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Stories of Hope: Meet Kywana
 Kywana, along with her older sister, has been at Covenant House New York (CHNY) since February 2008. On April 9th at the ‘Spring Cleaning’ event, Kywana shared her story, letting everyone know the reasons that brought her to CHNY. Here is her story: When Kywana was 8 years old, she moved from Grenada with her sister to the United States to be with her mother. Upon arriving to New York, her mother was there to greet her at the airport; it was the first time Kywana met her mother. Over the course of the next 10 years, Kywana’s life could best be described as a rollercoaster ride, involving extreme high points and low points. When she came to the United States, Kywana envisioned a life of happiness that entailed spending quality time with her mother, going to college and eventually pursuing a career in criminal justice. Unfortunately life does not always go as planned and Kywana had many obstacles to overcome in order to accomplish her goal in life. Kywana and her older sister tried desperately to develop a relationship with their mother but were unsuccessful. Their mother always seemed to be involved in other aspects of her life rather than the care and upbringing of her two daughters. Arguments among the three of them seemed to break out daily, leading Kywana and her sister to feel unsafe in the house that they lived in. These arguments escalated to the point that Kywana and her sister felt it would be better to leave the house before the altercations became violent. When Kywana turned 18, she left the house and turned to Covenant House New York for assistance. During her time with her mother, Kywana developed a sense of insecurity and doubt, leading her to drop out of high school. She came to Covenant House New York with little education and absolutely no idea of what to do next in her life. After her intake, Kywana looked to her case manager for assistance and direction. After outlining her goals, she began to turn her dreams into reality. Kywana re-enrolled in high school where she is currently in the top half of her class. She also became involved in numerous extracurricular activities such as peer meditation and the Law Enforcement Exploring program. In addition, Kywana developed more confidence in herself and in her choices in life. She plans to enroll in John Jay College upon graduating high school and wants to major in criminal justice/international criminal justice. She is currently working at a local McDonalds saving money toward college. Kywana rooms with her sister at Covenant House New York – making the transition from living with her mother to being in a shelter easier. She knows that with her sister and the staff of Covenant House New York, she will make the right decisions in life and have the support system she needs.
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