Kazuyo's Story

My name is Kazuyo Miyagi, and I am a current resident of Warren Village. I met my ex-husband Kwanza in Okinawa, Japan. He was visiting his mother, and she asked me to take him sightseeing. Language was a barrier as I tried to learn English, but we slowly got to know each other better.

We fell in love through a long distance relationship, and I visited him once in the United States when my daughter Reno was five. Kwanza had a good job, and a nice place to live, so when he suggested that we get married I thought it would be a good thing.

I was in the U.S. on a travel visa when we were married, but wanted to get a student visa so I could go back to school. I had my savings, all that I had brought with me from Japan, so that I could pay for school. Kwanza told me he would keep my money in his bank account until I received a social security number and could open my own. I trusted him because I loved him, but he lost all of my tuition money, $47,000, through day trading and other careless purchases.

He was cunning and controlling, and was always lying to me. He wouldn’t let me get a job at first or make friends outside of the home, telling me that this was how Americans did things. When I became pregnant again with our daughter Carmen, he became physically and emotionally abusive. He pretended the black eyes were accidents. There were a lot of accidents.

By then I wanted to go back to Japan, but I had no money. Worse, in Japan there really aren’t jobs for older women, as most are married and encouraged to stay home with their children. I felt trapped because I no longer wanted to be with this man, but I didn’t know if I could manage in America by myself—and I didn’t feel like I could go home.

I left Kwanza after our second child, Luka, was born. I went to a shelter, trying to get away from him, but his harassment was persistent. After moving to a second shelter, I learned about Warren Village.

Warren Village has helped to redefine my idea of home. Since starting the program I’ve found that my neighbors have become my friends, and my children have a safe place to grow and learn. Throughout my stay here I have been guided through the process of applying to college, became a member of LEAD (the resident leadership group), and was empowered to become an advocate and speaker for Warren Village.

I am now currently working part time and going to school to become a social worker. Warren Village’s Family Advocates have shown me what it means to help others discover their strengths. And living at Warren Village has shown me what it means to pass those strengths on to my children.

As my daughters and I look ahead to the future, we know that we couldn’t have come this far without Warren Village. We thank you for helping us find a home, and a beginning to self-sufficiency.