Felicia’s Story

“My name is Felicia. I am a native Coloradan. I was born at Denver Health Medical Center. Years later I worked there as a nursing assistant supporting my family until the night that turned our whole world upside down. My grandfather—the most encouraging and stabilizing force in my life—passed away. Shortly thereafter, my boyfriend began to physically abuse me. I had never experienced domestic violence before and I felt completely alone. The abuse started when I was pregnant with my youngest son Matthias, and I ended the relationship when he was three months old. My ex-boyfriend was angry about my decision to end things and broke into our home in the middle of the night a few weeks later. Luckily I was awake and able to scream for help before anything more serious happened, but we no longer felt safe in our apartment so we left everything behind and moved in with my parents. Then I learned about Warren Village. It wasn’t until after we moved into our apartment at Warren Village that I felt safe enough to breathe again.

My son, Matthias, was immediately enrolled in the Learning Center. I had a difficult time in the beginning trusting that he would be cared for, a result of the trauma I had experienced, but the teachers were so amazing with my son and made us all feel very secure.

With the help of Warren Village’s Housing Office, the Learning Center, and the Family Services Team, my family and I are rebuilding our lives. My experience with the DA’s office after separating from my ex-boyfriend inspired me to become a lawyer. I worked with my Family Advocate and with the team’s Education & Employment Specialist to create an action plan and connect with scholarships I needed to work towards that goal. I am now only a few classes away from receiving my associates degree.

Being part of a community like Warren Village—a supportive community of other single parents—helped me so much. It made me feel like I wasn’t alone. And there’s strength in that. After leaving Warren Village, I was fortunate to find a permanent place to call home with a huge yard for my boys to play safely in, and I have a great career in healthcare working as a unit coordinator for clinics.”