Nest Staff – In the Service of Immigrant Victims
Reyna Flores began her service to the Nest as an on-call translator in the Spring of 2007, bringing with her fluency in four languages – English, Spanish, French and Italian. A full time advocate position came next and five years later, Flores is one of two supervisors at the Nest Domestic Violence Shelter in Ruidoso Downs.
Flores points out, “The Lincoln County community is very diverse and the Nest staff is designed with that in mind. We have four full time, bilingual advocates and the capability to provide every shelter service, including group classes in both English and Spanish.”
“Every women and child deserves love and respect. It is especially important for immigrant women to understand that even if they are undocumented, they have rights. They have the right to come to shelter without the fear of being reported to ICE. They also have the right to seek a divorce, custody of their children, child support, an order of protection and public benefits for the victim and her children, if eligible,” explains Flores.
Corina Montoya is in her fourth year as an advocate at the Nest and is an advocate who wears many hats.
Montoya handles the weekly Faith Hour at the Nest. “We work with clergy from the many parishes in our community to make certain that, even if it isn’t safe for a woman to leave the shelter, she can find redemption and comfort in her faith.”
Montoya handles the bulk of the legal advocacy services at the Nest. “I do see hesitancy when working with women who are not legal citizens of the United States. It is very common for the immigrant woman’s abusive partner to threaten her with arrest, deportation or taking the children from her. Those are very powerful and frightening threats to a woman who may not even speak English, never mind understand her rights under our laws.”
On Wednesday, Montoya facilitates the Women to Women support group, which is held at Sweet Charity. “Women come to the support group from all backgrounds. Many of the women have never been to the Nest and have questions about their rights as victims of domestic violence. Every woman has the right to live a life free of violence. It’s incredibly important that immigrant women understand that The Immigration and Nationality Act provides various avenues by which vulnerable immigrants may obtain lawful status in the United States,” explains Montoya.
Miriam Moreno has been a full-time advocate at the Nest for two and a half years and finds that cultural philosophies often deter victims from seeking assistance.
“In the Spanish speaking community, we are taught to keep our problems to ourselves. What happens in the home stays in the home,” explains Moreno. “I also believe because Hispanics are such tight-knit families, they believe they can fix the problem within the family. Unfortunately, they can’t. There is no shame in asking for help, we have been there and believe me, we understand.”
“I feel an obligation to educate the community and for the tools of knowledge to reach women of every background and language. Domestic violence is not always physical. It can be emotional, psychological, financial or sexual. None of it is okay and the damage to children who remain in homes with domestic violence will last a lifetime,” says Moreno.
To that end, Moreno directs the Children’s Program at the Nest in both English and Spanish. “The program utilizes art therapy to reach child witnesses, to help the children heal and teach them how to stay safe, regardless of their environment,” shares Moreno whose team specialty is the psychological effects of domestic violence on children.
Mona Earnest is the newest member of the Nest staff. Earnest believes God brought her to the Nest and the many client success stories will keep her at the Nest. “I am happy to be a part of the elite group that brings the light closer at the end of the tunnel.”
Earnest brings seven years’ experience in chemical dependency to her position at the Nest but proposes, “the most important quality an advocate can bring to the job is empathy.”
In addition to being bilingual, Earnest also brings the victim’s perspective to her position. “My abuser was severely abusive and alienated me from my children, family, and my job. I had nowhere to go. I was not aware of options such as the services offered at the Nest,” she said. Earnest. “It troubles me to imagine those women in our community who might not realize that the Nest is only a phone call or drive away.”
“Every member of our staff understands the greatest benefit of the job is seeing the women transition from victims to survivors,” offers Earnest.
The Nest Domestic Violence service offers free, comprehensive residential services to women, without regard to race, ability, orientation, religion or nationality. To find out more about services at the Nest, please call our 24-hour hotline at 1-877-378-6378.
Business Spotlight:
The Nest would like to send a special thank you to Donna Phillips of the Art & Flower Nook in Ruidoso for donating 150 carnations to our 2012 Heroes with Heart Awards Gala!