“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Hellen Keller

Over Thanksgiving break, various Girl Up clubs in Southern California met at the Alexandria House (a homeless shelter in LA) to donate more than 3,400 feminine products to residents. Alexandria House was not only able to receive a helping hand, but members of the SoCal Girl Up team were able to open their eyes and ears to a story reminding them of why places like this, as well as people like them, are so vital in creating a better place for all. More importantly, though, it is people who are brave enough to share their experiences with others that inspire compassion, empathy, action, and unity for change to occur— people like Ashly Nufio-Mazul, a past resident of the shelter who shared her story to the Girl Up members.

A Story from a Past Resident

It all began when Ashly was in high school— she described herself as one of those “preppy” girls, involved in school, on the cheer and drill team, and so on. She expressed life to be “amazing, until it wasn’t,” when her mother, her “rock star,” her supporter, and her caretaker, began leaving days at a time. Her mother had fallen into drugs and was consumed by the “party life,” and when she was home, it was as if she wasn’t even there. When her mother found a boyfriend, she abandoned Ashly and her sister, leading them to fall under the care of their grandparents, but conditionally.

“At this time, I was going through so much emotionally. My mother had just abandoned me, and I hadn’t had a dad since I was a young child. I felt very empty. I tried finding family and happiness somewhere else,” she said. She had started dating her friend’s brother, and soon enough, she became pregnant and was kicked out by her grandparents. She was officially homeless and was in an abusive, on-and-off relationship with a drug and alcohol addict, in which she had three kids and no support.

“I dropped out of school, lost all my friends, but most importantly, I lost myself,” she says.

She spent the next 5 to 6 years moving her and her kids around constantly until she found an abandoned home in which she rented a room from the prior owner of the house, who unfortunately was also a drug addict. The room she rented was in no shape for living.

“There was no electricity or gas on at the house, so the days were always cold and dark. Our little light came from the generator we used and stored downstairs in the Garage. It wasn’t enjoyable having the generator on. It was so loud, but the worst part was that it ran on gas and made the house smell like gas downstairs. It was unsafe to have inside, but that’s how we did everything.”

Soon, police were called due to a noise complaint about the generator, and when the police arrived and saw her and her children’s living conditions, they threatened to take her children away if she did not leave the next time they visited the house.

Though a frightening situation, having three children threatened to be taken away from you and no other place to go, she left and knew she needed to make a change. She started looking into shelters, finding an old video of Judy Vaughan representing the Alexandria House, “The name is what stood out to me. My grandmother lived on Alexandria Ave. ”

When she had first called the Alexandria house for a place to stay, she was rejected because there was no more available space. She called back every week and every month for an entire year until a spot was open; she was overjoyed.

“I finally had somewhere secure and safe to live after years of being in survival mode, barely passing by. They gave me and my kids a room with our beds, sheets, and towels… It was a dream come true.”

Living in the Alexandria House from December 2016 to December 2017 after being homeless for 5 to 6 years truly altered the rest of the course of her and her children’s lives—

“With a steady place to live, I was able to reach some of the goals I had set for myself. I went back to school and got my High School Diploma. The Alexandria House continued to be a huge part of my life, and they offered me a scholarship to a Vocational College. I took the Scholarship and took a class on Business and Oce Administration. I graduated and got a job as an assistant to a Financial Agent. I continue to grow and evolve as a person and a mother. I’m now working on starting my own Juicing Business and volunteering as a Cheer Coach at my neighborhood Recreational Center.”

Her story provides awareness, relatability, and hope to others, changing stereotypes surrounding homelessness. Her story is the beginning of a realization of how a simple act can transform, and the spark inspires others to create a better place for all.

With the holidays approaching, it is essential to do good for others because there is no more excellent gift than to change others’ lives for the better.

¨For it is in giving that we receive.¨ – St Francis of Assisi