Founder & Executive Director

Silvia arrived in Vista, California, at three years old. Her mother migrated from Mexico in pursuit of a better and more stable life for herself and her eight children.

 

While that hope brought their family to the United States, their journey was met with countless challenges.

Without documentation and access to stable employment, her mother’s options were limited. By extension, so were many of the opportunities available to her children. Silvia’s childhood was spent moving from one overcrowded and often unlivable two-bedroom apartment to another while experiencing instability, abuse, and neglect.

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School brought its own challenges. Without the support needed to navigate a significant language barrier, ADHD, and dyslexia, graduating often felt impossible. Labeled as the “troubled kid,” Silvia was encouraged to focus on employment rather than academics. At only 12 years old, she entered the workforce.

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“Graduating wasn’t something we knew we had to do. It wasn’t an option, it wasn’t even ‘we can do it.’ I didn’t learn how to read until I was in fifth grade. I had flunked twice, and my mom was never involved because she was too busy working.”

 

Through persistence and determination, Silvia graduated from high school at 18. At the time, she was married, eight months pregnant, and managing two dry-cleaning businesses.

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Her experiences shaped a lifelong commitment to families and children. After high school, Silvia built a career in early learning education and went on to own and oversee three early learning centers.

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Silvia often jokes that if she had received the resources, guidance, and encouragement she has access to today, she might have become the mayor. Growing up, support often felt close enough to see but too far away to access.

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She remembers living across the street from a Boys & Girls Club in Vista and knowing her family could not afford for her to participate. Experiences like this stayed with her and helped shape her belief that support should not depend on a family’s income, language, background, or ability to navigate complicated systems.

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That belief eventually became the Triumph Center.

Silvia founded Triumph in 2022 with an initial focus on creating a free, multilingual space for teens in Skagit County. But as families began walking through the doors, their needs went far beyond after-school programming.

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Parents needed help understanding systems. Families needed food, household essentials, referrals, applications, advocacy, and trusted people who could help them navigate challenges. Young people needed support in school, at home, and as they prepared for adulthood. Families needed spaces where they could ask questions, build relationships, and feel welcomed without judgment.

 

Triumph began responding to those needs.

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Today, Triumph has grown beyond its original teen-centered model into a community-based organization providing wrap-around support for individuals and families. Through culturally responsive programs, food access, family workshops, resource navigation, referrals, community partnerships, and individualized support,

 

Triumph works to reduce barriers and help families build greater stability.

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Programs such as Café con Pan and El Mercadito create opportunities for families to connect while accessing information, food, and essential resources. The Resource Center helps individuals and families navigate services and connect with trusted community partners. Youth remain an important part of Triumph’s work, with opportunities for connection, leadership, cultural activities, education, and support as they move toward adulthood.

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At the heart of all of this work is the same idea that inspired Silvia from the beginning: people should not have to navigate difficult circumstances alone.

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Her childhood experiences allow her to recognize what it feels like when resources technically exist but are not truly accessible to the people who need them. She understands the importance of having someone who listens, explains, advocates, connects, and follows through.

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For Silvia, Triumph is not simply a program or a building. It is a place where people can walk in with a need and find someone willing to help them figure out what comes next.

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Silvia’s story is one of resilience, but Triumph’s purpose is bigger than one person’s story. It is about creating the kind of community support that Silvia wishes her own family had received growing up a place where individuals and families feel welcomed, cultures and identities are valued, resources are within reach, and people have the support and opportunities they need to move forward and thrive.