The Power of Youth Advocacy: Inspiring Stories of One Young Adult Making a Difference in her Community.
I come from a family with a history of passing down cycles of poverty and mental health issues from one generation to the next. As I've grown older, I've realized these cycles seem like curses, but I'm determined to break them. One of my primary purposes is to bring about positive change for myself and my family. I want to create a new stability, prosperity, wealth, and happiness legacy. I was born into poverty, and my family also struggled with various mental illnesses and developmental disabilities. These factors contributed to many challenges in my life, and my upbringing was chaotic and dysfunctional. By the time I entered high school, I had already experienced a high level of trauma. I witnessed and went through various types of abuse from a young age because it was common in my household.
When I started high school, I kept up my grades, stayed busy with after-school activities, and worked part-time to avoid the difficulties at home. My parents got divorced, and I had to rely on my part-time job for support. My mom believed that once I turned 18, I should leave her home. As the only one in the household without diagnosed mental or intellectual disabilities, I often felt neglected and like my needs weren't met. My mom and I didn't get along, and she eventually asked me to leave when I was 16 or 17. I was sent to live with a distant family member in poor living conditions, and I faced more trauma and abuse. My grades suffered as a result. The person I was staying with got arrested and the home was condemned, leaving me homeless during my senior year of high school.
Thankfully, my friend's mom kindly let me stay with them for the night. The next day, I spoke to my high school counselor about what had happened and asked for her help with the next steps. Thankfully, she offered me temporary housing, which allowed me to focus on my studies and finish my senior year successfully. I was lucky to find temporary housing until I could start college in the fall after graduating high school. My counselor and I made a plan for me to use campus housing as my permanent residence until I could afford my place.
Unfortunately, this plan didn't work out in the long run, as my mental health deteriorated, and I began to struggle with depression and anxiety. This eventually led me to withdraw from the university and return home, which left me homeless once again. It became clear that I needed campus housing again to complete my college degree and thrive. With the help of my high school counselor, I was able to return to college and secure campus housing once more.
However, an unexpected pregnancy left me homeless again. This time, I decided to prioritize my mental health and well-being. During my pregnancy, I stayed in a maternity home for women and worked hard to become self-sufficient. Eventually, I moved into my own home - my first apartment with my son. Finally, I could return to school and focus on obtaining my degree.
After returning to school, I rediscovered my passion for working with people and empowering and uplifting others. I worked on campus at the pantry and the student support center, as I had used those places when facing challenges. I also joined my local Young Adult Action Board (YAAB), where young adults with similar experiences of homelessness and mental health issues come together to advocate for and support youth and young adults in our community. We aim to eradicate youth homelessness through policy change and community engagement in the TN-500 region. My involvement in YAAB has led me to become a Certified Young Adult Peer Support Specialist (CYAPSS) through the state of Tennessee Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TMHASAS), allowing me to provide direct peer support services to youth and young adults in my community. Despite facing adversities, I have become more resilient and driven because of my experiences. I aim to utilize my lived experiences to help youth and young adults navigate similar challenges and to support service providers and other professionals in better engaging with youth and young adults. Our Young Adult Action Board (YAAB) has successfully secured a $2.3 million grant from the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) under HUD. This grant aims to help us in our mission to end youth homelessness among individuals aged 18-24. With this funding, we have introduced a range of services to support young people in the eleven counties surrounding the TN-500 region. These services include peer support, case management, diversion funds, rapid rehousing, and transitional housing.
By Angel Townsend
