Paulette & Eunice

Hear from Eunice:

When I was a child, my father struggled with mental health and substance abuse issues and was abusive towards my mother. This took a huge toll on me and I lived my life afraid. Avoiding conflict became my life goal and dissociation my coping mechanism. I struggled managing my mental health, school stress, and home life. I didn’t see a purpose and often found myself feeling hopeless and lost.

After mustering up the strength to leave my father, my mom began working long hours and struggled to make ends meet. Despite this, she had high hopes for my future. With the little bit of English she knew, she reached out to find the resources I needed to succeed. When I met my mentor Paulette through Friends for Youth, I was skeptical, as I had been in survival mode for so long and wasn’t sure how she could help. I can honestly say she changed my life. She supported me through school, guided me through life’s obstacles, and provided a stable, safe space. Holidays were hard for me, but together we created traditions, like baking cookies together. She became my biggest advocate. Paulette even watched me walk across the stage at my high school graduation, something I never thought possible.

Friends for Youth saved my life. Before the program, I couldn’t even visualize my life after 18. I didn’t have that privilege. I lost many friends to lifestyles I was bound to be a part of. They weren’t any different than I was – our skin, our age, and our neighborhoods were exactly the same. The only difference was I had amazing people in my life guiding me to not make those detrimental life decisions. I am so grateful to no longer be just surviving and so happy to be living.