Evita Morin
Helping Others See Their Worth
BY DAWN ROBINETTE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID TERAN
Returning to San Antonio, “I wanted to focus on that direct service to the voiceless people without the means or even the self-worth that I saw in them, that I believe they were capable of finding for themselves again,” she explains. “I was that voiceless person at one point. I am a childhood sexual abuse and family violence survivor. From that damage, I had no self worth and needed to rebuild myself. I hope to bring that possibility of recovery to others.”
Morin now leads Rise Recovery as Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit that helps teens, young adults, and families overcome the effects of drugs and alcohol. “A lot of kids are struggling, not because they have negative influences or were poorly parented. They’re trying to numb out of experiences of bullying. They’re trying to address anxiety that they haven’t had diagnosed. We show them that there’s an alternative path.”
Her commitment to helping youth grew from her experiences serving San Antonio’s homeless population at Haven for Hope. “At Haven, when people were trying to come with us, they’re 50 to 60-years-old. By that time, so much damage has been done. And so much of it started with childhood trauma, childhood drug use. Now I’m working with young people who are just beginning that journey. They can change the trajectory of their life.”
When it comes to taking those tough steps, Morin notes, “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. So often, we doubt ourselves or our ability. We just stop, and we don’t do things. There’s so much potential in just the trial and the attempt.”
Morin believes that one of the habits that has influenced her success is focusing on the people around her. “Always trying to build people around me up to whatever it is that they want to be and surrounding myself with people who are better than me. When you don’t bring ego to the door, when you’re willing to build people up, they want to build you up. And when you surround yourself with people who are better than you, instead of feeling threatened by them, everybody shines.”
As she and her family navigate COVID, she’s quick to credit her husband, Jude, for how their family is managing. He stepped away from his business to care for their six-year-old daughter, Eowyn, and three-year-old son, Joel. “I’ve got my share of role models, but I have to put my husband on there because he has essentially taken over all the domestic duties, taking care of our kids and making sure they’re taught. He had a successful business of his own that he put on pause during this time to make sure I could focus on work.”
The family schedules a weekend camping trip every month. “Especially during these times, it is something to look forward to. It injects that personal attention and gets us out of our hamster wheel.
“I never measure balance in a weekly pie chart. I think with two kids and a big job, my balance is more about whether I can stay present and joyful in this season of my life and not yearn for old times or for this to be over, or for some future state. Just being present is what creates balance.”
“Now I’m working with young people who are just beginning that journey. They can change the trajectory of their life”
Focusing on family and career is something Morin learned from her mother. “My dad left when I was three, and my mom had a three-year-old, a two-year-old, and a one-year-old, and she was trying to raise us on her own. I saw her climb the corporate ladder, one low paying job, one low rung to the next high rung, to the next high rung at a time. Today she’s the vice president of human resources. She’s full of grace, but also has a strong expectation of accountability that she demonstrates in all of her work. All of that shaped me in a big way.”
Morin tackles life challenges with faith. “God steers and I row is my philosophy in life. If I’m doing as much as I can, if I’m growing as hard as I can, and in the best way that I can, the fate of that action is not in my hands. That is in God’s hands.”
Congratulations, Evita! This is such an inspiring story. You are a light for many others, but you’re also fully human and share your vulnerabilities.