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Voices of DWC: Jessie
Mae's Story
When
Participant
Jessie Mae
first walked through the doors of the Downtown Women’s Center three
years ago, she was looking for a safe place to unwind and focus. This
is exactly what she found when she was warmly invited in, offered a hot
meal, and welcomed by the Ladies as part of the community. “It felt like
home,” Jessie Mae recalls. She had found a place where she had the
resources to get back on her feet – from basic needs, such as
toiletries, to love and support from an understanding group of women.
Today, Jessie Mae continues to visit the Center and eagerly participates
in a variety of offerings. She enjoys lunches, attends support groups,
and helps out in the kitchen. As a new student at L.A. Technical
College, she frequents DWC’s Learning Center to improve her computer
skills as she earns her degree. In fact, she has graduated from DWC’s
“Introduction to Computers” class for beginners, and is now enrolled in
the Level 2 class. Building computer proficiency is something she
“never thought (she) would be able to achieve at the age of 50.” “DWC
has given me such wonderful opportunities and has shown me that anything
can be accomplished!” she exclaims. Jessie Mae has also grown to
consider the DWC community her family. “I have made a lot of friends,”
she reveals. “The Ladies are like my sisters, and DWC is like a second
home.”
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