Writing from women at Dorcas Place.

(from the LVA Adult Literacy Program Directory) Dorcas Place, a non-profit literacy education center, is a community-based organization dedicated to working collaboratively with other agencies and institutions to empower clients and affect systemic changes. Dorcas Place provides classroom instruction as well as one-on-one tutoring in basic literacy through GED preparation; a pre-vocational and wrok readiness program; family health education; parenting support and on-site social services. The learning community is multicultural, living predominantly in and around Providence.

These writings were given to LR/RI by Dorcas Place students for its website. Please, please, please, encourage yourself and others to use this site to share your writing, too. Do you think we should group writings by schools? by themes? Let us know.


My own experience with domestic violence

Well first I was in an abusive relationship for 4 years of my life. Well it hurt me inside and outside of my body. There are a lot of things that I thought I did wrong to make him abuse me. After I got control of my life I started going to school. But after all that I became a strong black woman who can stand on my own once in my life. So one day I met myself after I got out of an abusive relationship and I was a beautiful person that I did not know. I am a 23 year old mother of one son named Justin and his is 8 years old. I am attending Dorcas Place for 3 years.

Tonette S.

2/2/98


January 13, 1998

Dear Mother,

I am willing to tell you that I love you and admire you. You are the most important person to me because of the way you care for your children. No matter what we did wrong, you were always there for us. You have lots of strengths and courage and taught me these strengths. I thank God to have you in my life for all the things you are. You're the best mother in the world to me. I love the way you care for your grand-kids. That shows a lot of love by you giving your everything to them; it shows you are not selfish. You always sacrifice for others, and never give yourself time for you. You've been down a long road but you always come through no matter how you feel; happy or sad, you always come through. No one can ever take your place in my eyes. Mom, I admire you for your strengths and willpower and courage. You always say and do the right things in my eyes. When a problem comes my way, you are there for me. I hope I can become a mother just like you; you are a true inspiration to me. You are a mother and a friend forever. I will always be there for you as your daughter and a friend.

Sincerely,

You loving daughter, Linda

January 29, 1998

I feel abortions should not be legal except for serious health reasons. There are a lot of people in the world that want to have children and they can't, so why can't they bear their children instead of killing them so other people can bring them up? In the United States alone there are a lot of people that want to adopt children but it's too hard for them to get a child. I believe if people use birth control there would not be so many abortions. If a woman has a problem with rape or health, then I would consider abortion with a doctor's approval.

Linda Lyons is studying at Dorcas Place. She wants to be a physical therapist assistant. Everything she thought she couldn't be by being in school, she sees she can. Linda has an eight year old daughter, Melissa, and wants to give Melissa a good education and a good life.


last updated 2/4/98

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