YWCA of the City of New York

It is generally believed that people are defined by their experiences; what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Many of the women who participate in the YWCA-NYC Women’s Empowerment Network (WEN) can attest to this expression. The women who use the services provided by the WEN come for the job readiness training, however, it is the road that leads them to WEN that makes each participant unique. I recently spoke with Marina Sanchez, a WEN class graduate of Winter 2010, about the path that lead her from her life as an artist in Milan, Italy to the YW’s Family Resource Center in New York City.

As a woman and an artist, it is extremely important to have your own point of view and the ability to express it. The journey to finding her voice through an artistic medium, then later as an independent woman has given Marina a new found sense of purpose. “Speak with your own voice, think with your own mind, otherwise you don’t exist.” That’s why Marina’s painting style transitioned from figurative to nonfigurative. In her search to find new dimensions, Marina desired to create an image that she could call her own. In her search to be financially independent, she found the YW’s WEN program.

Before her journey as a self reliant woman, Marina lived in Italy with her Milanese husband for 25 years. During this time she apprenticed under several art mentors and has shown in multiple exhibits. Twenty five years is more than enough time to get accustomed to a certain lifestyle. So what is a woman to do once her husband decides to leave her? All too often women find themselves in this situation, and Marina had to deal with this abrupt transition. Though originally from New York, her life was Milan, her art was Milan, her heart was in Milan. Since her life changed, she decided to go back to New York, in order to move forward.

Moved forward she did, and WEN helped her ease on down the road. In retrospect, Marina feels as though she gained more than computer skills during her time in the WEN, even though they are invaluable. More than anything else, she felt a true sense of altruism. Altruism, a novelty to some that is tarnished by cynicism, was exactly what Marina needed to ease her nerves while entering her job search. She feels as though she ultimately learned how to become a part of something, a sisterhood of women that all came from different hardships, but come together determined to persevere. Through her classmates, and AXA mentor Joanne Tizzano, she has found a support system through the YW that is beyond practical, it is emotionally essential.

Now that she has gained some necessary job training through WEN, Marina wishes to put her new found skills to use as well as learn more advanced techniques. Her ideal situation would be to work in some sort of artistic capacity but also realizes that her art may give way to practicality in her future job. That is okay, however, because just like her art, her occupations will be stepping stones to further self realization. Empowerment, according to Marina, is the will to do it yourself. Within the past year, she was able to uproot her life, find an apartment in New York City, and gain job readiness training. She may still be looking for employment, but if she’s looking to be empowered, she needs only to look in the mirror.

View Marina’s Online PortfolioHarmony 2Harmony 3Harmony 4Harmony 5Harmony 6

July 19, 2010