When Adenike Saliu arrived in the U.S. from Nigeria in 2018, she carried with her the weight of a broken marriage and the hope of a safer life for her daughters. In Nigeria, Adenike faced years of hardship under cultural expectations that favored sons. Determined to create a better future, she sought asylum in the U.S.“I came to this country in January 2018, and I brought my two youngest daughters,” she recalls. “I was beaten down from a failed marriage, and I didn’t even know where to start.”
First, she began working as a caregiver while rebuilding her life. Her turning point came when a friend handed her a pamphlet for CrossPurpose.
After starting the program, Adenike was deeply impacted by the personal development training. “You are not done. You can rise again,” she remembers hearing from her coach, words that would become her daily motivation. After graduating from CrossPurpose, that mindset continued to propel her to both a Master’s degree and home ownership.
Today, Adenike is a Medical Assistant Lead at UCHealth and the proud mother of six daughters who have each excelled in higher education. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re female or male,” Adenike says. “It’s what you make with your life.”
Her leadership and resilience didn’t go unnoticed. CrossPurpose CEO Jason Janz invited her to join the organization’s Board of Directors, an opportunity Adenike views as her way to give back. When asked what excites her about this opportunity, she said, “It’s time to go into decision-making for others coming behind me.”
Adenike is rewriting what’s possible for herself and inspiring others to do the same.