Photos by Karla Gachet kchete77 / “If we are not willing to sacrifice our social lives for the sake of our residents, it’s just so selfish... their lives literally depend on us.” - Marivic Danino Grijalva Marivic, 24, is an essential worker, part of the dining staff at a retirement community in Altadena, California. Her mom went to the U.S. for a better life, leaving Marivic and her two siblings in Mexico with family. During that time, she and her siblings were often physically punished. She reunited with her mom when she was 11, and grew up helping her sell food in downtown L.A. Marivic became a mother during her senior year in high school. Around that time, her family moved back to Mexico. She felt alone and trapped, with a little baby and no papers to survive on her own. When DACA* was approved, it was her way out of an abusive relationship. “It was a game-changer for me as far as the way I felt about myself." She now lives with her husband and two kids. Family photo (courtesy Mar...