En cada clase de Adonai’s Beauty School unos quince estudiantes, se especializan diariamente en talleres de cosmetología, técnicas de uñas, faciales y barbería.
Por Jesika MillanoPara Al Día Today
[caption id="attachment_468" align="alignleft" width="225"] Vicky Torres teaches one of her sudents hair cutting techniques at Adonai’s Beauty School, located at 2020 Palm Bay Rd NE # 6, Palm Bay, FL 32905.[/caption]
PALM BAY — Vicky Torres is living proof of what happens when big dreams and perseverance combine. The Dominican entrepreneur who dared to fly far from home 28 years ago and trek the tough road to success.
“Strength comes from God”, Torres assures. And in retrospect, life has smiled at her after all. She arrived to the United States 28 years ago, with a couple of suitcases in hand and her two children who were then 1 and 3 years old.
Upon arriving at her “American Dream”, yet as an undocumented immigrant without the minimum knowledge of the English language, she left behind her profession as a teacher and psychologist. Having to face uncertainty and the need to survive lead her to train as a hairstylist and to work in this field up to present, forming her into an example for other immigrants to behold, admire, and follow.
“In Santo Domingo, I had never been a hairstylist. But when I arrived in California, my sister worked at a beauty salon and found work for me. I couldn’t develop my professional skills due to my immigration status. That was the hardest, I had been abandoned by my husband and I had to face the fact I would be a single mother, I knew no English and was undocumented. I had to survive for my kids”, Torres recounted.
From that day on, and 17 years later after moving to the U.S., Torres had ample experience in the area of cosmetology and was able to establish her own beauty salon in Florida and later turn it into Adonai’s Beauty School.
“I moved to Florida 11 years ago and since then my dream started to come true. I was able to establish a bilingual beauty school, not only because it’s rare to find these type of schools in Brevard, but because I also love to work with the community. I saw the need of many Latinos who needed professional training”, she said.
Aware of the reality of many Hispanic mothers with stories such as her own, Torres has been able to help through her “family school”, as she likes to call it, more than 1,500 people with short and long term programs. “This is not only a place for mothers, but for young people who have been astray. We work with each student, each one is special to us. Many require a custom learning program”, Torres pointed out.
In each class, around 15 students specialize daily in cosmetology classes, nail tech, facials, and barber skills. “Vicky gives much more than what she should give to her students”, affirmed Sonia, Torres’ sister.
Passionate work and a love for teaching have been the secret recipe Sonia attributes to Torres’ step by step success.
“Her experience has been spectacular. Due to hardship she initially began this path, and today I can see her achievements, I can just envision how she came and how she is now. It was very hard for her at the beginning, she didn’t know many things when she came to this country, it was tough on her but nevertheless she was able to win”, Sonia details.
To Torres perseverance has been without a doubt one of the principal traits of her victory. “When you want to fall you don’t because you have a mission to accomplish. You always have to keep going even though you are afraid, even if you have no strength. Always keep pressing on ahead despite the difficulties that may arise”, she concludes.
Adonai’s Beauty School is located at 2020 Palm Bay Rd. NE #6, Palm Bay, FL 32905.
ESPAÑOL
Escuela de belleza ofrece la oportunidad de una carrera
Por Jesika Millano
Para Al Día Today
PALM BAY — Prueba de la perseverancia y de que los sueños si se cumplen si los deseamos con todo el corazón, es Vicky Torres, una dominicana que hace 28 años se
atrevió a volar lejos de casa y emprender el duro camino al éxito.
“Las fuerzas vienen de Dios”, asegura Torres. Y es que, en retrospectiva, la vida al final de todo le ha sonreído. Llegó a Estados Unidos hace 28 años, a duras penas con unas cuantas maletas y sus dos hijos que en aquel entonces tenían 1 y 3 años.
Tras su llegada al “sueño americano”, en su condición de inmigrante indocumentada y sin el mínimo conocimiento sobre el idioma inglés, atrás quedó su dedicación como docente y psicóloga.
“En Santo Domingo nunca había sido peluquera,” recuerda Torres
cuando vivía en República Dominicana.
La incertidumbre y la necesidad de subsistir, la llevaron a formarse como peluquera y ha laborar en esta área hasta la actualidad, convirtiéndose en un ejemplo digno de admirar e imitar para los inmigrantes.
“En Santo Domingo nunca había sido peluquera. Pero cuando llegué a California, mi hermana, que trabajaba en un salón de belleza me consiguió el empleo. No podía desarro-llarme en mis profesiones por mi condición de inmigrante. Fue lo más difícil, había sido abandonada por mi esposo y debí enfrentarme al hecho de ser madre soltera, no sabia inglés y estaba indocumentada. Debía subsistir por mis hijos”, relató Torres.
Desde ese día y die-cisiete años después de su llegada a los Estados Unidos, Vicky con una amplia experiencia en el área de cosmética logró estable-cer en Florida, su propio Salón de Belleza, y convertirlo posteriormente en la Escuela de Cosmetología Adonai’s.
“Me mudé a Florida hace once años y desde ese tiempo empezó a ha-cerse realidad mi sueño. Logré establecer la Escuela de Cosmetología de modalidad bilingüe, no sólo porque en Brevard es difícil encontrar centros de aprendizajes de este tipo, sino además porque amo trabajar con la comunidad. Vi la necesidad de muchos latinos que necesitaban prepararse”, comentó.
Consciente de la rea-lidad de muchas madres hispanas y de su propia experiencia, Torres a través de su escuela de familia, como así la describe ella, ha logrado capacitar a más de 1.500 personas, con programas de corto y largo plazo. “Este es un lugar no sólo para madres, sino para jóvenes desorientados. Trabajamos con cada estudiante, cada uno es especial. Muchos requieren de un proceso particular de aprendizaje”, señaló Torres.
En cada clase, unos quince estudiantes, se especializan diariamente en talleres de cosmetología, técnicas de uñas, faciales y barbería. “Vicky, da mucho más de lo que debería dar a sus estudiantes”, así des-cribe Sonia Torres a su hermana Vicky.
El trabajo apasionado y el amor por la enseñanza, han sido el aliciente que Sonia, le atribuye al éxito que peldaño a peldaño ha logrado materializar Torres.
“Su experiencia ha sido espectacular. Por necesidad se metió en esto, y hoy día he visto el logro, sólo recuerdo como llegó y como está ahora. Fue bastante dificil para ella al principio, ignoraba muchas cosas cuando llegó a este país, le tocó duro pero sin embargo, logró ven-cer”, relata Sonia.
Para Torres, sin ti-tubeos, la constancia ha sido una de las principales características de su victoria. “Cuando te quieres caer no te caes porque tienes una misión que cumplir. Siempre hay que seguir adelante aunque temas, aunque no haya fuerzas. Siempre adelante pese a las dificultades que puedan surgir”, expresa.
Adonai’s Beauty School, se encuentra ubicada en 2020 Palm Bay Rd NE # 6, Palm Bay, FL 32905.]]>
Vicky Torres teaches one of her sudents hair cutting techniques at Adonai’s Beauty School, located at 2020 Palm Bay Rd NE # 6, Palm Bay, FL 32905.[/caption]
PALM BAY — Vicky Torres is living proof of what happens when big dreams and perseverance combine. The Dominican entrepreneur who dared to fly far from home 28 years ago and trek the tough road to success.
“Strength comes from God”, Torres assures. And in retrospect, life has smiled at her after all. She arrived to the United States 28 years ago, with a couple of suitcases in hand and her two children who were then 1 and 3 years old.
Upon arriving at her “American Dream”, yet as an undocumented immigrant without the minimum knowledge of the English language, she left behind her profession as a teacher and psychologist. Having to face uncertainty and the need to survive lead her to train as a hairstylist and to work in this field up to present, forming her into an example for other immigrants to behold, admire, and follow.
“In Santo Domingo, I had never been a hairstylist. But when I arrived in California, my sister worked at a beauty salon and found work for me. I couldn’t develop my professional skills due to my immigration status. That was the hardest, I had been abandoned by my husband and I had to face the fact I would be a single mother, I knew no English and was undocumented. I had to survive for my kids”, Torres recounted.
From that day on, and 17 years later after moving to the U.S., Torres had ample experience in the area of cosmetology and was able to establish her own beauty salon in Florida and later turn it into Adonai’s Beauty School.
“I moved to Florida 11 years ago and since then my dream started to come true. I was able to establish a bilingual beauty school, not only because it’s rare to find these type of schools in Brevard, but because I also love to work with the community. I saw the need of many Latinos who needed professional training”, she said.
Aware of the reality of many Hispanic mothers with stories such as her own, Torres has been able to help through her “family school”, as she likes to call it, more than 1,500 people with short and long term programs. “This is not only a place for mothers, but for young people who have been astray. We work with each student, each one is special to us. Many require a custom learning program”, Torres pointed out.
In each class, around 15 students specialize daily in cosmetology classes, nail tech, facials, and barber skills. “Vicky gives much more than what she should give to her students”, affirmed Sonia, Torres’ sister.
Passionate work and a love for teaching have been the secret recipe Sonia attributes to Torres’ step by step success.
“Her experience has been spectacular. Due to hardship she initially began this path, and today I can see her achievements, I can just envision how she came and how she is now. It was very hard for her at the beginning, she didn’t know many things when she came to this country, it was tough on her but nevertheless she was able to win”, Sonia details.
To Torres perseverance has been without a doubt one of the principal traits of her victory. “When you want to fall you don’t because you have a mission to accomplish. You always have to keep going even though you are afraid, even if you have no strength. Always keep pressing on ahead despite the difficulties that may arise”, she concludes.
Adonai’s Beauty School is located at 2020 Palm Bay Rd. NE #6, Palm Bay, FL 32905.
ESPAÑOL