With two pairs of pliers in her hands, Omara effortlessly moves through a nest of shining gold necklaces as she clamps The Giving Keys tag to the end of each chain. An elegant twist before the precious metal delicately cascades onto her workspace. She can hold a conversation with you while not missing a beat on the production line.
Her eyes light up as she tells you that her oldest daughter is coming to live with her. It’s an emotional moment, and you know how hard she has been working to bring all of her children home. The mother of five never loses focus. Her hands continue to move with machine-like precision – she works harder than anyone you’ll meet, because she knows that her job is what will give her family a second chance.
Omara fled to the streets at a young age, because being on her own seemed a better alternative to living in an unstable and abusive home. Drugs eventually became another escape. On a downward path spurred by her addiction, Omara eventually landed in jail and lost custody of her five children. She realized she needed to create a better future for her family.
Omara came to Chrysalis clean and motivated to get on the right track. She finally saw an opportunity – an alternative to the options that life had once given her: a tough home life or the streets. Driven to work, her goal was and continues to be to provide stable housing and care for her children. But when she came to us, Omara faced multiple barriers to employment, including her criminal background, gaps in her work history, and lack of a high school diploma. Chrysalis’ transitional jobs program was part of a solution that helped her to overcome these obstacles.
Job opportunities with Chrysalis helped Omara feel more stable, and practice interviews filled her with more confidence – especially when talking about her background. When Omara joined one of our street cleaning teams, it was as if the world opened back up to her. And when she wasn’t on the job, she was meeting regularly with her Employment Specialist, setting long-term goals, and continuing her search for permanent employment. She shared, “Not everyone will open the door for you if they know where you’re coming from, but Chrysalis opened the doors for me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Chrysalis.”
That opportunity to work with Chrysalis was like the first domino to be nudged over, Omara was quickly referred to one of Chrysalis’ transitional jobs partners. She was hired as a temporary employee at The Giving Keys, and eventually brought on as a permanent employee. A mere 6 months later, she was promoted to Team Captain.
Omara continues to work at The Giving Keys. She is a valued and important team member who brings her warmth and work ethic with her every day when she walks in the door. Yet her hard work doesn’t cease at the end of her shift. A recent graduate from Pepperdine University’s Microenterprise Program, Omara started a cleaning business which she operates in her free time, offering single mothers like herself a second chance through employment.
Chrysalis, The Giving Keys, and her microbusiness empower Omara to break down the barriers that once blocked her way and to instead use those bricks to build a foundation for her and her children’s futures. Currently working toward gaining guardianship rights of her four youngest children, Omara is happy to be doing so alongside her 18 year-old daughter. Piece by piece, Omara continues to rebuild her family and her community – a ripple effect that all started with a job!