Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Liliana Hernandez.
Hi Maria, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am originally from the country Colombia. I have been in the United States since 1991.
In Colombia, I graduated with an associate degree in accounting. Since I was 17, I have been involved with many services but always trying to do something for communities in need. This goal rides with me for life, and I am passionate about it.
Learning English was my first goal when I arrived in the United States. I went to college for only six months, and from there, I learned on my own, practicing, as we call it, “on the streets.” My English is not perfect, but I do the best I can.
I was married to an attorney when I arrived in the US, so I learned a lot by helping him transcribe documents to the computer from files and by helping him at the office. From the marriage, I had three children. I am proud that two are established in their fields, and one is still working along his path.
I divorced when my children were still young; the oldest was 5. It was a tough divorce; I had no money and almost lost custody of my kids. Thank God everything worked to my benefit and the best interest of my children. I moved from Amarillo to Houston in 1997, trying to begin a new life. Even though I was already a U.S. citizen, I refused to ask for government help and decided to put in my best effort until I found the right job or the right place to be. Six months after being in Houston, I got an offer to work as an assistant to an immigration attorney for whom I still do some work.
Since the pay was insufficient to raise my children, I self-studied how to become a tax preparer in 1998 and began preparing taxes for individuals and small companies. Later, in 1999, I remarried and am still married to the same loving husband, Carlos Hernandez. With his help, we opened a company and offered tax services to many people in Houston. I enjoyed and still enjoy this job because I get to know many people and get the opportunity to help them with accurate, honest guidance so they can get ahead in life. In some of my experiences through these 25 years, I have worked with many immigrants like me who came to this country looking to achieve the American Dream. Thankfully, I have assisted not only one but many to become successful entrepreneurs and bring a better future for their generations.
Continuing with this eventful story of my life, in 2004, my husband and I noticed that in Houston, there were not many companies that were able to assist and guide foreign professionals to continue their professional goals in the United States or to guide them on how to transition to another profession that could bring them better opportunities to grow. So, we created Bilingual Educators, a private educational company focused on helping foreign professionals transition to teaching in Texas. Our program has been small but unique by nature since it is simultaneously delivered in English and Spanish; it is a hybrid way to learn since all our students are native Spanish speakers.
In 2021, Bilingual Educators transitioned to the Bilingual Institute of Professional Studies to redefine our brand and expand our customer reach by presenting new programs in the areas of Medical Assistant, Immigration Legal Assistant, Insurance, Real Estate Agent, and Tax Preparation. I can proudly say that I have worked hard to build a legacy for my children and grandchildren. However, more importantly, I have taught them to be hard workers and honest people. It is also a blessing to have impacted the lives of many families that have sought my help in many ways.
Through the school, we have assisted more than 1,400 professionals to become teachers in Texas and more than 4,000 students to pass the certification exams.
In May 2017, I was invited to be a panelist for the Texas Education Agency meeting regarding changes to the TOEFL exam. It was a privilege to be part of the selected group of 17 panelists from all over Texas and be the voice of my community at our State Capitol. Those changes positively affected international students seeking to become professionals in Texas.
In 2021, I was selected to participate in the SBA Emerging Leaders program of Houston and completed it in 9 months; I enjoyed it a lot and learned many more things to continue growing our business.
That was my business story. Besides running my companies, I am a co-founder and director of Ladders of Success for Education dba “Fundación Escaleras al Exito.” The foundation was registered in 2011, but it was not until this year that we presented it to the public. The only donors the foundation had before were me, my friends, and my family. Initially, I wanted to serve only by educating small children of immigrants to help them integrate into the new schools, so the transition was not as hard. However, I didn’t have much time to dedicate to the cause and had to continue working to provide for my family. Thankfully, this year, I was offered the help of Marcela Martinez and her husband, Hector Andres Ordonez, who recently came from Colombia and are social leaders passionate about helping others. They joined our team at the foundation and now have expanded their objectives to help the immigrant community in areas such as education, legal assistance, fraud prevention, and training for employment and job placement.
We offer free English courses, citizenship preparation, free informative workshops, and free legal advice from volunteer attorneys.
In summary, now that I am a seasoned professional and have more time and expertise to share, I am more dedicated to giving what I have learned to others and making the best of every moment I get to be here.
Thank you for your time. I hope my testimony to life’s fruit from the seed of good work ethic, honesty, and dedication inspires you to succeed in your journeys.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a challenging road. My first challenge was learning a new language and adapting to this beautiful country’s new culture and customs.
The Second was to break with the negative programming that I had had since I was a child. I could not do my own business since I grew up in a family of minimal resources; that was what my parents told me. So, that was the hardest part.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
In life, I see risks as opportunities. You need to take risks to see if it will work. To get ahead in life, you must take risks. You should always seek help from people who are more knowledgeable than you are and follow advice. Be intense and persistent in getting what you want; do not let the first failure discourage you.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bilingualprofessionalstudies.com and www.escalerasalexito.org
- Instagram: bilingualprofessionalstudies
- Facebook: Bilingual Institute of Professional Studies
- Youtube: @bilingualinstituteofprofes8485
Foundation Social Media:
- Website: www.Escalerasalexito.org.
- Instagram: @Fundacionescalerasalexito
- Facebook: Foundation Ladders of Success For Education.
- Email: info@escalerasalexito.org
