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Emerge hiring event brings allies for domestic violence survivors

Woman experienced domestic violence, now wants to work for Emerge

Maria Soto joined Emerge for a rapid hiring event. Anyone can apply to be considered for the rapid hiring process until the end of this week.

By: Reyna Preciado

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse is launching a hiring initiative going on until the end of this week. You can register online at emergecenter.org if you would like to join them for a meet and greet tomorrow from 12-2pm.

Anyone interested in the positions they’re offering has until Friday to applyon their website and be considered for their rapid hiring process.

If you are passionate about helping survivors and are considering working for Emerge, there is a $1,000 hiring bonus after the first 90 days of employment.

The Emerge Center serves around 6,000 domestic violence survivors every year, but right now they don’t have the staff to meet that demand. They need to fill 25 positions as soon as possible, so they spent this afternoon doing meet and greets with people interested in helping.

Today Maria Soto went to the meet and greet to learn about a position as a Tucson City Court Liaison.

“When I saw the word ‘Emerge’ on Indeed, I thought, ‘that’s me.’ Because I was her,” said Soto.

Working for the city court helped her fulfill the requirements for the job on paper, but her life experience is what gave her the heart for the role.

“I think I stayed with this person because I didn’t want them to feel alone. I didn’t want them to feel abandoned. The times that I saw the goodness in them is what made me stay because I saw good in them. So I hung onto that. So being hit, and being pinched, and being told what to wear and what not to wear to keep him happy was something as a young adult that, not knowing where to go and keeping it a secret from my family, I just kind of complied with it… until I got pregnant on the pill,” said Soto.

Soto experienced domestic violence twice in her life, but is now in a loving relationship. Now, she wants to give back the support she had when going to court.

“I remember being alone, but when coming to court I had that person that would take me to the room and ask me, ‘Are you okay?,” she said.

It’s that compassion that CEO Ed Sakwa says Emerge is looking for.

“It is difficult to work in crisis oriented, trauma driven work day in and day out. And it can be incredibly rewarding, inspirational in fact, to see that kind of courage that these domestic violence survivors and their kids show on a daily basis,” said Sakwa.

If you are interested in applying, it’s not too late. You still have until tomorrow to apply to be considered for the rapid hiring process. But even after today you can always apply for a position or volunteer for Emerge. Sakwa said they need all the help they can get.

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Reyna Preciado is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after graduating Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Reyna by emailing reyna.preciado@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or Twitter.

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