BLOG DEBUT: ANDREW DIAMOND ON THE DLE’S UNPARALLELED DIVERSITY
December 22, 2020
DLE ALUMNI’S PARTNERSHIP HELPS IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS ADVANCE
December 22, 2020
A year ago, DLE Community Member Ivy Rodriguez Campos went from day dreaming about owning a house to being homeless. Today, she is a first-time homeowner.
Ivy, who is the Financial and Administrative Coordinator at Williams College, profoundly changed her life–and her family’s–last week when she moved into her Adams (MA) home. Her bold path forward started last March when Ivy selected Linda Dulye, DLE Founder and President, to be her mentor as part of a pilot Mentorship Program introduced by Berkshire Business and Professional Women (BBPW). Linda is an active BBPW member and a founding member of the group’s Mentorship Committee.
Before COVID-19 struck, the two met in person on just one occasion. They quickly established a weekly schedule of remote coaching sessions lasting 30-45 minutes in order to design and execute a professional development plan for Ivy. High on her list of 2020 goals was buying a home for her family. Ivy is the mother of Anelisse (age 16), Joseph (age 9) and Mi’Amor (age 23 months).
Reflecting on her astounding accomplishment, Ivy calls it “so surreal!” “Last year, we were homeless! The home we were renting went on the market and sold in a week. Several landlords were unwilling to allow us to have an Emotional Support Animal, a companion for my eldest child, who is autistic. We also found that many other dwellings were not de-leaded.”
The family hopped between hotels and Air BNBs. These setbacks fortified Ivy’s determination. “Giving up wasn’t an option,” she affirms. “I wanted to show my children that when you want something, you work hard and earn it honestly. I wanted to give them something of their own that they could truly call home, and I needed to prove to myself that I could reach my goals no matter what may have happened in the past.”
Coaching sessions gave Ivy “guided focus to prioritize” while her responsibilities increased with COVID’s quarantine for working and teaching at home. As she describes, “After meeting Linda, I knew she was the spark I needed to really help me concentrate on my goals, to develop both professionally and personally. We set short- and long-term goals, which included obtaining a forever home. I wanted to make her proud and let her know our meetings were not only appreciated but truly helpful. Having that extra layer of accountability makes a big difference!”
Ivy is an active member of the DLE Community, serving on the Programming Committee, which plans and promotes the DLE Ownership Workshops.