About Maria:

My motivation to be part of the Center Ya Basta lies in the number of injustices that workers experience daily. During the 23 years I have worked in the cleaning industry, I have witnessed numerous injustices and cases of sexual harassment. I myself experienced it when I was sexually harassed while working at night. I am a survivor of harassment, and that propelled me to seek out the Center Ya Basta when I discovered they offered classes and training on the prevention of sexual harassment.

My life has undergone a significant change, taking a 90-degree turn. I used to live with resentment, believing that no one understood us, that no one listened to us, and that there were no laws to protect us. However, the Center Ya Basta has taught us to have tolerance and find ways to cope with these challenging situations. It has motivated me to move forward and become an instructor, to bring a message to all survivors and to all those who have been victims in the cleaning industry in any way.

My goal is to reach those buildings and share everything I have learned in the Ya Basta training. I want to be a light for them because there are many colleagues who, out of fear of reprisals or an additional workload, do not report these situations. I want them to know that there are laws that protect them and that they have every right to report anything they disagree with.

Maria Gonzalez completed a 40-hour training course to become a certified professional instructor in the Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Abusive Behavior in the Cleaning Industry.