Desha’s story continues onward and upward
Editor’s note: Since this interview, we’re excited to share that Desha found permanent housing and has moved on from Avivo Village! We at Avivo are excited to see what’s next for her and her family.
Desha spent close to six years struggling to move her life forward without stable housing. Now she’s going to school to become a paralegal and, with Avivo’s help, she’s close to moving into her own apartment and reuniting with her kids.
For over half a decade, Desha had been living and working out of her car. From time-to-time, there would be a friend’s house to stay at, or a hotel room to book. But mostly, Desha stayed afloat on temp work in uncertain waters.
“I have two kids, so I have to show them that no matter what life throws at you, you can always come out on top,” Desha shares.
It was a suggestion from her sister that brought her to Avivo – a simple ask to pick up the phone and see if they had any space available.
“I thought I was gonna hate it,” Desha laughed as she told the story about how she first came to Avivo. “I think I was just focused on having a place to stay and feeling better.”
“I have two kids, so I have to show them that no matter what life throws at you, you can always come out on top,” Desha shares.
For all of Desha’s newfound confidence in herself, there were times it was easier to have support. Having that community of staff and friends to uplift her when she was struggling was just what she needed to keep going.
“The staff [at Avivo] is great, so that’s what’s helping me… It is a place where you can grow, and you can heal,” Desha says. “The staff will support you. Whenever you feel like giving up, they got you.”
Now things are looking up, since she recently started courses to become a paralegal.
“When I was younger, I said I wanted to be a lawyer or a paralegal because my mom said I liked to argue,” Desha shares.
She worried she wouldn’t be able to work in a legal field with her previous convictions. But after some research, Desha learned she would still be able to work as a paralegal.
A major accomplishment she’s excited to share is an employment certificate she recently earned after completing a program through Twin Cities Rise, a career training service. Because of that, she has a renewed hope for a future in her field.
Desha shares that if she was tackling a hard task, she used to quit when she felt overwhelmed. She worried she’d experience the same issue with TC Rise. But when she finished strong, she realized just how much she was capable of.
“I was like, sky’s the limit,” she says.
“The staff [at Avivo] is great, so that’s what’s helping me… It is a place where you can grow, and you can heal,” Desha says. “The staff will support you. Whenever you feel like giving up, they got you.”
Desha has two kids that are currently living with her sister (the same one who told her about Avivo). Once she has her own apartment, she wants to keep her family tightly knit.
“My sister’s like, ‘I can’t wait until you move so they can come over every day,’” Desha shares.
One of the things that excites Desha the most about moving into her own apartment with her kids is the opportunity to make her space really her own.
Desha has seen a total change in her life since coming to Avivo. She’s grown more positive, more patient, more confident. Most of all, she has realized her own potential.
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