A Dedicated Ally to Help Overcome Barriers
<< ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021
Li Xiu emigrated from China in 1996. She had less than a high school education, her English was very limited, and she possessed few digital literacy skills. When she settled in Seattle she didn’t have much time for her own education because she was a busy single mom working sewing jobs to raise her two children. In July 2019 she was laid off, and she became “very depressed worrying about her living.”
In August 2019, one of her previous co-workers connected her with Linh Tran, an Employment and Training Specialist with Asian Counseling and Referral Service. Li Xiu was able to speak with Linh in her native Cantonese, and told her she wanted to find another sewing job but “didn’t have a resume and didn’t know what it was.” According to Linh, “she was having difficulty completing job applications and was terrified about job interviews.” Linh convinced her to attend a 4-day Job Search Prep (JSP) workshop in Cantonese, which covered the essential skills for job search and career planning.
When Li Xiu was laid off, her son helped her apply for Unemployment Insurance, but they didn’t complete the application because it was extremely complex. They also made a few mistakes setting up her account, which caused additional disruptions to her benefits. Linh spent about two hours helping her overcome these digital barriers to complete her application, encouraging her through moments of intense frustration, and finally recommending a computer class. She also began attending a weekly job club to work on online job applications.
The first job Li Xiu landed was a good start at $15 per hour, but it didn’t have medical or dental insurance beyond a $100 subsidy, and one day she developed a toothache that would have cost thousands of dollars out of pocket. Linh helped connect Li Xiu with International Community Health Services for low-cost care, and also helped her to enroll in full coverage through HealthCare.gov. She resumed her job search with Linh with the goal of finding a job with medical and dental benefits.
In December 2019, Li Xiu began work at an outdoor gear company paying $16 an hour, including medical and dental benefits. When COVID-19 arrived, the company pivoted their business to mask production. During the pandemic, Linh also helped her apply for three months of food vouchers at $400 per month, and a $500 relief fund to help her survive.
After more than a year, Li Xiu has settled into the role and found joy in her co-workers. She recently asked Linh if she could help her son find work as well. Working with Linh, he successfully connected with a local grocery store.