Meet Michelle Rodriguez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Rodriguez.

Hi Michelle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My name is Michelle Rodriguez. I am from a small town in Mexico called Ajacuba. As a kid, I always dreamed about moving to a different country, but I never imagined it would be real one day. I was 18 when I came to the States, and I’ve been here for almost 10 years. My mom moved to the States before me and my sister, so by the time we moved here, my mom was already settled and decided that Kansas would be the best place for us. I did a year of college in Mexico. I studied psychology, but none of my credits transferred, so I had to start over. I am happy that I had the chance to start over because I changed my major and the idea of what I wanted to do. I graduated from Kansas State University with a BA in Sociology-Criminology. While I was a student, I discovered that one of the most important people in my life was a survivor of domestic violence. After listening to their story, I realized the lack of resources and support this person had could have been from their fear of asking for help or the language barrier. Therefore, I decided to work in social services and be part of a nonprofit organization. I am bilingual, and I am a persistent person, so I want to be able to help people.

Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It could have been smoother. Leaving Mexico was hard; I left most of my family and friends behind. I did not speak English at all. The transition was more challenging for my sister, and as the older sister, I felt I needed to tell her everything would be fine without even knowing if it would be. The first 6 months here were the hardest. I even thought about going back to Mexico. My mom taught me to work hard for what I want, and I realized that giving up was not an option. I pushed myself hard, and I was able to learn English in a year; I went to the university as a first-generation student. Graduating and not giving up was vital for me, my mom, and my sister. I wanted to show my sister everything was possible and that we could reach our goals. I am proud and happy that my sister is now in college and has someone to help and guide her through the process. I know we both will be there for our youngest sister, who is in first grade now.

I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I started as a bilingual advocacy and outreach specialist at MOCSA (the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault) a year ago. MOCSA is an amazing organization that supports survivors of sexual violence, and I knew I wanted to be part of it. As an advocate, I can support survivors in different ways; we can go to court with them, help them file protection orders or police reports, and go to detective interviews. Being bilingual, I have the fortune to support survivors in two languages. I also lead the Spanish-speaking support group for women, and the support group is one of the things I am most proud of. When I started the group, the participants needed to trust me, and they had difficulty believing I was qualified to lead it. I mentioned it before: I do not give up easily and wanted to create a great space for the group. And now, our group has an amazing dynamic. I am also proud to be part of a great team; being an advocate can be hard sometimes, emotionally, and it is amazing to know that you have a team that supports you. One of the things that sets me apart from others is that I believe in not giving up and advocating for others.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I am the oldest daughter and granddaughter, so I grew up protecting and caring for my cousins and sisters. I was meant to be an advocate. I was very positive and emotional (I still am), loved the outdoors and playing on the swings, was very social, and loved meeting new people. I did not like school much, but I loved my friends. In addition, I give my heart and soul to people I care about; I love helping others without expecting anything back.

Contact Info:

• Website: mocsa.org