Two women are fighting past obstacles to create the life they’ve dreamed of, and the Soroptimist Club of Federal Way recently gave them a boost of support.

The Live Your Dream Awards program is “a unique education award for women who provide the primary financial support for their families. The Live Your Dream Awards give women the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects. annual award that provides funds to women in the community to pursue education and advancement and make their dreams come true,” according to their website.

This year, Quincey Smith and Lyrica Fuentes received the award.

Smith is working toward opening her own hotel “for women struggling with domestic violence.” She is in school full time, employed through work study and is caring for two small children.

Her dreams come from her own life experience dealing with her own domestic violence situation. In her application for the award, she shared that “in late 2022 right after my son was born, we spent most of 2023 in the shelter and lost everything that we had. I am currently just getting back on my feet.”

Lyrica Fuentes also attends Highline College and became friends with Smith on campus. She is studying to become a nurse and has had her own experiences surviving domestic violence as well as human trafficking.

Fuentes shared in her application that her inspiration to become a nurse came from an experience at a sibling’s birth: “I was touched when I witnessed a NICU nurse nurture my little brother who was less than a pound at birth. She was an absolute hero, saving his life. I was so inspired by that experience I knew I wanted families to remember me in a heroic manner when it comes to taking care of their loved one.”

Over half of the Live Your Dream Awards recipients are survivors of violence.

Senator Claire Wilson (District 30) wrote them each a letter to congratulate them.

“Breaking generational curses and striving to provide the best life for your children are noble pursuits that showcase your strength and courage,” Wilson said. “Balancing the responsibilities of being a single mother while leaving a domestic violence situation require extraordinary bravery, and you’ve shown that in abundance.”

Soroptimist “is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment,” according to their website.

The organization was formed “in 1921 in Oakland, California, at a time when women were not permitted to join service organizations. Our name, loosely translated from the Latin, means best for women.”

The organization has over 25,000 members and supporters today.

At the dinner, Quincey Smith’s father was in attendance and Lyrica Fuentes had a friend that she met at the Federal Way Farmers Market whom she said “saved my life” by inviting her to join her community at a local church.

Soroptimist members, award winners and their friends and family celebrated at New Peking Wok in Federal Way on Feb. 29. Photo by Bruce Honda