Yvette and her family have called Mercy Housing Lakefront’s Batavia Apartments home for six years. Yvette was a high school junior, having moved with her mom and two siblings from nearby Aurora, Illinois. “Moving to Batavia was very helpful to my mom because she was a single mother, so we needed help.”

One Foot in Front of the Other

Busy with school and starting to think about college, Yvette didn’t have time to participate in many of the onsite resident services initially, but she was inspired to jump in following her high school graduation. Yvette didn’t just participate; she decided to start new programs and classes for other Batavia residents. “I started the Walking Club when it was nice outside. People would come every Friday, and we would walk for an hour by the river or around the beautiful park,” she shared. It provided residents with a fun way to get their steps in and allowed them to talk and catch up.

What prompted Yvette to start a walking club? Having seen positive results with her health, Yvette took the idea to start a walking club for the resident services team at Batavia Apartments. “I felt like walking was something pretty much a lot of people could do.”

As the Walking Club grew in popularity, Yvette noticed that residents experiencing health issues wanted to join the group. “Some of them go to doctors occasionally, and the doctors tell them they need to keep walking.”

With the winter weather in Chicago, Yvette has paused the outdoor walks, but the Walking Club will resume later this spring.

Bible Study Group

Yvette didn’t stop there. She also started a Bible study group. “The Bible study class is helpful to many who feel a consistent presence and for people who just want to hear the word of God. It encourages them a lot.”

The Bible study group has also provided a place for residents to gather, share what they are experiencing at any given moment, and find a source of hope in the Bible.

Healthy Living Seminar

The more involved she became in her Batavia community, the more Yvette learned about her neighbors. She decided to offer a one-month Healthy Living Seminar. The seminar included tips and tricks for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “Basic life principles,” she described. “Like drinking water, exercising regularly, eating healthy foods, and getting enough rest and enough sunshine (Vitamin D), ” she encouraged participants to apply these to their daily lives.

Fond Childhood Memories

Yvette grew up near the Republic of Congo. Her fondest memories were of summers spent as a child and teenager. “My favorite memory was every summer after school closed,” she shared. “I used to go deep in the village for summer vacation, which was always fun.”

Her mom had a family friend living on a farm with no electricity. “I would just go spend most of my time there.” She reflected, “I feel like those moments were the ones that made me who I am today. Striving for the best for myself and those around me.”

7,461 miles from Home

In 2015, Yvette and her family moved to the U.S., eventually calling Chicago home, where her mom had a sister living. “I don’t think I even know what the name of Chicago meant,” Yvette said (the word “Chicago” comes from the Algonquin language – “shikaakwa,” meaning “onion” or “striped skunk”). Early explorers thought the city’s streams and lakes were full of wild onions, leeks, and ramps.

Being a teenager in a new city was sometimes overwhelming for her. She asked herself, “How can I approach people I’ve never met before – the race, the culture?” Compared to her school in the Republic of Congo, she walked into a diverse new school, where the language was different and a much larger school than she was used to. But the circumstances didn’t deter her, as she explained, “When you’re a kid, you just go with the flow. So, I just went with the flow.” Having her brother at the same school was also helpful.

Finding Inspiration from Mom

“My mom is my inspiration,” Yvette shared. A single mom, she has been the sole provider for the family. “She has always worked hard for us and never stopped to follow her dream of becoming a nurse,” Yvette added. Her mom never let go of that dream and has enrolled in nursing school.

“When I look at her, I see a reflection of who I am now,” Yvette shared. “This is where I get my resilience and discipline from. She’s been a huge role model and inspiration for me.”

 

On Fear and Finding Her Voice

“The first thing you see is fear,” Yvette explained when describing new challenges. What helps her to get through it? “Just put your first foot up. Don’t let the fear overtake the little steps you can take.”

She knows that sometimes things are beyond her control, but “there is no greater feeling than knowing I tried my best.”

 A Dream Comes True

As Yvette looks forward to starting Medical School in August, she is relieved that her mom has a stable home and the support she needs to thrive. “I really love it because they help my mom access resources that can help her,” she explained.

“Why do I have to wait for the future to make a difference in people’s lives?” she asked during the conversation. Soon after moving to the U.S., Yvette noticed everyone felt isolated. “They may have been suffering alone, and nobody will know, and that’s what led to my decision to attend medical school.” She isn’t sure what she wants to specialize in, but right now, she is thinking of becoming a neurosurgeon or a cardiothoracic surgeon.

But before she becomes a doctor, she wants to make a difference in her community. “I should start with people close to me – my neighbors, my community,” she explained. “I wanted the programs I started to unite the community – to share our burdens while improving our physical and mental health.”

Yvette reflected on her dreams, sharing, “Everybody can reduce stress by taking better care of themselves. Let’s get out there together and do something to help each of us.”