When I first started at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, I would park far away and wait for my classmates to walk in before I ventured out of my car. I didn’t want them to see that my car was also my home, full of my pillows, my bedding, my clothes, my life.
I was among the over one-third of young people who age out of foster care and become homeless by age 26 .
After five months of living in my car, studying and working multiple jobs, a property manager took a chance on me despite my poor credit score. I finally got the keys to my own apartment.
I see this firsthand every day in my work as a director at PATH, a California homelessness service provider that helps people make their journeys home. To look back at how far I’ve come feels like a dream.
Here’s what California needs to solve the homelessness crisis
Tragically, half a million Americans sleep in our streets and shelters every night – more than a quarter in California. Our high numbers have been met with a push to return to cite those who live outdoors and sweeping encampments by state and local leaders of both parties.