We Are Eagles

Book excerpt: Maribel, a domestic violence survivor, raised a daughter while cleaning toilets for a living, then later ran her own business and a marathon. Juanita escaped stalkers by seeking a new life in America. Blanca rose from housekeeping to management before a corporate decision changed her life. Teresa married against her father's wishes, survived an earthquake and natural gas explosions, before settling her family in America and setting four new goals. Maria found inner strength after her husband's accident, which led to achieving goals in a new country. These women and more are among the inspiring immigrants, who left behind poverty and gained confidence and strength as they learned about life through a new language at the Dominican Literacy Center in the Chicago area. The lives of these women took shape during the first 25 years of the center as they reached milestones that many others took for granted. They also saw their children grow without the fear of poverty or hunger and become the first generation in their families to graduate high school and college. The center, which started inside a church basement, has since expanded to a large building and then spun off a second center. Today, the Dominican Literacy Center is a bustling learning community that has taught thousands of immigrants the baffling language of American English.