Project Independence Participant of the Month - February 2009
September 17, 2007, a day that I will never forget. It was not the day I got accepted into the P.I. program, but a day that changed my life dramatically. On that day, I was evicted from my college dorms for having a birthday party for my roommate. The eviction was such a shock to me and the only thing I could think of was where I was going to live. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and I have no family out here so I was scared that I would become homeless. I did not know if I could depend on my friends because my closest friends were the one’s that got evicted with me.
Luckily for me I had a best friend that I could depend on and her family allowed me to stay with them rent free until I found a place. Things were not always good though because my friend and I would occasionally get into arguments, and to top it off, I got laid-off from my job in December which really set me back because I wanted to move but had no money to do so. But as you may know, God works in mysterious ways and I happened to know a participant in the program who gave me contact info for the program. Within weeks I had a place that I could call home.
I am now a Senior at California State University East Bay and I expect to graduate this upcoming Spring with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Sociology. My long term goal would be to become a Probation Officer or a Social Worker.
I am thankful for this program because it has taught me responsibility as well as given me a second chance at succeeding in life. My auntie always told me, "a lesson unlearned will be repeated" and I have learned so much from the obstacles I have been through. Although I have made many mistakes, I have learned from them and everything I’m not makes me everything I am; that is a strong, independent and respectful African American woman.
Debvora Woods