Our Neighbors: Meet Mercy
One of Mercy's earliest memories is making clothes for her dolls. Her family faced many challenges in Ecuador, and while making clothes from scraps of fabric was necessary, for Mercy, it was also an escape. The garments were ill-fitting, as Mercy had yet to learn the skills needed to make more intricate designs, but the process was a delight. Mercy loved to sew.
At just 11 years old, Mercy was driven by her family's mounting hardships to move in with her aunt and uncle, hoping this new environment would offer greater opportunities. Mercy confided in her aunt about her aspiration to sew for a living. Her aunt's response was not encouraging. "She told me no," Mercy recalls. "She said it wasn't a smart career choice and that I shouldn't think that way."
Respecting her aunt's advice, Mercy set aside her ambition of becoming a professional seamstress and followed the same path as many of her peers. Engaged at a young age and soon a mother, Mercy found herself with limited opportunities to earn a living. Inevitably, she returned to sewing.
"I used to repair clothes for my family and sometimes for others. I even sold some baby clothes online. But I couldn't charge much because I wasn't really confident in my skills." These small projects provided a modest income, but more importantly, they rekindled Mercy's dream. She took immense joy in crafting birthday dresses for her daughter each year, with each dress more ambitious than the last. In photos, they looked beautiful, but Mercy admits that her undeveloped skills meant the dresses never turned out as she envisioned. "If you saw the back, you would cry," she confesses.
Mercy and her family arrived in the United States just over a year ago, seeking refuge from the escalating violence and economic hardships in their homeland. The transition was challenging, especially knowing that some family members didn't have the same opportunities and stayed behind. Yearning for connection and community, Mercy spent time browsing through WhatsApp groups, hoping to find fellow Latinas. Her heart jumped when she spotted a post about a free sewing class for Latina women.
"I was so thrilled that I signed up immediately," she recalls. "In fact, I registered twice, just to be sure." As the first day of class approached, Mercy felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. It wasn't just the unfamiliar faces or navigating a new part of the city that concerned her; it was the lingering doubt about her abilities. Until then, she had taught herself to sew. Could she master the advanced skills she had always dreamed of?
Fortunately, the warm welcome and encouraging instructor quickly eased her fears. Mercy chose a spot among the rows of sewing machines, embarking on a journey she had dreamed of since childhood. At last, she was on the path to officially learning how to sew.
In the weeks since joining the class, Mercy's confidence has soared. She's learned the proper way to hem, attach zippers, and operate the sewing machine more deftly. In addition, she's found a sense of community and support from the other women in the class.
Mercy never expected that coming to the United States would be where her dream of becoming a seamstress would take off. "Even in Ecuador, you have to go to an institute or professional organization to get trained," she thought. "It was hard there; certainly, it will be even harder in America." Now, she's able to pursue her dream through free classes and develop her skills into a new career. "It is unexpected and wonderful."
"We started the class because we were asking, 'What else can we do to help women in our neighborhood earn more money for their families?'" explains Myrna Garcia, a Family Support Specialist at Urban Ventures. "We thought, maybe if they can sew, they can earn more. Right now, many of them aren't able to make very much."
Mercy agrees; she is excited about the possibility of earning more income. Currently, she is working at McDonald's over the midnight shift. The pay is low and the hours cause challenges for the family. "Sewing is another source of income," she says. "It is a way to get closer to surviving and to have a higher income."
And she's not alone. "The class is very popular," Myrna shares. "We have over 90 people on the waiting list. There are many women who are eager to learn these skills." But it's not just about the skills; it's about the confidence. Mercy already knows her skills have improved.
"Before, it didn't feel right to charge very much because I didn't know the right way to do things. Now I have more confidence. If you bring this to me, I can do it, and I'm going to do it well."
Mercy's journey is a reminder of the transformative power of dreams, even those that have lain dormant for years. As she refines her skills and nurtures her business, one thing is clear: Mercy is not merely sewing clothes. She is stitching dreams into reality.
Mercy’s story is proof that opportunity changes lives. With your support, we can reach more women like her.