OYUSHKAYA BOLANIS-THUMM

I'd like to start this off by explaining that I do not like distinguishing myself as more important, better, or more qualified than anyone else. I believe everyone, including me, is equal and should be treated that way. My story isn't one of complete happiness and success: three years ago I was high on meth and digging in dumpsters to find food so I could eat once a week.

In 2014, I was heavily using meth and drinking, I obtained two felonies and went to jail. As my repercussion, I chose the drug court program over prison time. While in drug court I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. From precise calculation of consummation, I found out I became pregnant on my first day of sobriety. After successful completion of the rehab program, though newly sober and pregnant, I still went back to college and got a job at a local salon. On October 17, 2016, I successfully completed the drug court program and had both my felonies dropped from my record. After having my daughter, I resigned from the salon and gained employment as a student worker on campus at Copper Mountain College. Within the past six months, I took out a loan and bought my first home, a single-wide mobile-home. On May 15, 2018 I will have three years clean and sober, and this past January my daughter turned 2 years old. With the help of EOPS and my family in a matter of three years, I went from being homeless, starving, and running from a felony warrant to working as the student worker in the I.S. Department at CMC, having a 3.7 GPA, raising a beautiful daughter as a single parent, buying a home, and to school full-time.