rounds of interviews with Wells Fargo, she was offered a position as a Bilingual Associate, Everyday Banking.
As a bilingual speaker who learned English as a second language, Rosa is excited to help others like her experience a seamless experience at Wells Fargo, whether they speak English or Spanish.
“I think I have the potential to help my Hispanic people,” beamed Rosa. “I’m so compassionate toward my people.”
She hopes that other women looking to level up their careers find the community of Fresh Start, where shared successes have shown Rosa that if other women can improve their lives, then she can too.
On a new trajectory in her career, Rosa continues to strive toward new goals, such as buying a home to provide a safe and happy environment for her children. Most importantly, she knows that not every day will be perfect and that the act of perseverance is key to success.
“Even though it seems like it’s hard, tomorrow is a new day. The sun will come up. Maybe it’ll be hot or rainy, but it’s a new day. It has its challenges, but we have to continue. I want to say thank you to the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation and everyone here. Coming here changed my perspective; it affects my day, and I feel better.”