Stephanie Land was an ordinary middle-class woman in her late twenties. She worked at a coffee shop to earn money, dreamed of being a writer, and planned on attending college. She lived in a small town and sometimes grabbed a few beers in a local pub after work. That’s how Stephanie met her soon-to-be-boyfriend Jamie. There were no signs that this ordinary middle-class girl would soon end up under the poverty line, struggling to get from paycheck to paycheck. And yet, that’s precisely what happened.

Unexpected pregnancy… and Stephanie was faced with a difficult choice – either getting an abortion and going to college like she had planned or ditching her dreams in favor of raising a child. And even though she wasn’t sure, she decided to keep the baby. Her boyfriend, however, had no desire to be a father. Yet, for the duration of Stephanie’s pregnancy and the first couple of months of her newborn daughter’s life, they continued living together.

The living conditions became worse and worse. And not because they were living in a small trailer but because Stephanie’s boyfriend abused her. It began as harsh words and offensive accusations and, with time, turned into threats and even physical violence. Stephanie couldn’t leave since she had no idea how to support herself with a newborn. Meanwhile, the threats and the violence were getting worse. She finally called the police and saw a glimpse of freedom. However, it was only the beginning of her struggles. She was now homeless, with no college degree, no job, and no means to support herself and her child.

In just over a year, Stephanie went from a young middle-class woman with ambitions and a clear path ahead to a homeless person with a newborn, living in and out of shelters and transitional housing. She had to rely on government programs to get necessities for herself and her daughter Mia. The only job that Stephanie managed to get was at a cleaning company. She worked as a maid for wealthy families, earning minimum wage. Yet, through all the struggles, giving up was not an option for her. There were countless times when she wanted to, but she knew that she had to create a future for both her and her daughter. And after all, she managed to break the cycle.