At the Crossroads: Choosing Transformation Over Destruction

<< ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021

Gabe was “in a tough spot,” according to case managers with King County Community and Human Services: Children, Youth and Young Adults Division. After becoming paralyzed from gun violence, he was at a crossroads: continue down the same path of destruction or transform his life for the better.

Fortunately, Gabe met Jose Villegas, a YWCA outreach worker, who introduced him to the team at YouthSource, the youth-focused WorkSource location in Tukwila. Gabe enrolled into Open Doors and eventually with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act as a youth participant. In the last year, Gabe found stable housing on his own, navigated complex healthcare and social security systems, and completed the first cohort of an entrepreneurship training.

Early in 2021, Gabe completed his GED and began an internship at a local tattoo shop where he learned more about entrepreneurship, small business operations, tattoo sanitization procedures, and customer service. In the future, Gabe plans to attend college and study social work “so he can help young people find their way in life.”