CRIS 30th Anniversary Story | Lani

Lani (pseudonym) is many things: a daughter, a sister, a mother, a baker, a person of faith. She is also something that might not be immediately visible: a survivor.

In 2004, Lani was preparing for what she believed would be the most joyful time in her life. She had fallen in love with an American man who had visited her and her family in the Philippines. After they became engaged, she moved to the United States to join him and start a new life together.

But shortly after her arrival, the life she had hoped for unraveled. The man she trusted revealed himself to be someone very different—he struggled with alcoholism and became controlling and emotionally abusive. Within just one month, he abandoned her, leaving her alone on the side of the road with nothing but a single suitcase and her passport hidden in her pocket.

Lani was alone in a new country, without money or connections. In a moment of extraordinary grace, she was taken in by a fellow Filipina—a kind stranger who offered her a place to stay and helped her begin searching for support. But for weeks, every attempt to find help—through lawyers, caseworkers, and agencies—led to dead ends. Then someone gave her a name: Angie Plummer.

When Lani met with Angie and explained her situation, she finally heard the words she had been longing to hear: “Yes, we can help you.”

At the time, CRIS had a grant to support survivors through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a federal law that provides resources and legal protections for victims of domestic violence, including immigrants who may otherwise be trapped in dangerous relationships. Under VAWA, Lani was able to apply for legal status on her own—without relying on her abuser.

With Angie’s help, Lani gained stability and began to rebuild her life. She found work in a local grocery store’s bakery department. Over time, she remarried and became a mother to two daughters, now both in high school. Today, she still works in the same bakery—now as the department head.

Reflecting on her journey, Lani says, “My life would not be what it is today without the help I received from Angie at CRIS.”