Elena was born in Las Flores, El Salvador, on the outskirts of the capitol in August of 1936. She had seven siblings. They were very poor: no electricity, candles for homework, and dirt floors. Her father harvested corn and died in 1990 at age 83 in the civil war. Her mother died at age 60. Elena walked 5 miles each way to attend school in San Salvador. Her grandfather and uncle were jailed for a murder they did not commit and both served eleven years
