Waking Up with Joy

Imani’s Journey to Her First Home

When people think of Santa Barbara, they think of sunny skies and gorgeous scenery. But the unfortunate reality is that some children grow up in Santa Barbara “seeing things that no child should ever have to witness.” For most of her early life, this was Imani’s reality.

After a brief interview with Imani, a participant of the Foundation House Program, she offers her story to encourage other young people who find themselves in similar situations.

A New Dawn Just Around the Corner

She self-describes herself as “someone who came from basically nothing, who didn’t have the ‘normal’ life she should’ve had.” It was hard for her to advocate for herself, especially growing up in the foster care system throughout her youth. She expressed that she had never known security in any of the homes she found herself in. Despite these challenges, she put in the work to make it out of the trenches.

Abby, our TAY Program Coordinator, pictured right

Her story intertwines with ours from a single phone call. On the other end of the phone was Abby, our Transitional Age Youth (TAY) program coordinator. She eagerly delivered the news, Imani had been accepted to our Foundation House Program. “Even through the phone, I could feel her energy. When we finally met, she opened doors for me, both literally and figuratively,” Imani recounts. Imani’s acceptance meant her needs of safety and housing were met. 

A Home and a Community

For the first time, she experienced many of the basics that we take for granted. Her own bed, the ability to shower when she wanted, and conversations with peers who understood her struggles. Having never experienced a safe home growing up, she thanks the Thrive House for teaching her that she was deserving of one.

One thing that sets the Foundation House Program apart from other programs is our supportive community, one where everyone is welcome as they are. And for Imani, that support made all the difference. She credits Melissa (a supportive influence), her RA, the other residents, and Abby for being there to encourage her along her journey. Whenever she was struggling, she recalled that she could always “text Abby, and she’d calm me down.” She now had access to weekly case management, skills workshops, and house meetings. Her determination, combined with the support of her community, allowed her to transition to independent living in only a few months.

Becoming Her Own Anchor

Imani now has a place to call her own, something she wakes up feeling grateful for day after day. Reflecting on her journey, she wanted to pass forward something she learned at the Thrive House: self-care. One of her favorite ways to embody this lesson should feel familiar to locals of our beachside town: a peaceful walk along the shore. For Imani, Santa Barbara had become the home it was meant to be.

Through the years she learned how to be her own person, find her own motivation, and become her own anchor. She learned the importance of self-advocacy and dedication. “When you have the right people behind you, it really makes a difference,” she says. “Even when it’s hard, even when you feel unmotivated. When that alarm goes off, just get up. At the end of the tunnel, there really is light.”

Her story echoes her favorite poem, “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou: 

“Just like moons and like suns, 

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.”

Rise on Imani.