• Community in the Darkness

  by A.S.

  As a child, I planned elaborate parties for every birthday, with themes like bakery, rock star, and Rapunzel. I prepared for months before, carefully selecting dresses, activities, and frosting flavors. I helped my parents create a makeshift cupcakery, karaoke bar, and princess castle in our home.

• Housing Stability Changed My Life

  by Rose Perna

  My mom, my six siblings, and I moved into a homeless shelter in Brooklyn in February 2021. It was a shelter for families with children, and the apartment they put us in was horrible. The walls had graffiti and mold on them, the floors looked like they’d never been cleaned, and you could hear rats scratching and squeaking inside the walls.