As appeared in The Berkshire Eagle
By Domenica Gomez
I was 12 years old when my family moved to Lenox from Ambato, Ecuador. While my parents were afraid for our safety in Ecuador, they were more afraid of us having no future. With language and cultural barriers, the beginning of this journey was difficult. But I was determined to make it work for my family, so I jumped out of my comfort zone and participated in theater, improv, sport teams, and different extracurriculars that allowed me to learn the language and make new friends.
Within six months I felt more comfortable speaking and expressing myself in English, and I started to thrive. Although it was very difficult missing my extended family and adapting to a completely new environment. I was determined to accomplish what my parents wished for me and my sister. They wished for us to get an education and find a career that makes us happy and that we are passionate about, while it provides us with economic stability, which is something harder to find in Ecuador.
Domenica, and AnnMarie Cairns, R.N., on a recent visit with Danny in Pittsfield as part of the Adult Family Support program. They helped Danny purchase the bicycle.
I had planned to move to Boston after college, maybe travel. I did a business internship at a local bank through Lever Inc. (Berkshire Interns), and then I started looking for a sociology-related internship. My cousin had attended a Berkshire County Arc daytime program called Transitions, so when I saw that they were looking for an intern to work with families, I knew it would be a great fit for me. The internship was an incredible experience because I quickly bonded with the individuals and the staff. I have always been passionate about advocating for people with disabilities because I have many friends and family members who have disabilities, and working at BCArc only made this passion stronger.
Once my internship ended, I was offered a seasonal position where I could return to BCArc during school breaks. Every time I came back it reminded me why I loved this job so much and allowed me to stay close with the individuals I had worked with over the summer. As my senior year of college ended and I began to think about my post-grad opportunities, my original plan was to move to Boston and find a job out there. While working at BCArc in my seasonal position, I was applying to a variety of positions, but I didn’t feel excited about any of them in the same way I did about my job at BCArc.
I was told by my supervisor about the Adult Family Care position, and she encouraged me to apply. The position involves going on visits to individuals to check in with them about their health and well-being, writing case summaries, reviewing codes and caregiver logs, and helping with family support events. That is when it clicked for me, that this job is exactly what I am meant to be doing. While I was applying to all these other jobs, my ideal job was right in front of me at BCArc. I decided to stay local at a familiar agency where I felt supported and passionate about the work I was doing. I realized that my real calling was right in front of me in human services.
Today, that experience of emigrating has focused my passion – my mission – to help others, specifically those less advantaged. With a recent degree in business and sociology from MCLA, I work as a case manager for a program that supports adults who live with others – including family – but who cannot take care of themselves. This Adult Family Care program – also called Adult Foster Care by the Commonwealth – allows me to meet and help families in Western Mass. The program provides nursing visits, a monthly stipend, and guidance from a case manager to connect them to the services available to them.
As an immigrant, I know firsthand about the challenges of coming to the United States as a young person. I have empathy and consideration for people’s hardship, from all walks of life. I connect quickly with the individuals that receive support at this agency. I feel fortunate that I can help. We know many families are out there who are not aware of the Adult Family Care program, and I want to make people aware of it.
I really believe that things fell into place for me with this job, and I am loving this new position so far. I feel very comfortable and safe in my workspace, which I have always valued as a queer woman of color. Feeling valued and respected by your coworkers, even those in higher positions than you, are some things that I know are not always present at every job, and I feel so grateful to have been given such a warm welcome at BCArc.
If you know of families who should receive Adult Family Support services, please contact Berkshire County Arc at 413-499-4241.
