Brandy’s Wisdom
“I've learned how to bend instead of break,” Brandy says. “To be grounded, it means you also have to be in a safe place to be able to grow those roots.”
Brandy's wisdom has carried her through a lot. Just before the pandemic, Brandy and her son, Isaac, lost everything when they were illegally evicted. She recalls, “It was absolutely devastating and shocking. We didn’t even have a vehicle to live in.”
With health challenges limiting her income, Brandy turned to the 211 resource hotline and was connected to Path Home’s Family Village Shelter. “I had my own misbeliefs about shelters, and so I was hesitant and completely frightened.”
Family Village turned out to be the nicest place they had ever stayed. “There was a light at the end of the tunnel. Nobody can do this by themselves. You think you're starting to get on your feet again and you have some resources, but the problem is you're coming from nothing. And so even the tiniest thing is a huge setback and then you're very easily back to square one.”
Her tenacity and the relationships she built at Path Home helped her find stable housing and ultimately an Emergency Housing Voucher that ensured long term stability for her and her son.
For the first time in years, Brandy and Isaac could rest, rebuild, and dream again. “It allowed me to focus on a future and not just continue to try to maintain, day to day, almost hour to hour… Once you have stability, then you can have growth. And then that's where hope really lies.”
Brandy’s journey toward housing stability coincided with an inner transformation. Supporting Isaac through his gender transition over the past five years prompted Brandy to begin therapy and relearn how to best mother Issac while caring for herself. “I'm learning to love myself and I can say that I am happy - for the first time in my life - of who I am.” With that shift, she noticed Isaac's self-esteem rise as well.
Her healing has reshaped how Brandy relates to the world. Brandy describes her family as “adventurous, dynamic, and fun.” Without a car, she and Isaac explore Portland by foot, discovering wishing trees, little free libraries, and hidden corners of the city. They’re incredibly close, so Isaac recently turning 18 and leaving the house has been a big adjustment.
Brandy is continuing her education and setting her sights on a future in AI. She and Isaac are proud of the example they’re setting: “We didn't give up and we have hope because Path Home works, it really does. Feeling how lost we were, I just want to be a beacon for someone else to say, “Hey, I was there. I understand.”
Brandy and some of the photos she has taken lately