Where do I start, this award money will help my girls and me have a roof over our heads. 

My dream is to give my babies what I did not have, not have them live through what I did. Give them a permanent place to live and finally stop moving every month and be out of shelters and hotels. 

This award money could really help me finish college, but because of my living situation; it has become difficult for me to put school as my first priority. When we have a place to live, I can focus full-time on my education. 

We became homeless after the dad of my girls left. He would beat me up when I was pregnant and he would rape me, I call it rape because I did not want to. 

The worst thing he did to me was pull me out to the street by my hair and start kicking me with our daughter in my arms, she began crying so he called his cousin to come to take the baby. He continued to hit me even more, his family was outside watching, he was choking me and NO ONE did or even said anything to stop him. 

It has been 2 years since then and we have been in shelters, hotels, couch surfing, and even slept in our car. With rents so high I cannot afford my own place, we have rented rooms, but we are always mistreated, judged, and they try to control us. 

Most places do not accept me with my two daughters, which has been very concerning to me for other women in my same situation. 

I am very grateful for my car, it is all I own, but it has been a problem because of breakdowns and gas consumption, so I try not to use it very much. 

The time I was with the father of my girls, destroyed me, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. 

I was lost, I almost did not recognize myself, after he left us for another woman is when I noticed how it affected my 4-year-old. Since that day, he has not helped us financially. 

My life had taken a turn for the worse even before I met the dad of my girls, the worst day of my life was when my mom got deported. 

I was in my senior year of high school. I remember going to the restroom when my mom called me, I never imagined what she would tell me next; those words will stick with me forever. “I am being deported ICE got me.”

I just needed 3 months to finish high school but my sister and I did not have a place to live, we were evicted!

My sister left for Tijuana with my mom, I decided to stay and finish high school somehow, I lost all my friends, which up to this day I wonder why? 

When I graduated, I was very proud of myself but I had no other choice, I joined my mother in Tijuana and that is when I met the dad of my girls. 

It is a long story but now I can say I am very grateful that he decided to leave me for another woman because sadly I probably would still be there. 

Right now, many people look up to me and admire me but the only person who I truly want support from is my mother. 

For her, I am a mistake because I got pregnant and for choosing a bad partner, trust me if I had known my life would end up like this after meeting him, such a mistake.

My girls and I were living in an apartment and the county helped me pay 40% of the rent. It was amazing, we were there for one year, and my girls were so happy. It was a happy life until the help ended and I had to pay the full rent amount. Not even with a full-time job I was able to pay rent, and we were evicted.

We are now couch surfing, and we received some hotel vouchers, but it is not the life I want to give my daughters.

 I know I can do much better; I just need to finish college to get a better-paying job and finally have a place to call HOME again.

Congratulations Karla…an award well deserved!

Karla is attending Southwestern College and working toward a Medical Assistant degree.