During the last week in February I went from being in a relationship with a guy who many would call “a catch”, and having a job to being single and unemployed. He was out of the picture on Sunday and I was laid off on Tuesday.
When I left him on Sunday, I thought “maybe I should have tried harder? After all he was everything I said I ever wanted.” Everyone loved him...everyone except me. Yet, I knew I had made the right choice when I felt relieved that it was over.
Then on Tuesday I was informed of work reduction, and provided with severance pay. The decision caught my colleagues by surprise - they didn’t know until I told them. Some were worried that the losing my job and boyfriend within two days was going to be too much. Confieso (i admit) that at first being unemployed 3000 miles away from my family was a little scary, but only because it was a new situation for me.
Latinas are strong, and I am no exception. Life has many set backs, piedras por el camino, but we always find our way and come out stronger. I learned to be strong from the women in my family, starting with my grandmother. She immigrated to the US with my dad and his sister, and cleaned homes and worked the fields for a living. She didn’t know anyone, have a job or know English when she arrived in California, but that didn’t stop her. When I lost my job I remembered my grandmother, and realized I have her strength and resources to move forward. I know English, have great friends, loving family, money, a bachelor's and Im attending Georgetown for my master’s - I am the girl who has everything! Once I realized this I stopped being scared and began planning my next steps.
I hesitated writing about recent events, but realized that there are many Latina’s who might be going through similar events and they needed to know they weren’t alone. We (Latinos) have come along way, and although there is still more for us to achieve we just have to stick together and help each other out.
In addition to friends and former colleagues I have used the sites below to research job openings. If you know of any and would like share them please send them to me or post them as a comment. I wish everyone the best of look in their job search.
Public Relations Society of America
International Association of Business Communicators
New Media and Digital Media Community and Jobs
USA Jobs
Twitter
My Work Butterfly
Job Fox
Craigslist
Monster
