KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Whitney Leaming isn't afraid of hard work. She works at a construction site for the expansion of Amethyst Place, a housing option for women out of recovery.
It's where Leaming rebuilt her life.
"I’ve finally been able to get myself and my children out of survival mode, which is, you know, where am I gonna sleep? Where am I gonna eat? Are we gonna be safe?" Leaming said.
Between getting a job, being in therapy, and having a stable home for her two kids, Leaming's able to focus on becoming the best version of herself.
"I learned how to be a mom," she said. "Not just like, feed my kids, keep them safe, but like, how to interact with my children, how to help them become their own little people."
Starla Brennan, the executive director at Amethyst Place, has seen so many success stories, like mothers who open their own businesses, or go into social welfare to help others.
"We talk a lot about how that magic moment is when a mom starts to get her self esteem back," Brennan said. "It’s incredible how far they can go."
There's a mural on the front of the organizations building on Troost Avenue and east 27th Street.
It shows women hugging their children and putting on crowns, representing that confidence they get back.
"The strength inside of women is just, is limitless, and more so when you have other women supporting you," Brennan said.
Amethyst Place gave Leaming her power back. Her metaphorical "crown" is a represented as a hard hat.
"We drive by here everyday and both of my girls are like, 'My mommy works there,'" Leaming said. "They see what it’s like; everyone is capable of everything."
It's been hard work for her to get to where she is today, but she's not shying away as she continues to build the life she's always wanted.
"I have my Amethyst community that holds me up," she said.
—
