Pathways to Independence
Up from a past that's rooted in pain, I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, welling and swelling I bear in the tide
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
-- From "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, welling and swelling I bear in the tide
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
-- From "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou
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Eric Martincavage, Kelly’s brother and a KABF director, approached the board in October 2012 with an impassioned plea: Can we take a serious look at Pathways to Independence? Eric told us the amazing story of how his neighbors, Dave and Joyce Bishop, helped a former student. In early 1990, Monica was only 19 and the mother of a two year old. The child of alcoholics, Monica struggled to cope with an abusive past. Not having family to turn to, she looked to her former teachers, the Bishops, for help. Thanks to them, Monica received counseling, an education, and training that led to a full-time job with benefits. Her story gave the Bishops a new calling, and in 1991, they founded Pathways to Independence, whose mission is “the inspiration and avenue for individual empowerment, personal healing and scholastic growth.”
Eric and the Directors all agreed that Pathways to Independence was a cause that Kelly would have supported whole-heartedly. Pathways recognizes that many young women have suffered severe trauma (rape, incest, and other physical and psychological torture) by the time they reach adulthood. The Bishops’ holistic approach practically guarantees success. With over 300 volunteers in all professions— lawyers, accountants, therapists, physicians, and mechanics, to name a few—the clients are well served. After receiving the KABF grant, The Kelly Ann Brown Foundation received heart-felt thanks from President Dave Bishop: “As I’m sure you know we serve young women who come from poverty and tragically abusive backgrounds. Once accepted, they commit to full time school, part time work, weekly therapy and weekly communication with a mentor. In return, we house them or provide a housing stipend, pay for all tuition and books, give them full access to 75 physicians, dentists and optometrists, keep their cars in full repair…we remove every conceivable obstacle that might prevent them from graduating…80% of them graduate and are literally transformed into confident, educated women of purpose, each with the charge of paying it forward by helping others…a few of our graduates have begun their own foundation…half of our board of directors are graduates, who I believe will eventually manage the entire program.” |
Monica isn’t the only success story for Pathways to Independence. Their website boasts of many other successes such as Iliana, who came to Pathways a victim of severe physical and sexual abuse. Through therapy and with the help of her mentor, Iliana dealt with her anger and gained tools to transcend her past. Iliana just graduated from college and has been accepted to the University of Southern California to pursue a master’s degree.
Tracy, another woman helped by Pathways, graduated in December from Cal State Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Creative Writing, earning an overall GPA of 3.5. Like Iliana, Tracy’s childhood was marked by sexual abuse, first raped when she was only a first grader. Alcohol became her escape drug of choice, but Tracy is now clean and sober. Tracy is grateful to all those professionals who helped her, including her dentist, Dr. Tormey, saying “Pathways is that light!” Karla relocated from Mexico with her family to a small one-bedroom apartment in the U.S. She and her siblings were removed from their home following evidence of incest. Karla was left to survive in foster care, but ultimately found help at Pathways. According to Dave Bishop, “There are over 4,000 foster youth who age out of the system in California each year. 65% become homeless, 25% become incarcerated, less than 6% attend college, and less than 2% graduate.” Karla recently graduated with a 3.4 in Human Services from Cal State Fullerton. She now works full-time for the Orange County Department of Education helping foster youth. Karla credits her mentor, Peggy, her therapist, Dr. Scott, Pathways president, Dave, and her mechanic, Mike, for her success: "I now feel safe, confident, and resilient.” The Kelly Ann Brown Foundation gives a shout out to all the women of Pathways to Independence and our heart-felt CONGRATULATIONS! Click here to learn more about Pathways to Independence. |