Areli Rivera shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Areli, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Great question, to me, Integrity comes first, without it, intelligence and energy can actually be dangerous. Someone smart and driven but lacking ethics might misuse their abilities. Integrity is the non-negociable foundation. Energy makes it possible to get things done, and intelligence helps you do well, but a person with integrity ensures the other two work for good.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Areli Rivera, and I am the founder of Global Immigration. I am a certified legal document preparer in Arizona with more than 16 years of experience helping families and individuals navigate the U.S. immigration system. I was born in Mexico. I came to the United States at the age of 13. I am a single mother of two children, 8 and 10.
What makes my brand unique is the combination of professionalism, compassion, and personal experience—I understand the immigrant journey firsthand, and I’ve built my business to provide clear, trustworthy guidance during one of the most important processes in a person’s life.
At Global Immigration, we focus on creating a supportive experience where every client feels informed, cared for, and empowered. We offer bilingual services, personalized case preparation, and innovative tools—like digital case albums—to make the process more interactive and memorable.
What I’m most proud of is not just the approvals we achieve, but the stories of transformation: families reunited, clients becoming residents and citizens, and people finally being able to live without fear. My mission is to combine expertise with heart, so that immigration services are not only accessible but also inspiring.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Bonds between people are often broken by a lack of communication, unmet expectations, or the absence of trust. Misunderstandings, unspoken hurts, or actions that make others feel unseen or unvalued can slowly create distance. In my own journey, I’ve learned that silence and pride can be as damaging as harsh words.
What restores those bonds is the courage to be vulnerable—to apologize sincerely, to listen with empathy, and to forgive even when it feels difficult. Restoration comes when both sides are willing to see each other with compassion and to choose connection over ego. Love, honesty, and consistency are what heal and strengthen relationships so that they can grow even deeper than before.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
For many years, I lived in silence and fear, enduring both physical and psychological abuse from the father of my children. He was a narcissist and a manipulator, and I carried that pain quietly, believing it was my burden alone. One day, I realized that the same pain that was breaking me could also be the strength that set me free. I gathered the courage to leave that abusive relationship, and out of that moment of resilience, Global Immigration was born.
Today, I use my past not as a source of shame, but as a source of power. My experience allows me to deeply understand the struggles of others, especially victims of crimes who come to me for help with their VAWA process. I don’t just prepare their cases—I walk alongside them, because I know what it means to fight for freedom, dignity, and a second chance at life.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, the public version of me is the real me—but it is the part of me that has been refined by experience, growth, and healing. I don’t hide behind a facade; what people see in my work and my brand is rooted in my true story. I am transparent about my journey as a survivor of abuse, an immigrant, and a single mother who built a business from resilience.
Of course, like everyone, I have private sides that only my closest loved ones see, but my values, my compassion, and my mission to help others are authentically mine. The woman people see in public is not a mask—it is my truth, lived openly to inspire and empower others.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I knew I had 10 years left, I would stop wasting time doubting myself or holding back out of fear. I would no longer say “someday”—instead, I would fully embrace today. I would stop overworking to the point of forgetting to live my own life.
I would focus on pouring more of my energy into love, presence, and impact—building memories with my family, helping as many immigrants as I can, and leaving a trail of hope behind me. Life is too short to spend it worrying about what people think; I would stop carrying unnecessary weights and live with intention, joy, and courage.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.globalimmigrationaz.com
- Instagram: riveraareliaz
- Facebook: riveraareliaz
- Other: TikTok: riveraareliaz
Image Credits
Alba Trevino
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