Support Kemmica's Fresh Start

Community Resilience Trust is rallying support around community member Kemmica, who is facing eviction. Kemmica is rebuilding her life in Austin after supporting her son through a traumatizing encounter with law enforcement and managing her own newly-diagnosed chronic illnesses. Your support will go directly to paying her rent and end-of-year expenses as she gets back on her feet. Community care in the form of direct financial assistance is often critical at transitional times, when people really need a bridge to set themselves up for long-term success. Kemmica is full of compassion and the desire to give back. Let’s help her start the next stage of her life here in Austin.

Here is a Q&A with Kemmica:

What happened led to your current situation?

In early 2024, I was expelled from my graduate program due to a decline in my health. Over the previous three years, I faced significant personal health challenges, ultimately being diagnosed with PTSD, bipolar II, and fibromyalgia. The symptoms of fibromyalgia, in particular, led to my inability to maintain adequate grades and eventually my dismissal. After leaving the program, I moved back to Austin, but struggled with mental and physical health issues, eventually discovering I had been overmedicated by my new PCP. Two days after being reunited with my son, I was fired from my job before I could explain my health situation to the supervisor. Following this, my car was repossessed, and I faced difficulty securing stable housing and employment. For several months, my son and I lived in temporary housing, with financial assistance from family and friends. During this time, my health worsened and I was forced to use a cane. Despite numerous job interviews, I remain unemployed and continue to struggle with ongoing health issues. Though I was able to secure permanent housing with the help of a local organization, lack of transportation, and financial issues have left me in a precarious situation once again.

What are your current strengths?

I hold a Master’s degree in Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Ancient Studies with a minor in Cultural Studies. My diverse work experience includes five years of teaching middle school, where I took on leadership roles, led a restorative and trauma-informed campus-wide program, and facilitated professional development for my colleagues. I also have three years of experience as a caseworker in child services. I hold several certifications in Restorative and Trauma-Informed Practices, Life Coaching, and TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention). My strengths lie in my compassion and advocacy for at-risk youth, mentoring and coaching, and inspiring others to become change agents. Above all, I take pride in my resilience, self-awareness, social awareness, and ability to empathize with others.

What are your challenges?

My challenges include difficulty managing my mental and autoimmune disorders, a lack of income to pay rent this and next month, transportation, and consistent funds for my medications. Lastly, I am limited in the number of hours I can work due to the physical restrictions placed on me by medical specialists. Finally, due to the loss of all my possessions that were in storage, we need household items, such as a dining table, dishes, pots and pans, bedroom furniture, towels, iron, cleaning supplies, and toiletries.

How would rental assistance help?

Rental assistance would help secure my permanent housing and prevent another period of homelessness, providing stability for my son and me. It would help avoid eviction and allow us to move forward in rebuilding our lives, including my son's ability to meet his parole requirements and pursue employment or an apprenticeship. My son has a mental illness and an intellectual disability, and while he is high-functioning, he still requires my caregiving. Rental assistance would alleviate a significant amount of stress, support my health recovery, and prevent the possibility of my son being placed in a halfway house due to a lack of stable housing.

What else do you need to be able to stabilize, work, and cover future rent and living expenses?

I am looking for a part-time, remote job to facilitate my ability to assist in paying future rent, utilities, and living expenses, as well as, contribute to our transportation needs, whether it's via a bus or towards the purchase of a car soon.