CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For Jessica Deleon, a small idea turned into something bigger than she could have ever imagined.
She said a job layoff had her in a funk and she knew she had to do something about it. That's when the idea of creating an online community came to mind.
"I was like that would be cool if I did something like that here," Deleon said. "Maybe five people would understand it, but like lets do this!"
Deleon is the founder of Navigating Corpus Christi: A Local Women's Empowerment Community, that started with a Facebook page aimed to help connect women in the Coastal Bend.
Before she knew it, the online community she started began to grow and grow, with other women who were looking for these same genuine connections.
"It's turned into this community of almost 4,000 people they do little meet ups and I've seen firsthand these people have made friendships it really is such a beautiful thing," said Deleon.
She hosts monthly meet ups, but there's also weekly coffee dates and book clubs. Deleon said there's something for everyone, including those who just want to surround themselves with good people.
"I didn't have a lot of female friends who I guess were encouraging in my life so, when Jessica invited me to join the group I was able to meet more women like me and positive," group member Marisol Rosales said.
Members of Navigating Corpus Christi like Rosales said the group has made it easy to make new friends outside of the usual work or school setting.
"It's about getting people connected that normally wouldn't be connected; we get people who are natives just like me people from out of town," Deleon said.
Rebecca Farias said she moved to Corpus from Oregon and before she found this group, almost gave up on the idea of finding friendship here.
"Because I've been here 5 years and I don't have any friends, like I'm never going to make friends," Farias said. "Sorry, this is going to make me emotional — but then I met so many amazing women — I don't even know how many meet ups I've gone too."
Deleon said testimonies like that is why she started the group to begin with and encourages other women to follow what fuels them.
"I said I wanted to be an inspiration growing up," she said. "I don't know how I'm going to do it but I'm going to do it and I feel like this is my way of being an inspiration."
To learn more about their meet ups you can follow them on their social pages. There is no age requirement.
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