Meagan’s comments about her shoot:
Hello, my name is Megan and im 18 years old. I was born in Palm Springs California and have lived their my whole life. I lived with my dad until i was 13 and then i lived with my mom at 14 years old until i was 17. My background is Italian and Peruvian. My dad is both and my mom is just Italian. I come from a big family, but i only speak to a few.
When i was 12 years old I visited Peru with my dad to meet my family for the first time, it was a whole new world and it opened my eyes to the reality of life. Their was no middle class their, their was only the rich and the poor, you either made it , or you didnt. Fortunently, my family in Peru made it to the wealthy side. All my life my dad had pushed me to be better, so i wouldnt have to struggle like the misfortunate people in the third world country, Peru. It was an amazing experiance, and even being only 12, it has stuck with me throughout my whole life . It taught me to never take for granted how good life is. Even the most misfortunate people can still find a reason to smile,laugh and find happiness even when all that follows them is a dark cloud.
When i turned 14 my dad kicked me out. Even though i had never lived with my mom before she took me in. We got along great. I guess looking back, i could say she gave me to much freedom at such a younge age. I started breaking rules and got into trouble with the law alot. About a year into my rebelion stage, my mom had started to give up on me, and with her being an alcoholic and suffering from a personality disorder, i started to give up on her to. Even though she provided a roof over my head, i still say i raised my self from 15-the end of my 17th year . I was the one who taught myself right from wrong, and i was the one who had to somehow find money to get to school every day , or get to work on time.
At 16 years old i got my first job at Ben&Jerrys, i worked at Ben&Jerrys for a year and then i found my second job at Mimi’s Cafe. I worked 2 jobs until 6months before my 18th birthday . I lost both jobs because of myself. I had quit one and just stopped showing up to the other. I was going through a really depressing time in my life, dealing with trying to be on my own and other family drama, it was weighing me down and i had to much on my shoulders for to long. After i quit my jobs, i ended up becoming addicted to drugs and i was completly homeless for a month and a half, i know it doesnt seem long, but when your on the streets it feels like a lifetime of lonelyness. I lost my bestfriend because she became addicted to, and still is. Fortunently, im clean now, and i plan on keeping it that way. Unfortunently, my bestfriend is still doing drugs and i cant save her. You can only help someone that wants to be helped. I still tell her i love her everyday, just so she knows shes not alone, and that ill always be their when she decides she needs help.
