She is Saysomone Phomphene. She's originally from Laos, a country bordering Vietnam. Her family came to the U.S. in the late 80's when she was five years old. Despite growing up in the states her family insisted on arranging a marriage for her. At 17 she married a man she barely knew. It became an abusive relationship but following tradition, she stayed in the marriage and had four children. In their culture divorce is not an option. But somehow, some way she found the strength to leave. She took her kids and started a new life. Her decision created a rift between her and her father, who thought her act brought shame to the family.But her roller coaster of a life doesn't stop there. When the economy went south, she lost her job at a mortgage firm. She had four kids at home, and no income. She couldn't make the payments on her house, and she was forced to move in with her parents who still looked down on her for the divorce. It was then she decided she had to make a change in her life. She decided to go to college, something she always wanted to do.
Since then, she found a job at a bank and was able to rent a small apartment. She's raising four kids, works during the day and goes to school at night. She told me she's going to back to school not just to find a better job but to set an example for her kids.
"I want them to know that they can be whatever they want to be," she told me. "I can show them that."
She just started college classes this fall, but last week one of her daughters came to her and said, 'Mom I want to be a lawyer when I grow up.'
It's people like Saysamone Phomphene that inspire me. She decided to stand up for herself when no one else would. She's setting an example for her kids, one that wasn't set for her. She bucked her culture and because of it her kids will know a whole different future.
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