You get to understand hardship when you’ve watched your mother trying to make ends meet with any money she can find. The hassle of trying to pay bills and anything else that is thrown her way. These days single mothers have to be smart and know their way around. This is kind of hard when you’re new to a country where you don’t speak the language and have to start your life over with a five year old girl. “Everything I went through was worth it” said Geamom Souza, ex-immigrant and single mother.

The Beginning

It all began in the fall of 2004, the beginning of her new life. Souza was ready to get away from a corrupt and poverty stricken Brazil. She had a school for her daughter but that was about it. “That’s what really mattered though, achieving a good future for my daughter” Souza said. Her daughter and she began learning English and getting used to the American way. Then, hurricane Katrina hit, but they overcame the horrible storm together.

Job Hunting

Finding a good job in America without papers and a degree is hard. In Souza’s years here she’s worked as a subcontractor, house cleaner, and nanny for an NFL player, Zumba teacher, professional samba dancer, Uber eats driver, you name it. “My favorite job here has been being a nanny and creating a good relationship with all the families,” Souza said, “They’re my american family.” Although these all sound good, they weren’t all fun and games. There have been sweat and tears that she put into jobs that weren’t worth it. “One person made me work the whole week, and didn’t pay me. They said I didn’t deserve the money because I was an illegal immigrant. They paid me five dollars an hour” Souza said. She still struggled with finding a good job, but is confident that God would lead her to the right path.

The Final Straw

In 2012, Souza married a man who could provide her what she needed: love, a father for her daughter, and a ticket to finally see her family. The process of getting her green card had officially begun. Souza gained a new family and three small children who needed a mother and stability and she provided that for them. Through this time Souza went through a completely botched surgery on her hernia. She kept fighting. She fought for these kids, she fought for a home for her new family of six, and she fought for her citizenship.

Finally, in 2014, Souza and her daughter received their green cards on her birthday. “My biggest achievement was getting my green card” Souza said. It was a great day overshadowed by her husbands selfish acts of aggression. She wouldn’t let that stop her.

Returning Home

“Minha filha! Finalmente!” said Souza’s mom, Maria, when she saw her for the first time in 10 years. “My daughter! Finally! You’re home.” The reunion of Souza with her family was such a special and heartwarming moment. “Geamom never stops fighting, she’s always been this way. She even used to fight the boys at school when she was younger.” Maria said, “She never stops.”

America is a hard place to live and an even harder place to become a citizen of. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived here, it all matters where you’re born. Even with papers it’s still hard, “I can’t compete with the people more experienced and who have a degree” Souza said. But even with her struggles in finding a lifelong job, she was still able to send her daughter to college, which was her biggest concern. Geamom Souza overcame everything that came at her and is still going strong. She puts the mom in Geamom.

Special Thank You to Geamom Souza and her mother Maria Souza