Kayla 
moved from Detroit to Tucson in 2017 with her older sister, her guardian at the time, to get away from poverty and sexual abuse. She chafed under her sister’s discipline and was also dealing with considerable family drama, so at 19, she got a job and her own apartment.
However, living on her own as a teenager and during the pandemic was difficult, and she had a mental breakdown. “I lost myself…I stopped caring about who I was as a person.” Kayla became homeless and then “moved back to Detroit because I thought I had support there. but in reality, nobody even cared.”
She returned to her sister in Tucson, found a job, and bought a car. Then her sister moved away, leaving Kayla alone and unable to make car payments plus rent and utilities. She had another breakdown and had to take two months off of work for medical reasons. With no regular income, the bills piled up, and the water was turned off. Then the landlord discovered Kaya was there alone and not on the lease, so she had to move.
Homeless again, Kayla reached out for help and was referred to OPCS. She stayed at Bread & Roses, our LGBTQIA+ affirming transitional home of youth, just enough time to regroup. Kayla is thriving now–back at work and in her own home.
