Denise Lopez had it out for me from the moment we met. She would tell me what to do; she would show up at my door. I didn’t know what to think at first. I had never met anyone like her. I would cuss her out and treat her poorly, but she never wavered. She encouraged me to seek help and convinced me to take a job at a coffee shop that helps formerly incarcerated women. I spent one day on the job at She Brews and quit because I knew it wasn’t for me. In 2021, my kids were taken into DHS custody as I continued to make poor decisions. When I went to court, DHS offered me family treatment court, explaining that it would be the fastest and easiest way to get my kids back. I signed into family treatment court thinking I’d just check the boxes and beat the system. I did not know much about the program, and I realized it was very intense when I started. I had to go to court once a week, but because my life was so chaotic and my addiction was so severe, I quit going. I was scared. I would literally be smoking in the parking lot right before taking a drug test. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me or my kids. When I saw a judge writing bench warrants for people not coming to court, I checked myself into rehab as a last resort. I called the family treatment court coordinator and let him know my decision. I also called Denise.

Much to everyone’s surprise, I loved rehab. I ended up working through some deep-core issues that I did not even know were there. I learned a lot about myself. When I got out, Denise was there to pick me up, and I hit the ground running because I knew I wanted to get my kids back. I wasn’t playing around this time. The courts gave me a second chance, and I was determined to succeed. Denise was there the whole way. At this time, I didn’t have a car or license, so I rode the bus and walked to all my appointments. I was also pregnant. When I got into a sober living program, I immediately got unsupervised visits & weekends with my kids. Being with them made me come to the hard realization that they never asked to be put in this situation or put into DHS custody. It was a significant driver for me. I ended up getting reunification back after a month of unsupervised visits. Denise and my childhood best friend, who started working at She Brews after a stint at Eddie’s, convinced me to give the job another go. This time it was a perfect fit. The people there believed in me and encouraged me to the point of annoyance. But I secretly loved it.

After a year of working, to my bewilderment, they promoted me to the role of wholesale assistant, then later to lead roaster. I worked day and night studying coffee and learning everything I needed to know. I wanted to prove they made the right choice and that I was ready for this role. Now, a year into that role I can proudly say I was. I was even asked to speak with Denise on a panel at the She Brews Fundraiser last fall. The woman from the car wreck, the family court judge, my DHS caseworker, my childhood best friend, and my family all showed up. It was better than I could’ve ever dreamed.