“They came to take my car away because it didn’t have up to date registration stickers—I couldn’t pay for the tags.” She remembers pleading with the police, explaining that her car was all she had. “It kind of broke me because I knew I wouldn’t be able to get it back.”
By ESTEPHANY GARCÍA
EL NUEVO SOL | ETHNIC MEDIA SERVICES
Kaylah Parard, 25 years old, is studying for an associate degree in nursing from Cerritos Community College in Norwalk, California, and currently lives in The Village, the first housing development in the state designated for homeless students. The Village is an off-campus residence and was created by Cerritos College and Jovenes Inc., a nonprofit that helps homeless college students across Los Angeles.
Kaylah’s early memories are of being in-and-out of the hospital after her younger sister was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 3. During the visits Kaylah would watch the nurses do their job. “I always knew I wanted to be a nurse,” she says. “I told myself, “I just have to work through all my struggles to get there.”
The biggest struggle has been to find housing. In 2001, when she was six, Kaylah recalls how she lived with her single mom and two siblings out of her mother’s car in Los Angeles. Kaylah remembers feeling cold some nights and not having enough space to sleep. With the help of friends and family, Kaylah’s mom eventually went to college and earned a nursing degree. Their housing situation stabilized but with only one income coming in, the family struggled financially.
Kaylah talks about her struggles of dealing with housing insecurity. Photo by Luis Mirón | El Nuevo Sol.
Things took a turn for the worse in 2015, when Kaylah was a freshman in college. At the time, Kaylah was a full-time college student working two jobs, taking care of her siblings and helping her mom pay for home utilities. But then her mom kicked her out, objecting on religious grounds to the fact that Kaylah had come out as a lesbian.
For Kaylah there was no turning back. At first she couch surfed with friends but later on moved into her 2001 Nissan Central. At the time, she had a gym membership which she used to shower. “It’s embarrassing, walking into a gym when you’re not going in there to exercise. People look at you.”
Kaylah says she had favorite places to go to buy necessities. “I loved Dollar Tree and I loved the 99 Cent Store, that’s where I bought the stuff I needed.” During the day Kaylah would go to class. At night she would look for a parking spot where she wouldn’t bother anyone or draw attention.
Kaylah did this for months during which she got parking tickets and learned a few things such as the 72-hour parking rule in California. The rule dictates that a vehicle can not be parked in the same spot for more than 72 hours.
In 2018 Kaylah went through her worst nightmare —a tow truck towed away her car. “They came to take my car away because it didn’t have up to date registration stickers — I couldn’t pay for the tags.” She remembers pleading with the police, explaining that her car was all she had. “It kind of broke me because I knew I wouldn’t be able to get it back.”
After the car was towed, Kaylah looked for it “like crazy, going to various police stations and calling various numbers.” After two days she tracked it down but couldn’t afford to pay the fines. She retrieved a few things from the car, but left the rest. “I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy,” she says.
After that, she couch surfed with friends and on occasion slept in bus stops. She only carried what fit into a backpack, and washed the same three shirts and shorts she had. She didn’t have many socks because even if she could afford a pack of ten, she had nowhere to keep them. Only recently she bought herself a few pairs of jeans.
Kaylah struggled to find a job but people always wanted someone with experience. Kaylah would explain her situation but no one would hire her.
Kaylah is pursuing a nursing degree. Photo by Luis Mirón | El Nuevo Sol.
When Kaylah’s grandmother developed lung disease she asked Kaylah to come live with her as her caretaker. As months went by her grandma’s health worsened; in November, 2019, she had to be moved to a senior facility. Once again Kaylah was on her own.
Kaylah returned to couch surfing with friends and felt grateful they wanted to help her but worried she was taking advantage of them. “I could tell when I was overstaying my welcome.”
She got her lucky break last February when she ran into a friend who works in the financial aid offices of Cerritos College and he told her about the Jovenes Inc. program. Kaylah followed up right away, filling out the paperwork and getting a move-in date in April which was pushed back to May 10th because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She now shares a room with a roommate rent free (a private room costs $150-$300). She says Jovenes is helping her find a job and regain her stability.
Kaylah’s goal is to pursue her college degree so she can be a role model to her younger siblings. “I’m the oldest out of all my siblings so I have to set an example for them, I can’t just sit back and let their lives fail.”
About the author:
My name is Estephany García. I am a student journalist at CSUN. I like to report on the entertainment industry but I also enjoy reporting about my community and my Hispanic people.
Tags: Cerritos College college housing insecurity Jóvenes Inc. student housing development The Village
