Iris Gabrielle Ortega

I work at a drop-in center for young adults experiencing homelessness, specifically those ages 18-24. My role involves supporting them in getting back on their feet, navigating systems, and being the support for them that they may not have from family. I work with a lot of folks from the community, and every day is something different, but that's how I fell in love with my job - working with younger adults and being able to make a change in their lives. What's most rewarding to me is when I'm able to connect with the transgender women that come into the space, and I'm able to be sort of like a mentor to them. Sometimes it's even life-saving, right? So those are things that are rewarding to me - just being present and being here for them. The accomplishment I am most proud of is when I'm able to match a young person for housing and knowing that they are gonna have stable housing. Those are my achievements, that's what makes me happy. It's a tough job, a very hard job, especially with the folks that I work with, but what's making me successful has been my continuous self-care. I advocate for self-care a lot, and if we don't take care of ourselves, then who else will? I thank my therapist for that, because if it wasn't for that, a lot of this wouldn't be possible.