An inspiring personal narrative about overcoming adversity and finding purpose. Lubicristin Lora shares her journey from facing health challenges and career obstacles to becoming an author, educator, and advocate for underserved communities through resilience and faith.
Her Story
About Lubicristin
Lubicristin Lora, M.Ed.
Lubicristin Lora is a dedicated educator, author, mentor, and bilingual professional with extensive experience supporting students and families in educational and community settings. She began her career in education as a substitute teacher in 2012 and, through years of professional growth and continued education, became a certified teacher in 2023. She currently serves as a long-term substitute special education teacher, providing individualized instruction and support to diverse learners while adapting to a variety of classroom environments and student needs.
Her educational journey reflects a strong commitment to lifelong learning and service. Lubicristin earned her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Social Work, and Sociology from Rhode Island College before pursuing a career in education. After working as a teacher assistant, she continued her studies, earning additional qualifications in education and a Master of Education in Special Education from Roger Williams University. Prior to entering the education field, she worked in social services, developing a strong foundation in advocacy, case management, and community support.
Beyond the classroom, Lubicristin works with children and families by providing in-home support services for children with autism, mentoring college students, and assisting community members with resume development, career readiness, job-search strategies, and professional growth. She is also the founder of community-based initiatives focused on empowering immigrant families, students, and aspiring professionals through education and mentorship.
Lubicristin is the author of From Broken to Becoming, a personal memoir that reflects her journey of resilience, perseverance, and transformation. As a Hispanic woman living with cerebral palsy, she has overcome significant challenges, including early mobility limitations, discrimination, and barriers to opportunity. These experiences have shaped her deep commitment to advocacy, self-determination, and empowering others to reach their full potential.
Raised in a household where her mother spoke limited English, Lubicristin learned at an early age the importance of education, perseverance, and self-advocacy. These values continue to guide her work today as she supports students, families, and community members in overcoming obstacles and building pathways toward success.
A proud alumni of both Rhode Island College and Roger Williams University, Lubicristin remains committed to uplifting others through education, mentorship, leadership, and community engagement. Her mission is to inspire individuals to recognize their strengths, overcome adversity, and create meaningful opportunities for themselves and future generations.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lubicristin
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to resilience, perseverance, and a strong commitment to education and personal growth. Throughout my life, I have faced many challenges, including living with cerebral palsy, overcoming language barriers as the child of immigrant parents, and navigating obstacles that could have easily discouraged me from pursuing my goals. Instead of allowing those challenges to define me, I used them as motivation to work harder and continue moving forward.
My success is also the result of the support and encouragement I received from family, mentors, educators, and community members who believed in me. Their guidance helped me recognize my potential and inspired me to help others do the same.
Education has played a significant role in my journey. Through hard work and determination, I earned my bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College and my Master of Education in Special Education from Roger Williams University. These accomplishments taught me the value of persistence, lifelong learning, and self-advocacy.
Most importantly, I attribute my success to my desire to create a better future—not only for myself but also for the students, families, and communities I serve. Every challenge I have overcome has strengthened my commitment to empowering others, giving back to my community, and proving that obstacles do not have to determine one’s future.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to simply be the best I can be in whatever I do. That mindset has guided me to focus on consistency, effort, and integrity rather than comparing myself to others. It reminds me to take pride in my work, stay committed to growth, and give my full effort in every role I take on, no matter how big or small.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be the person you would wish you had as a child, and never let no one tell you that you cannot be something. You can always be whatever you want to be in this world.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Some of the biggest challenges in my field is the idea of acceptance in society, having the ability to understand children, understand that we all come from different, diverse backgrounds and information, and that we all learn differently. It's not just all structure and curriculum-based. We need to forget that we are also humans. We need to remember that we're also human living.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Families and supporting others are most important to me. Everything I do, I do for my community. As long as I get to help and support and provide for people, I'm good. I'm just a people person.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Lubicristin
From Broken to Becoming: How Adversity Led Me to My Purpose
How One Educator's Journey Through Adversity Became a Mission to Empower Others
From Broken to Becoming: Finding Purpose Through Adversity
By Lubicristin Lora
There was a time when I questioned whether I truly belonged in the field of education. I worked in environments where I felt unheard, unsupported, and constantly underestimated. The stress became so overwhelming that it affected my health and forced me to seek medical attention. At the time, it felt like my dreams were slipping away.
Looking back, I realize that those painful moments were not the end of my story—they were the beginning of my purpose.
A Foundation Built on Faith and Perseverance
My journey started long before my career. Although I was born in Providence, Rhode Island, my parents are from the Dominican Republic, and I was raised with the values of faith, perseverance, and hard work. At just three days old, I suffered a brain injury that resulted in cerebral palsy. From an early age, I learned that life would require me to work harder than most, but I also learned that determination could overcome obstacles that once seemed impossible.
Despite the challenges, I earned my master’s degree in Special Education and dedicated my life to serving students and families. Every classroom, every conversation, and every child I have worked with has reinforced my belief that every person deserves to be seen for their potential—not their limitations.
Along the way, I realized that my voice could reach beyond the classroom.
From Broken to Becoming
That realization inspired me to become an author. My book, From Broken to Becoming, tells the story of resilience, healing, and transformation. It is not just my story—it is a reminder that broken moments do not define us. They often become the foundation for the person we are meant to become.
Today, I continue to advocate for children, families, individuals with disabilities, and immigrant communities through education, mentorship, and community support. Through Lora Support Services, I hope to empower others with educational guidance, career development, financial literacy, citizenship support, and resources that help people build better futures.
Preparation, Not Failure
If there is one lesson my journey has taught me, it is this: sometimes the most uncomfortable seasons of our lives are preparing us for something greater than we could have imagined. The people who doubted you, the doors that closed, and the obstacles that seemed unfair may actually be redirecting you toward your true calling.
I no longer see my cerebral palsy as something that limits me. It has strengthened my resilience, deepened my compassion, and given me the courage to advocate for others. I no longer see hardship as failure. I see it as preparation.
Your Story Is Still Being Written
To anyone reading this who feels discouraged, overlooked, or broken, know this: your circumstances do not determine your future. Your story is still being written. Your setbacks can become your greatest testimony, and your pain can become someone else’s source of hope.
I am living proof that purpose can be born from adversity and that what once seemed impossible can become the very thing that inspires others.
We are not defined by what happened to us. We are defined by what we choose to become. And sometimes, from our deepest brokenness comes our most beautiful becoming.
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