“What marked most of my life was drugs and the gang life. It led me nowhere and in the end I was left with nothing. When MARKED came to our small town, I was given moments and opportunities, confidence that has fundamentally changed in my life. They are like a second family to me.” - MARKED SOCCER TEAMMATE
——————————————————————————
“I still remember the day my father died. I still remember how it feels to have the world fall apart around you. And then everything continue to crumble bit by bit as each circumstance got harder and harder.
After my father died, even though I was only 8 years old I had to quit school so I could work and help my mom feed my younger brothers and sisters. I had always dreamt as a kid of being in the military and held on to that dream as a teenager but again was left without any hope because I was far from the required high school degree needed to enlist. Years passed and I kept going, barely keeping my head above water with long hours in whatever day labor job I could find that week. I fought depression and alcohol addiction but most days were a losing battle. What seemed like the last ounce of fight I had, was lost when my closest brother died at just 22 years old, the same day my son was born. I was now the oldest male in my entire family.
But a glimmer of hope rose with my son. And then came my involvement with MARKED. I got clean. I love my son, as well as my family, and I love my MARKED family. I don’t even know how to thank them for everything they’ve done for me. Because of MARKED I was able to go to GED school and I am now working on my primary diploma. In addition, I was also able to study to be a barber through a program in Guadalajara that allowed me to work with MARKED during the week and go to school on the weekends. I coach and play soccer for the MARKED team. And just recently they helped me get my drivers license. My life was going in one direction, today I am living a new life with my family and I am forever grateful.” -MARKED STAFF AND TEAMMATE
—————————————————————————-
“My life was different before MARKED. Different than now but just like everyone else’s around me. Drugs, dad gone, started hating school, nothing to do and nothing to look forward to. I had always played soccer in the neighborhood but never with the guys from MARKED and one day they just invited me to play and for some reason I said yes. I sometimes think it’s like a new life started for me after that day. After that day everything changed for the better, I made so many new friends, my mom started volunteering with MARKED, I hadn’t seen her happier in years. I got better at soccer, and then came tournaments, championships, I got into the high school I had dreamed of, my parents are proud of me, and most importantly I am surrounded by people who really care about me.” -MARKED SOCCER TEAMMATE