Great Things: One Girl's Path to Freedom

Great Things is intended to remind us of the importance of believing in yourself, fighting the good fight, and having faith in a brighter tomorrow.

Tina Montoya was ten years old when her mother suffered a gunshot wound to her stomach. Tina's father, who called the ambulance, was the only other person in the house. Her mother, Jody, died a few days later, leaving Tina and her two older sisters to be raised by the man she believed responsible for her mother's death.

Jody moved to Dallas, Texas, during the final years of the civil rights movement, determined to abandon her Hispanic heritage to create a better life for her two young children. Instead, she found herself married to an abusive alcoholic. A few months later, Tina was born.

Great Things takes us through Tina's experience of growing up in a whirlwind of hardship and loss, change and adjustment. Throughout her unique journey, she held onto her mother's words "you're going to do great things some day," honoring her mother's dream for her life despite the countless obstacles she faced.