A Trailblazer: Deana’s Rise from Eviction to Empowerment

A Trailblazer: Deana’s Rise from Eviction to Empowerment

Deana has set goals and reached them many times in her life. However, right now, she is working on the biggest one yet: homeownership. 

Homeownership is a dream she was not sure she would be able to accomplish, but she is now well on her way. 

To understand why this dream felt, for most of her life, unattainable, one needs to go back to when her parents were in high school:

“My mom was a teenage mom. My dad was a high school dropout from Puerto Rico,” Deana said. “I came from humble beginnings. I’m from the statistics. My chances of going to college were low. My mom crossed the stage with me in her belly in high school.”

Growing up, they lived in public housing on the South Side of Milwaukee. 

Against odds, Deana graduated high school and went on to college. 

After school, Deana followed her passion of dance and became a professional dancer. She danced for the Milwaukee Bucks and Disney. 

Deana had her first daughter in 2013. After the relationship didn’t work out, Deana moved to Florida to get away. She found housing for $725 a month in Orlando, but was unable to make ends meet. 

“I ended up getting evicted. I still have the eviction notice. I remember knowing I don’t want to feel this again. I’m never going to experience this again.”

Later, Deana gave birth to her second daughter and became determined to find an affordable home for herself and her children.

“Covid happened. Relationships were tough…I was scared I couldn’t rent on my own and would get evicted again. I was broken up, and scared. I found a place I was able to pay. Every month is like a victory from that [eviction] in 2014.”

Deana now lives in Milwaukee with her two daughters and is a teacher. This school year she will be teaching 4th grade English Language Arts and Social Sciences.

Now, Deana wants to own her own home. She started to look at houses and shortly realized that it was going to be a difficult, and possibly unattainable, goal. 

“I talked to real estate agents. How can I outbid people with two incomes? It started to feel defeating. I couldn’t do it on my own.”

Then, during a seminar at her daughter’s school, Deana learned about Milwaukee Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership program. A member of the Milwaukee Habitat team came to speak, and Deana was immediately interested.

Deana pictured with Brian Sonderman, CEO of Milwaukee Habitat

“I was like oh my gosh, homeownership might be something I can attain through this.”

Deana knew she needed to apply for the program, but didn’t get her hopes up as she was not confident she would get accepted. 

“I had a discouraged mindset. My heart was already discouraged. It’s not meant for me. I can’t do this. I will just rent until I marry or hit the lottery like all of us will one day. And then, I kept making the next step [of the program] and the next step. In that process, my hope was restored. My faith in that dream was rekindled.”

Now, Deana is building a brand new home for her and her daughters through Milwaukee Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership program. 

“May came and I got a call from Ashira, [a member of the Milwaukee Habitat team], that I was welcome to be a [Milwaukee Habitat] partner family. I think I screamed. I was like ‘you guys are seeding into good ground. I promise you are seeding into good ground.’ 

I am going to take this with an ownership mentality and I am going to embrace it to its fullness. I knew that throughout the process my mentality had to change. My heart had to change. The reason it changes is because Habitat was there. Just their mere presence was confirmation that this was possible. 

I was like alright, let’s go full force.”

Deana has done just that. She has fully embraced the program and is putting her all into the homeownership journey. Future homeowners in the program spend a set amount of hours working on the build site or in our ReStores completing sweat equity hours. Deana has been completing her sweat equity hours at our Habitat ReStore in Franklin.

“I have been completing sweat equity since May. I’ve been spending a majority of that time at the Franklin ReStore location. Shoutout to Scott, Sharon, Erika, and Sophie, the incredible people, and Cathy, who have seeded into my life. 

Not only is this just sweat equity, this is friendship that I’m building. I’m learning from them; I’m hearing their stories and how they have threads of commonality with me. They see me… They’re invested with me.”

Deana pictured with ReStore volunteer and new friend, Cathy

Deana recognizes that building a home with Milwaukee Habitat is not the traditional path to homeownership, and that excites and motivates her.

“Everything about me is nontraditional. The homeownership experience too. Habitat came in time, right now, for a specific reason. It isn’t traditional, but it is a way. It’s my own. It’s a trailblazing way. 

Ceilings can be broken in many ways. Generational wealth comes in many ways. [Habitat] says ‘we know you didn’t get this growing up, here we are with support.’ I believe that this program can bring generational wealth in a format many did not get.”

Although this is a huge personal dream for Deana, she wants her daughters to feel like they are becoming homeowners too.

“In the beginning of the year, we have a dream vision board. Each of us made our own. Mine was homes. I believe in sharing with my children. I wanted them to feel like homeowners too. 

When we talk about homeowners, it’s not just me that’s signing. I want my daughters to sign at the closing too. I want them to feel like it’s theirs too. They are the owners of their dreams and manifestations. Not only was it me, it was them too. 

They feel such pride. I’ve worked really hard to provide my girls with the absolute best.”

Not only will her daughters feel like they own the home, but Deana will now be able to save for their future.

“For me, the extra money [saved from the affordable mortgage]… I’ll be able to save that. That will go into me being able to spend more time with my daughters. We are huge Disney people. We can take more vacations. I want to go to a Broadway show in New York City with my daughters. I want to go to Mexico. I want to experience fine dining when my daughter graduates high school. I want that for her. I want them to have quinceaneras. 

I just want to be able to do those things, to afford them. The extra money will also go toward mental health stuff for my kids. If I need to talk to a therapist, I don’t have to worry about [money] for that.” 

Deana is excited for the opportunities that homeownership will bring to many parts of her life, and she also knows that it will be a big responsibility.

Deana pictured with two other future Habitat homeowners

“I feel like there’s going to be so much more freedom and responsibility. With Milwaukee Habitat, they equip you with knowledge. The expectation is that it is your responsibility. You are a steward of your finances, neighborhood, all of it. It is ownership in every way. 

My mindset has significantly changed. I need to make sure I am truly equipped for this. 

To whom much is given, much is required. This is the start of truly being. I am it. We are it.”

Deana speaking at our 2024 Women Build Kickoff event

Deana is ready to invest in homeownership, but also into the city of Milwaukee. Being raised here, she knows the history and knows how amazing the city truly is.

“If we understand the history of Milwaukee, the location, the investment, the gentrification, [we can see the] momentum that is brewing in Milwaukee. It’s undeniable that this location is going through metamorphosis and is transforming… 

Milwaukee needs [Habitat]. We need this. This community needs this. The northside has gone through so much… We have to pour into those areas that need healing. 

This was a black neighborhood. This is our opportunity. Restore. Rebuild… Honoring history and rewriting the future. Own the past and own the future.”

Deana is full of hope for the future of the city and the future of her home.

“This home on Brown Street in Milwaukee is a testament of hope. It’s roots. Milwaukee should be proud of Habitat. Milwaukee Habitat is clearly proud of its home.”

When envisioning the moment she walks into her home for the first time, Deana knows she is going to be overcome with emotion.

“It’s going to be so overwhelming. A flood and rush of emotions. The tide of where I’m coming from, where I am, and the hope of what could be. It’s like a wave. Waves have backward and forward motion and settle in the present.”

Deana has embraced Milwaukee Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership program with her whole being.

“Ultimately, who I am…I am a Mexican, Puerto Rican girl raised in Milwaukee. I’ve been through a metamorphosis of transformation. The hills and valleys of life, heartbreak, eviction and in the midst of it all, it’s given me hope. 

I am a teacher, I have daughters. 2024 has been the year of more. I want to have everything in order and I want generational wealth for my girls. Wealth for me is a happy home.”

Despite everything Deana has been through, she has never given up on her dream to become a homeowner. Soon, she will move into a brand-new home with her two daughters. Soon, she will have accomplished that dream that she used to think was impossible.

“Habitat has truly built me up. It’s restored much of my heart. 

I am a builder, I am a restorer, and I am an owner… of my future, my dreams, my gifts and talents, and (soon) home!”