I was at a really really long. Top bottom
when Tessa Geelani was 22,
she had no place to go home to.
The average acting me because I was gay.
He tried to say it was phase,
but I was battling my identity because.
I thought I was just a very feminine male.
Tessa is a proud trans woman,
but when you don't know where
you're going to sleep at night,
living with your truth takes a backseat.
I'm battling my own self while
also trying to take care of,
you know my my surroundings.
It got to a point where I
just couldn't take it no more.
And I had hit so low that I
almost tried to take my life.
She was in and out of shelters in DC shelters
that would fill up almost every night.
Some nights I wouldn't get there in time.
Some nights I would get there too late,
so some I just would. I'll be outside,
just her and her service dog
******* who kept her going
my dog ******* when I say that
he is literally like an Angel.
He protected me.
When I didn't have no one else to
protect me if it wasn't for him,
I think I I'd be in in
someone's casket right now,
but Tessa is not alone in a city where
almost 10% of residents identify as
LGBTQ in the unhoused population,
that number jumps to 40%.
They find themselves on on the street.
They find themselves cast out,
abandoned abuse on sometimes,
often running from very
very violent situations.
Monroe. Houston is the
residential coordinator for shy,
a local group helping House
queer and trans youth for her.
The work is personal.
I remember how difficult it was to
navigate the feelings that I had
personally about who I am and and
who I wanted to be in the world.
And then the fear of sharing that with
the people that I love the most and them
to then turn around and and disrespect
me and abuse me and neglected me and
hurt me mentally. Physically,
emotionally it's extremely painful.
We see people come in who are really lost.
That have been through a lot.
Keith Pollard works every day
with Unhoused youth for smile.
A DC organization that currently houses
about 60 LGBTQ youth in the city smiles.
Hancy Stokes spoke with our Matt Gregory
and LGBTQ identity adds this extra layer of.
Opens you up to employment discrimination,
housing discrimination if you
don't feel safe in those places.
If you don't have access to financial
security or physical security,
those are all things that when you
enter our program, we help you address
all of our residents.
Live here completely rent free.
They are connected to case
management and that case manager
connects them to the resources
that are necessary to them.
So mental health services snap employment.
Education and things like that.
Tessa is one of smiles success stories.
They not only gave her housing,
but guided her to be self
sufficient and empowered.
It was Peace of Mind to
continue to find herself.
It gave me room to now start
figuring out who I am even more,
and gave me time to take my
mental health seriously.
I am 25 going on 26 and August.
I currently have my own apt.
I have *******.
Now he has a brother named Scoop
and she's giving back now working with us,
helping us an LGBTQ healthcare nonprofit.
There are spaces for us.
Own your space. Own who you are.
Make the naysayers.
And the haters. Cause.
Guess what, that's just
gonna boost you even more.
I know it's surely did that for me.