What & who is Finish First Academy? FFA is a nonprofit organization with a mission to serve the adult and youth population in Los Angeles. They offer supportive services to those dealing with homelessness, abuse, disabilities & people that just have a lack of resources. They provide housing, prevention and education surrounding crisis support. Their main goal is to not leave any individual behind. They feel that resources are their golden tool with which to support all their clients.
Why am I saying farewell and what have they done for me? Well if you have been following my survival story you would at least know that, they are the program that had a bed available when I had nowhere to go. They accepted me right away after about 25 calls surfing through the women's against abuse hotline for shelters. I came into their program on February 15th 2024. They gave me a drug test which I passed and they said Mary Jane was ok! As long as they couldn't smell it and I didn't smoke in the house. That was super exciting to me lol.
Now I've had to stay in shelters before, but this place was much nicer. It has an at home feel besides the fact that it's a program with rules. I had a roommate, there was a curfew as well. I stayed for about a year & was able to complete each goal I set for myself. Even while dealing with the constant frustration from my partner. The only thing I didn't do was get my apartment hence why I ended up in Louisiana. I had no problems with the two roommates I had during the time I was there. I even had my own room for a few months because my first roommate had some personal issues with the program and left.
I can say I came into FFA broken, sad, frustrated, confused & lost. Just mentally & spiritually depleted. I left FFA feeling energized & free! Something I didn't even know I could feel. I learned a lot from the staff full of beautiful black women. Yes everyone has their quirks but I feel very blessed to have met them. Before I wrap this up I'm going to give you a little something I learned from each of them.
T is the director, she showed me an example of the strength that comes with housing and supporting broken people. In the year that I lived in FFA I seen T go through a lot with these women & their different struggles. She never lost her cool or raised her voice & was always solution oriented. She reminded me of my own growing strength & resilience.
Staff member S, is a piece of work! No matter tho I liked her. True sometimes she didn't know what to say out her mouth & she could easily come off offensive. Besides that I never had a problem with her. The main thing I learned from her was her favorite line... If it don't apply let it fly! Applying this during house meetings saved me a lot of energy. When I somehow started to feel attacked, I reminded myself; this does not apply to me.
Staff member D: Lord! This woman was the realest staff member I've ever met in a shelter. Real meaning she had problems she wasn't afraid to show. She used to be in the shelter system & she had no problem sharing her experience, strength & hope. She is definitely dramatic & overall a good person with a big heart. I learned from her that it's ok to be myself no matter where I am.
Lastly my favorite lil lady J: Some of the women in the house felt as if she was conceited & they felt that she tried to carry herself as if she was better than everyone. I personally didn't see it that way. What I saw was a self assured young woman who had her own crosses to bare. I also peeped how she did her best to keep her personal life separate from her work life. She's also a young woman that don't take no stuff! Some women feel intimidated by that kind of personal self assurance. To those people it comes off bougie I guess. Ion know what I learned from J I just liked her & how she carried herself.
As for the women in the house lol, that'll be another whole post. But I had a great rapport with everyone. I did get tried once, I didn't give her the Jodie experience. I was more mature this time around & handled it like a peaceful Guru. I'm very thankful that FFA was available to me. They allowed me the opportunity to feel safe. Along with the opportunity to work with myself through my mistakes & personal judgements.
Every woman that walks through those doors walks through for her own reasons. FFA allowed me to start a healthy healing process for myself in a way I never thought possible. Thank you FFA for helping me save my life!
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