Mirella grew up in the Valley, finished high school and started community college with hopes of studying architecture. But when her dad got sick, her world changed. “Everything went downhill,”

April is honest about the challenges she faced growing up. “My mom was on welfare and we were in Section 8 housing,” she said. “My dad worked under the table,

Janeth and Sergio lived together with their kids—her 13-year-old and his 7- and 11-year-olds—in Canoga Park. Sergio worked as an electrician and Janeth held down both a retail and restaurant