I’m a redneck. 

And I say that with pride. 

My name is Hillary, and I grew up in Arkansas and Kansas, where we had wheat fields for miles, and the nearest town was 45 minutes away. 

Despite the isolation, we were close, because kindness in the Midwest is a big value. 

When I was 20, I married into the military, which stationed us across the US and other countries like Japan, Korea, and England. 

Traveling changed my whole little world: I saw poverty and injustice. 

But the more I’ve traveled, the more I love people. Because at the core, people are so kind and generous. They’re so beautiful. 

These experiences drew me to study human rights law, and I became an immigration lawyer. 

When my husband and I moved to Arizona, I was looking for a place where my clients could stay.  

That’s how I found CPLC De Colores Domestic Violence Shelter, and I was happy to learn that here, survivors can bring their children, parents, and even pets! 

I love keeping families together. But beyond that, I felt a personal connection to the children at the center. 

You see, I grew up in a home with domestic violence, and I got put into foster care. 

It was a difficult experience to go through, and it shaped the rest of my life. 

And now here I was again, on the other side. 

But this time, I could do something. I could help make a child’s experience a little better. 

Because can you imagine how hard it must be to live in a shelter? 

Soon, beyond referring my clients to De Colores, I started volunteering my legal expertise, my time, and my resources. 

Like this past winter, when I took all the kids to a sneaker store to get them a pair of sneakers. 

It’s a simple gift. But when you look good, you feel good, and you can do things better. 

I love peoples’ kids, and connecting with the survivors at De Colores has taught me that rednecks and Latinos have a lot in common: we value family, we take people in like our own, and we share our kindness generously. 

Right now, things might seem hard. But we each can create a small change. 

Whether it’s through volunteering or a monetary donation, people like you and me can make a difference. 

Because kindness can bring people together. Kindness can change a child’s life. 

And kindness can get a family through crisis. 

To learn more about De Colores, visit our website here: https://cplc.org/programs/domestic-violence. You can donate to support our cause at https://cplc.org/get-involved. 

If you’re interested in volunteering your time with us, please fill out a volunteer application here. You can also visit our volunteer page to learn more. 

Sincerely, 

Hillary Walsh 

CPLC De Colores Volunteer