By all accounts, author Dr. Vilma Luz Cabán has led a remarkable life full of accomplishments. Well known as an educator and dedicated champion for women impacted by domestic violence and social and economic inequalities, she has blazed a trail of success and passion.
However, success did not come easily. As the Puerto Rican daughter of immigrants, Cabán came of age in the tenements of the Lower East Side (Alphabet City) and in the Bronx. She was surrounded by poverty, abuse, and witness to domestic violence time and time again.
Through these childhood events, and on into adulthood, Cabán would become acutely aware of the cycles of violence women may find themselves in, particularly women of color and, closest to her heart, her Latina sisters.
In this wide-ranging and often heart-wrenching memoir, Cabán weaves her personal experiences and lessons from her survival with her deepest wish to change the course of these cycles of abuse for women everywhere.
Ultimately, she succeeds in shining a light on a reality often kept in the shadows, and offers hope for a way out and a better tomorrow.
The human experience can be fraught with trauma and risk, but as Cabán shows us, these experiences can also drive us to be the force behind real change for the better.
A bruised and broken heart can become the heart of an advocate... and advocates can make all the difference!