An oral history is when someone tells the story of their life and experiences, and another person records them or writes them down. This is Elena’s story of her life, published in a collection of such stories titled The Soul Speaks and compiled by Zara Marselian, the cofounder of an immigrant and refugee support center in San Diego, California, called La Maestra Community Health Centers. Elena immigrated from Belize to the United States in 1969. In subsequent decades, she traveled between the two countries, and her life was shaped by ongoing family relationships in both places. Her story revolves around her hope and aspirations for better education and job opportunities. She first moved to New Orleans to further her education. She started off in New Orleans not knowing anyone and with only $125. Through grit, determination, and hard work, she managed to provide for herself, but she encountered numerous obstacles to achieving her educational and professional goals.