A. Terrell: Finding Hope in A Better Place
Though The Doe Fund is best known for Ready, Willing & Able, we have also provided permanent affordable and supportive housing to formerly homeless New Yorkers for nearly 30 years. In A Better Place, our original supportive housing residence, the average tenant has been stably housed for more than a decade. Recently, one resident of A Better Place came forward to share her story of hardship, resilience, and ultimately — thanks to The Doe Fund and the community she built there — success.
Like so many New Yorkers, A. Terrell came to the city for a better life. Though her parents were supportive when she came out as trans, living in the Deep South came with the kind of challenges that led her to seek new horizons — somewhere she could be accepted as her authentic self.
But as is too often the case, the city wasn’t as welcoming as A. thought it would be. Her living situation fell through soon after arriving, leaving her experiencing homelessness for over a year. During this period, A. was also diagnosed with multiple serious health conditions.
Many people would fall into despair amid such dire circumstances. But A. has long known how to find the light even in the darkest moments. She immersed herself in the transgender movement within NYC’s LGBTQ+ community, becoming a vibrant figure in the city’s nightlife and performing in various bars and clubs. Then, in 2016, she moved into A Better Place, The Doe Fund’s original supportive housing residence. In the seven years since, A has thrived in this safe, accepting community.
Settling into her new home allowed her to secure a job as a Social Media Manager during the day, while continuing her passion as a stage performer at night. Her talent and dedication led to an opportunity with HBO’s “Legendary,” a voguing competition show that ran from 2020-2022, and she spent a year traveling between New York and Los Angeles.
Currently, A. is pursuing an Associate’s degree at Borough of Manhattan Community College. Though she always has a home of her own at A Better Place, her ultimate goal is to obtain higher wage employment and live fully independently. Having witnessed the shelter system firsthand, A. knows how much easier that will be with a roof already over her head.
When asked her about her journey, A. only had one thing to say: “My life has gotten so much better since moving here. I am so grateful for this housing.”
