I’m Corina. I first became involved with the Women’s Bean Project in August 2018. I had made a disaster out of my life and desperately needed some help putting the pieces back together properly. I have been a heroin and meth addict for almost ten years. In the past decade my fiancé passed away tragically, I lost the best job I ever had, my apartment, and an awesome truck all within a few months. I haven’t worked in seven years, and I’ve been chronically homeless for many of those years due to my addiction and life choices.
After a three-month long incarceration in 2018, I finally decided it was time to fix my life. Due to the circumstances of my past, I had been afraid to seek meaningful employment. I was so afraid of failure that I accepted things the way they were. The Women’s Bean Project has given me a huge support and a firm foundation to compose my life into a beautiful symphony. I have been able to establish solid friendships with women which I haven’t had in 15-20 years, build up a savings account which I have NEVER had, and been able to tackle some health issues I have ignored for years.
Employment at the Bean has supported my recent recovery lifestyle in so many ways. The products I make every day give me a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and satisfaction. I have begun to address some trauma in my recent past that I didn’t realize affected me as strongly as it has. I feel like I have grown and expanded my life and state of mind a thousand-fold over the past few months. Through mentorship, I am getting guidance and direction for my future, and I am thoroughly excited for what it holds. I am exploring options to increase my education and knowledge. I want a career, a family, enlightenment, security, and success.
