Mujeres del Mercado

Due to Honduras’ unstable economy, even as a college-educated career woman, Gloria Ayala struggled to sustain her household. Her inexorable drive to succeed and provide a quality education for her children became the impetus for Gloria’s decision to leave San Pedro Sula, Honduras 30 years ago.

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As Gloria planned to leave Honduras for the United States, her three brothers all made a promise to her in an attempt to alleviate the pressure and inherent uncertainty that immigrants face as they migrate to a foreign country. One brother promised to look over her home that she had been working to pay off. Her second brother assured her that her two sons would finish their college education in Honduras and never fall prey to delinquency. Gloria’s oldest brother imparted his wisdom and promised to support her in the transition, as long as she remembered that no matter how treacherous the journey may be, that she will never allow herself to be defeated as she had been equipped with the necessary skills to face life.

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While living in the United States, Gloria enrolled in a Medical Assistant program and worked at Librería y Discoteca México to pay off her tuition. After graduating, she worked at a medical clinic in South Central Los Angeles for several years until one day, by happenstance, her brothers, who had joined her in the United States, were handed a promotional coupon to dine in at Mercado La Paloma by one of the staff members of Esperanza Community Housing. Gloria’s brothers were intrigued and later encouraged her to open a family business at the Mercado where they could utilize their college education and skills as professionally trained tailors. Slightly disenchanted with the initial state of the Mercado, Gloria was not entirely convinced that this was a great idea, but her brothers asked her to envision what the Mercado could become in a few years. The picture her brothers painted was enough to persuade Gloria and they eventually launched Gloria’s Alterations at Mercado La Paloma.

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Today, Gloria is a serial entrepreneur; she has been able to run several successful businesses, to pay her home in Honduras, and most importantly, put both of her sons through college, all of which she attributes to the support of her mother, brothers, and Mercado La Paloma.