Leena
By Sarah H.
Source: ywcabinghamton.org
“I’m never going back. Never!”
In grey sweats pants and a blue hooded sweatshirt pulled up over her head, her brown hair slightly peeks out and rests on her forehead. Just waking up from a nap, she lies on the bed half asleep, sick with a cold, and exhausted from her pregnancy. Guarded and hesitant, Leena briefly tells me about her past.
As a young child Leena lived in conditions that no child should ever have to endure. Leena’s mother was a drug-addicted prostitute. When she was 5 years old she was taken from her mother and was in a Russian orphanage. Looking as if she has something to say, she holds back and keeps the thought to herself, which is probably too painful to share. When Leena was 10 years old she was adopted by a nice and loving couple, Her adopted mother who was from Franceand her father from Portugal. Shortly after being adopted, her family moved to sunny California.
As a broken and scared teenager Leena acted out, causing her parents a lot of stress and leaving them feeling helpless. Not knowing what to do to get her life on track, Leena’s parents decided to send her to a ranch in Montana. When she was 16 Leena moved to Clearfield, Utah and joined Job Corps, which is a free education and training program that helps young people. Through Job Corps Leena was able to get her high school diploma, which was a great accomplishment; her parents were very proud, though their relationship with Leena was almost non-existent by then. Leena held a lot of anger toward her parents for sending her away.
In grey sweats pants and a blue hooded sweatshirt pulled up over her head, her brown hair slightly peeks out and rests on her forehead. Just waking up from a nap, she lies on the bed half asleep, sick with a cold, and exhausted from her pregnancy. Guarded and hesitant, Leena briefly tells me about her past.
As a young child Leena lived in conditions that no child should ever have to endure. Leena’s mother was a drug-addicted prostitute. When she was 5 years old she was taken from her mother and was in a Russian orphanage. Looking as if she has something to say, she holds back and keeps the thought to herself, which is probably too painful to share. When Leena was 10 years old she was adopted by a nice and loving couple, Her adopted mother who was from Franceand her father from Portugal. Shortly after being adopted, her family moved to sunny California.
As a broken and scared teenager Leena acted out, causing her parents a lot of stress and leaving them feeling helpless. Not knowing what to do to get her life on track, Leena’s parents decided to send her to a ranch in Montana. When she was 16 Leena moved to Clearfield, Utah and joined Job Corps, which is a free education and training program that helps young people. Through Job Corps Leena was able to get her high school diploma, which was a great accomplishment; her parents were very proud, though their relationship with Leena was almost non-existent by then. Leena held a lot of anger toward her parents for sending her away.
At 17, when most kids are enjoying their senior year in high school, Leena was on her own. One day when she came home from work Leena, struggling to get by, found herself evicted and all of her things, including all identification papers were gone. Estranged from her parents, she had nowhere to go and no one to help her.
For a few months Leena survived by “couch hopping” but found herself surrounded by drugs, which was too much to handle and not what she wanted for her life. With nowhere else to go she found herself at a shelter in Salt Lake City called the Road Home. Scared and uncertain Leena began her life on the streets.
For a few months Leena survived by “couch hopping” but found herself surrounded by drugs, which was too much to handle and not what she wanted for her life. With nowhere else to go she found herself at a shelter in Salt Lake City called the Road Home. Scared and uncertain Leena began her life on the streets.
Source:radio.foxnews.com
Now nineteen, 10 weeks pregnant and homeless Leena tells me about her life for the past year living on the streets. Shortly after arriving at the shelter, Leena met a boy, Preston, who was the same age and had a shockingly similar past. Preston was also removed from his home because his mother was a drug-addicted prostitute. With so much in common, the two began to date; both were relieved to have companionship.
In the colder months they stayed at the shelter to avoid the freezing winter conditions of Utah. In a very matter-of-fact voice Leena describes what life is like in the shelter. If you want a bed you have to check in by 8 P.M. and sometimes you have to stand in line for an hour or more just to get in. Curfew is at 10 P.M., at which time no one is able to enter the shelter. This deters drug and alcohol use in the shelter. You’re given one blanket and have to sleep on a cot, if you’re lucky. Those who need a place to sleep after 10 o’clock are sent to the “drunk tank” where you are lucky to get a small space on the floor to sleep and are surrounded by drunks and addicts. Wake up time is 5:30 A.M. and at that time you are given a chance to shower, though this involves sharing a bathroom with many other homeless people. “It smells awful in there because most of the people have such poor hygiene,” she says. At 6:30 A.M. everyone is kicked out of the shelter. “Living in the shelter is so stressful. You are surrounded by drugs, dangerous conditions, and a lot of very sick people. People die all the time from OD’s and illness,” she says.
In the colder months they stayed at the shelter to avoid the freezing winter conditions of Utah. In a very matter-of-fact voice Leena describes what life is like in the shelter. If you want a bed you have to check in by 8 P.M. and sometimes you have to stand in line for an hour or more just to get in. Curfew is at 10 P.M., at which time no one is able to enter the shelter. This deters drug and alcohol use in the shelter. You’re given one blanket and have to sleep on a cot, if you’re lucky. Those who need a place to sleep after 10 o’clock are sent to the “drunk tank” where you are lucky to get a small space on the floor to sleep and are surrounded by drunks and addicts. Wake up time is 5:30 A.M. and at that time you are given a chance to shower, though this involves sharing a bathroom with many other homeless people. “It smells awful in there because most of the people have such poor hygiene,” she says. At 6:30 A.M. everyone is kicked out of the shelter. “Living in the shelter is so stressful. You are surrounded by drugs, dangerous conditions, and a lot of very sick people. People die all the time from OD’s and illness,” she says.
In the warmer months Leena and Preston stayed on the streets, sleeping in parking garages, under the overpass, in the park, or anywhere they could find, at least until they would get kicked out by the police and sometimes even get ticketed. “Staying on the streets is scary and your stuff gets stolen while you sleep,”Leena tells me.
Because of Lena and Preston’s young age people would feel sorry for them and offer to buy them food, cigarettes, and sometimes even clothes. “You have to be careful, you never know if people have an ulterior motive, and you should never get into anyone’s car. It’s way too dangerous."
Because of Lena and Preston’s young age people would feel sorry for them and offer to buy them food, cigarettes, and sometimes even clothes. “You have to be careful, you never know if people have an ulterior motive, and you should never get into anyone’s car. It’s way too dangerous."
Source: rapgenius.com
Drugs are a huge problem on the streets. They’re everywhere and a lot of the time they’re free. This is a trick dealers use to get people hooked. A lot of girls on the streets are raped and many people sell themselves or the clothes off their back just to get a “fix.” Others take up selling drugs, not for the money, but to get high. The scary thing about selling is that once you start, a lot of the dealers won’t let you stop. “They pretty much own you,” she says. Leena was addicted to drugs until she found out she was pregnant and Preston, her baby’s father, still struggles with addiction.
Since Leena became pregnant, she now has more options to get off the streets. She has applied to stay in a family shelter, where you are given a small room and the opportunity for housing, although this can take several months to a year, and sometimes even longer. Unfortunately, this will not solve all her problems. Leena is still waiting for paperwork so that she can get a job and she still deals with an addict boyfriend. “I want to go to counseling, anything to make us work,”says Leena.
When asked how homelessness has affected her life she says that she is overwhelmed with depression. “You don’t feel normal and people are always judging you,” Leena says with pain in her eyes. “There’s nothing to motivate you on the streets. Satan is at the center of it all, you can just feel his presence.”
Being homeless has made her a stronger person and even though she feels bad for others on the street, she says that you have to pick yourself up. “I know in my own brain and heart that I’m not meant for this. It was the downfall of my life. It’s going to get better soo, and even though I have friends on the street, I’m never going back. Never!”
Since Leena became pregnant, she now has more options to get off the streets. She has applied to stay in a family shelter, where you are given a small room and the opportunity for housing, although this can take several months to a year, and sometimes even longer. Unfortunately, this will not solve all her problems. Leena is still waiting for paperwork so that she can get a job and she still deals with an addict boyfriend. “I want to go to counseling, anything to make us work,”says Leena.
When asked how homelessness has affected her life she says that she is overwhelmed with depression. “You don’t feel normal and people are always judging you,” Leena says with pain in her eyes. “There’s nothing to motivate you on the streets. Satan is at the center of it all, you can just feel his presence.”
Being homeless has made her a stronger person and even though she feels bad for others on the street, she says that you have to pick yourself up. “I know in my own brain and heart that I’m not meant for this. It was the downfall of my life. It’s going to get better soo, and even though I have friends on the street, I’m never going back. Never!”