At 19 years old, Amaya R. called the streets of Long Beach her home. For three years, she didn’t know where she’d sleep at night or when she’d next have a safe place to rest. Now, at 22, she has an apartment of her own – and a future she believes in. 

Even before she experienced homelessness, Amaya never felt settled. She grew up moving from place to place and never had a home that felt like hers. 

“This is my first home,” she said. “I never really had one before.” 

That changed when Amaya was connected with Mental Health America of Los Angeles’s (MHALA’s) Transition in Place (TIP) Program. The program provides housing and support to young adults who have experienced homelessness and live with mental health challenges. 

“I was hopeless nothing would change. I had thoughts there was nothing in the future for me,” Amaya said. “Now I’m so excited to unlock my door with my keys and have my own space.” 

The Life She’s Creating Now — One Step at a Time 

Today, Amaya is settling into her new apartment and learning how to manage life’s day-to-day responsibilities – paying bills, budgeting for groceries, and building routines that help her stay on track. Most importantly, she no longer lives with the constant fear of not knowing where she’ll sleep or how she’ll stay safe. 

“I feel rich, not just materially, but emotionally and physically,” she said. “It’s something no one can take away from me.”  

Amaya has been able to have her grandmother over to bake in her new kitchen, brightly decorated with pink appliances. She takes walks to the beach to journal, explores her neighborhood, and lives just a short distance from Arielle, a close friend she once shared the streets with for nearly a year. 

“We were so young, but we went through it together,” said Amaya, who has also struggled with depression. 

A Future Where Anything Is Possible 

With the support of her friend, MHALA, and The Good Seed — a local nonprofit that provides supportive employment services to transition-age youth — Amaya found housing, an internship, and a new hope. 

“Thank you could never be enough to the programs that got me here today,” she said. “I want to take care of myself and my mental health and get into school. I want to be the best version of myself.” 

Amaya is well on her way through her internship at the Good Seed, where she works with the suicide-prevention team on social media and community outreach. She also looks to her MHALA case manager, Claudia, for support anytime she needs it.  

“Claudia told me she believed in me and I could do this – and I believed her,” said Amaya. “Anything can happen, and I know I’m capable.”