photos and interview by Jose Olivares
“I’ve been homeless off and on for seven years… I grew up with my mom when I was younger and she got back on drugs. I then moved in with my dad who was abusive, so I would sleep outside.”
Angela Joyce is 19 years old and has been homeless since she was 12. She is currently experiencing homelessness with Rose, her service dog, and Travis, her fiancée.
Rose, her service dog, has been assisting and keeping Angela company while she lives on the street.
On Being Homeless and Having a Service Dog: “It’s been hard, especially now with my service dog. No one understands what it’s like to be homeless and have a service animal. For the last—almost two months—I’ve been sleeping on one of those plastic chairs and she sleeps on the floor. She's been very loving.“
“I have PTSD because my biological dad, when I did stay at his house—he used to be physically and mentally abusive. When I get anxiety attacks, I black out. So [Rose] wraps her leash around me and pins me to the ground so I don’t walk out into traffic.”
Her Fiancee
Angela’s fiancée, Travis has recently started working in order to get them back on their feet. According to Angela, she’s known Travis since she was only four years old. She would make chocolate chip cookies with her Easy-Bake oven for him. They recently met up again and have been together since.
“Homelessness doesn’t mean heartlessness. We’re still people. Just because you have a fancy house, doesn’t mean anyone can get it that easy.”
On Being Young and Homeless: “[Being young and homeless] is hard because you can’t go anywhere without being noticed. I’m only 19 so I can’t sit in the casinos. I can’t sit at the bus station because there’s a time limit and it’s cold out.”
On Helping Others: Whenever she has an extra plate of food, she makes sure to give it away: “Why have more than I need when someone else has less?”
Her Dreams of a Future Home
Although her present situation may be grim, Angela looks to the future with positivity and hope. “In the end, I’ll be able to sleep knowing that it’s not going to last forever. Working hard, I know I’m going to get somewhere.” Angela smiles as she thinks of her future home. “I love to cook, I can’t wait to cook.”
Photos and Interview by Jose Olivares