Jenny, the Girl with the Thousand Watt Smile

When I first saw Jenny’s smile I was hooked. I find it hard to believe anyone could ever turn their back on the 26 year old who bounced in and out of foster care throughout her childhood. Her birth mother who passed a dozen years ago was never in the picture. Her father was not someone she ever met. As a young adult who aged out of the foster system when it came time to make her way in the world Jenny found herself ill equipped for the challenges of independence. Survival was a struggle, and though her support system is growing by the day, last night she slept at the emergency homeless shelter at Mill Street in San Rafael. What Jenny really needs is a room: a safe, comfortable place.

Jenny doesn’t do well in shelters because of anxiety, and last night was ‘horrible’ in her words. Between 8:30-10pm I kept her company through text messages until Mill Street’s no electronic devices after 10pm rule kicked in. I wanted to distract her, to help her feel she wasn’t alone. Fear and apprehension dripped from each line of her texts. I told her she was brave and that she would succeed. Her response, “Hope so. Don’t feel very brave. Tears are already rolling.”

Mill Street is a dangerous place for Jenny to sleep. Not because she is physical danger. Anxiety leads to depression, and depression can lead to suicidal thoughts. Jenny hasn’t had an issue with such dangerous thoughts in many months, but sleeping in the emergency shelter environment could become that horrible trigger in her mind. Still she was willing to give it a try, for which I commend Jenny. A survivor, sleeping outdoors may fast become a more attractive alternative.

Jenny is on a good path. She has taken a job at the West End Café on Fourth Street in San Rafael. She is working with a church and speaking to youths about her experiences. She has spoken about her situation with the Human Rights Commission. This Tuesday July 15th she will be speaking at the Civic Center. Jenny is giving back and doing her best to move forward in life. This fall she is enrolled in a couple of classes at Santa Rosa Junior College where she started in 2013. Jenny had to drop out because understandably being homeless and going to school at the same time was too much to manage. In high school she was a 4.0 student.

Ultimately Jenny would like to become a lawyer or a doctor. Behind her thousand watt smile burns a desire to succeed in life and the intelligence to make it happen. There is more to Jenny’s story, much more than this limited space can offer.