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There’s nothing more important to
Leonor Torres than her family. The 40-year-old
couple
moved to the United States from Ecuador in 1982. She wanted to
find a better way of life for her children.
When she moved to the U.S., Torres and her husband had
to
leave behind their son Geovanny and daughter Janneth. The
children lived with Torres’ mother in Ecuador while their
immigration papers were processed. ”It was very hard for me to
leave my children,” Torres says.
In Ecuador, Torres
sewed
clothes for clothing designers. That helped her get into the
garment industry when she arrived in New York City.
Torres had a hard time learning English. She worked long hours
and didn’t have much time for classes. Then, a few years ago,
she joined a
union
for garment workers. Torres took English classes through the
union. Finally, Torres received her high school diploma.
Today, after 15 years in the U.S., Torres says leaving Ecuador
was the best decision
she
ever made. Both of Torres’ children will
attend
college in the autumn. ”I want to be a good example and
teach my kids
to
fight hard for the things they want,” she says. Torres is
now a
sample maker with a clothing manufacturer. She loves her
job. She even gives suggestions to the
designers about how the clothing should look.
And what about her future?
‘Someday, I’d like
to go to college.
Maybe
I’ll be an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. I’d like
to be able to help other parents who want
a
better way of life for their children.”
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