Nubia Orozco

My mamita, Nubia, grew up in Managua, Nicaragua where she met my papito at the age of 14. They dated for four years before getting married and eventually started a family together. They left a comfortable life in 1986 because of the ongoing Communist Revolution due to a growing fear that their three sons would be enlisted during a time where conscription was legal. My mamita travelled with my papito, their three children, and their niece across Central America before reaching Canada to claim refugee status.

She said the hardest part about coming to Canada was leaving everything behind - her family, friends, and their house. She was terrified that they would be killed on their way to Canada for trying leave the country and passing through Central America. When they first arrived, nobody spoke English - she had a hard time communicating with people who didn’t speak Spanish, so she eventually enrolled herself in English classes. Despite all the changes, she says her favourite part about living in Canada is the support, security, and opportunities available for immigrants and refugees.

If she had to give any woman advice about making in through tough times, she says, “stay strong, never look back, move forward and always remember that we can’t change the past but we can change the future.”