Portrait of Tika

Tika was a lab assistant at California State University Bakersfield (CSUB), Antelope Valley location, computer lab. She was studying for her Masters in Social Work (MSW) and her bachelor’s was in sociology, which she received at CSUB.

Tika was originally from Oakland, California, USA. She came to Antelope Valley for a change of scenery and to be with her grandchildren and children. She had “three grown children and 10 grandchildren, the ages of seventeen down to two.”

Tika definitely was studying to be in the right profession. While speaking to her, I found that she was very calming. Tika is going to be practicing in a profession where people are anywhere from extremely sad, to depressed, to screamingly angry, and everything in between.

I’m sure that as Tika proceeds with her career, people who are at their height of their emotions will appreciate her natural ability to make them chill and make them listen to the wise things she has to say.

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please

Portrait of King

King was a two years old child model who loved cars and whose favorite food was fruit.

Posted on:

21-K by Roger

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Rah Rah!! Let’s Go State!!

 

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Gabriella

Gabriella had just started playing soccer a few months prior to this interview. She developed her interest in this sport because her older sister was a high-level player who received a scholarship to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. This gave Gabriella the inspiration to play and get a scholarship herself someday.

Gabriella also liked swimming, playing around with her friends and her favorite subject in school was science.

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Lee

Lee was studying for the ministry at the West Coast Baptist College Bible College. He made the decision to attend this school because “the Lord called me there.” I asked if that meant he got a “feeling” and he clarified, “it was more than a feeling, really. I was feeling I had to go, but, also, this was where the Lord wanted me to come and train for Ministry.”

Lee came all the way to Antelope Valley with his wife and his two children, 18 and 16 years old, from Greenville, North Carolina, USA. He had retired from North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

After retirement, Lee didn’t know what he was gong to do with the rest of his life. But “the thought kind of directed me and brought me here to West Coast Baptist College so that’s what I’m doing and hopefully I’ll be a pastor in a church somewhere or a missionary or even an evangelist.”

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Jessica-3

Jessica was a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and also sang Rhythm and Blues (R&B). She composed her own songs.

Jessica was originally from Palmdale, California, USA. She was home-schooled and then went to  Antelope Valley College and University Of Antelope Valley‎ where she earned her CNA and took some nursing classes. At the time of the interview, she was doing in-home care as a CNA.

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Marcelo

Marcelo was a  a carny for G Shows. In this picture, he was testing the ride before the opening of the day.

Marcelo was originally from Puebla, Mexico. He was a carny for seven years. In Mexico he spent time with his family

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Dina

Dina was temporarily homeless when we met. She was originally from Orange County, California, USA. On October 9th 2014, her son, Travis, had “passed away, and after that, ” Dina noted, “my husband of 30 years, told me to leave the home.”

It was a strain on her marriage and they could not stay together anymore. “He went his way and here I am. I’m just trying to get it together; to get myself off the streets. It’s a bit on the hard side.”

Dina purchased a first home with her husband years ago. She loved her home and her life. “I felt like I was a good mother and a good wife. I feel very short change right now. I wish things were different. I miss my son. I wish he was here, doing Sunday dinner.”

Before all her problems started, Dina’s life was being the mother of three children, “I was not a soccer mom but I was a taxi mom.” Also, when she started living on the street, Dina left her dog with her mother.

Dina purchased a vehicle so she had a place to sleep. She spent a lot of time worrying about her security. This included becoming familiar with the other members of the homeless community and knowing who to trust. She also helped other members of the homeless community, when she could. She seemed to have a lot of empathy for their problems; the mother in Dina did not die.

Dina’s next plan was to go to the Social Security office to see if there were any resources. She could not work because she had serious back injuries.

“I don’t know what my purpose is today,” Dina explained. “My purpose was a mother and a wife. But after my son’s passing, I don’t know what my purpose is. I’m very lost today. I’m really struggling. Since 2014, I struggle with who I am. I knew who I was, but I don’t know who I am today.”

Dina felt disregarded and discarded, “Family members just throwing family members away, makes us feel like we’re The Unwanted. Once we become homeless, it’s like we never mattered. I just find it wrong and and it’s not humane.”

Dina had a message to anyone who read this, “My name is Dina, and this is my timeline.”

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

 

Portrait of Bryan-3

Bryan worked for California State Assemblyman Tom Lackey since January, 2017.

Bryan studied political science at California State Long Beach. He was originally from Inglewood, California, USA

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Misty

Misty was a wildlife biologist for Edwards Air Force Base. She was there almost a decade. She studied for her Bachelor’s in wildlife management and zoology at Humboldt State University and her master’s degree at California State University Bakersfield in biology.

In this portrait, Misty was holding Jerry, a king snake. He had natural immunity to the venom of rattlesnakes so he could eat rattlesnakes.

Jerry the king Snake

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

Portrait of Aleem

Aleem was originally from Hawthorne/Gardena area which was not too far from Los Angeles International Airport, so he had airplanes flying over his head all the time when he grew up. He had just moved to Antelope Valley a three months prior to our meeting.

Aleem was a part-time Minister for the City of Angels International Christian Church located at the Embassy Suites in Palmdale, California, USA. He said, “It’s really awesome.” He was also a campus leader at the  Antelope Valley College campus.

Aleem was going to school to be a minister at the The International College of Christian Ministryaccm (ICCM). He said,  “It’s a great College. Really inspiring to encourage young people like myself to be leaders of this world and to change the map of it.”

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.