After fleeing Nicaragua as a victim of domestic violence with refugee status in 1980, Nora started her new life in San José. Her love for exploring and trying new jobs led her to work at a hospital, driving forklifts, and as a cashier at Home Depot.

For the past three years, Nora has worked for a contract company where she spends nights cleaning Google’s campus, and during the day she cleans homes on her own. In her free time, Nora takes classes at the Center for Employment Center where she received her GED.

Nora has always believed there is no worse fight than one that you never even have. This mentality led her a year ago to become an elected leader of her union, SEIU-United Service Workers West. Nora has attended everything from marches to meetings to have a voice at her workplace. As a result, Nora and her co-workers know their rights and how to exercise them.

During the pandemic, Google has continued to pay Nora and other janitorial workers and service workers. Nora is grateful for Google’s responsible choice and recognizes that Santa Clara County has also been instrumental in providing support and financial assistance when she and her co-workers have contracted COVID-19.

Nora lives in San José with her daughter and is surrounded by her big loving family of five children and 10 grandchildren.