Every day, clients come into Maribel’s salon in Delaware, and the successful business owner sends them on their way looking and feeling refreshed.
Maribel came to the United States from Mexico over 25 years ago and is proof that hard work, determination, and education can open doors, no matter where you start.
Maribel’s story
When Maribel first came to the US, she would spend her lunch breaks at work trying to read the newspaper. Her employer at the time noticed and offered to connect her with a family member who spoke multiple languages and could help Maribel with her English.
Soon she enrolled in adult education classes to build on the partial high school and accounting education she had received in Mexico. Then she found her calling when she explored cosmetology school.
Despite the language barrier, Maribel quickly realized she had a natural aptitude in the field.
“In the class, I wasn’t always familiar with the cosmetology terms the teacher used, and often had to do extra work by looking them up in the dictionary,” she said. “Yet I still did very well on the exam.”
She kept her grades up and persevered, managing school and having a small child.
“I would get home from school at 9 p.m., and my son would have fallen asleep on books waiting for me to read to him.”
Nonetheless, Maribel passed all the required exams and began working at a salon. Soon she knew she wanted her own business.
It only took five years for Maribel to realize that dream, and after 17 years of renting her salon, Maribel proudly bought the commercial property that it’s located on.
Maribel isn’t just a businesswoman; she is also a philanthropist. Her commitment to enhancing the lives of those in our community extends beyond the salon, volunteering to provide haircuts for families in need at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware. Her dedication was recognized in April 2016 when she was honored with the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Community Service.
“I try to do my best because they need me,” she said.
Maribel has also been awarded a $10,000 grant from L’Oréal to help her with her business and received an award from Community First through the state of Delaware, recognizing her success.
Continuing to improve her language skills and pronunciation at Literacy Delaware, Maribel’s work ethic with her tutor Joan matches what she puts in at the salon.
“Since Maribel and I have been working together, we have not missed a single week of our time together, quite an achievement!” Joan said. “Maribel works very, very hard on her English skills. We’re working on our Journey to Success book, doing a good deal of reading out loud, answering questions, and learning interesting United States history. She’s also working on aspects of accent improvement, a goal of hers from the beginning.”
It’s Maribel’s continued determination from way back when she was struggling to read the newspaper on her lunch breaks that has kept her going year after year.
“Sometimes it’s not easy to run a business to help the community, but I do my best,” Maribel said. “I used to say, ‘I can’t do anything,’ but now I know I can continue. Never wait to take the opportunity to make your dreams come true!”
By supporting ProLiteracy, we can help programs like Literacy Delaware continue to serve adult learners like Maribel.