I've Been Homeless For Six Years, by Alessandra Potenza

    There are so many homeless youths who are abandoned and have no place to go.  With no home or family, they are forced to fend for themselves.  They go to school, trying to keep their personal lives a secret.  At the end of the day, they must search for a place to spend the night, not knowing what or when their next meal will be.  This is a huge issue and Alessandra Potenza proves why in the article, I've Been Homeless For Six Years.

    The author explains the life of 18 year old Brianna DeMaio and how she had been homeless for six years.  DeMaio, her older sister, and their mother were evicted from their house in Portland, Maine.  Her mother struggled from alcohol abuse and couldn't keep up with the bills, so she moved in with her boyfriend.  Her older sister went to live with some of her friends, leaving DeMaio to survive on her own.  So she continued going to school as often as she could, avoiding telling anyone about her situation.  At night, she spent most of her time on the street, struggling to find food.  Sometimes if she was lucky, she would eat at a shelter.  Other times, she had no choice but to steal.  But her worst experience was the first night she spent on a park bench during the winter.  DeMaio said, "I was scared out of my wits.  I didn't know what was going to happen...I never thought it would get that bad for me."  DeMaio is just one out of over 1 million homeless youths in the United States, living in fear.  For them, there is no backup plan, they have to live life as they go along.  This shows that homelessness is a big deal in America.  These kids are scared and desperate and they need help.

    According to the article, homeless youths are not getting the support that they need.  Many homeless advocates are saying that not enough resources are devoted to rescue young Americans from homelessness.  Too much money is being spent on criminalizing homelessness with laws that ban sleeping in public spaces, rather than investing in affordable housing.  The author wants the reader to see that this is a very serious problem and that something has to be done about it.  Not enough money is being spent on shelters for homeless youths.  Not enough people are taking action to improve the situation, and these kids can't do anything about it.  They don't have a choice.  21 year old Apple, another homeless youth, said, "We come from situations that often times we have no control over."  Many are forced out of thier homes because of financial issues, or run away to escape poverty, abuse, violence, or alcohol and drug problems.  Some have even come out as gay and been rejected by their families.  These kids need to be cared for, they need to be loved.

    After reading this article, it has made me realize how common homelessness really is.  It's frightening to think that so many kids in the U.S alone are living this way.  How could their parents just leave them like that?  What do they do if there is no room for them at a shelter?  Do they tell their friends or adults at school about it? How can these kids survive out on their own?  Life is so difficult for them and they don't deserve to live like this, no one does.