Imagine a life with no car, no new clothes, no mom and dad saying they love you, limited money, and cut opportunities. Junior Jazmine Tubbs lives a life where those wants are not met. Currently Jazmine lives with her grandma, and her 6-year-old brother.
When Jazmine was 3-years-old, her mom dropped her off on her grandmother’s doorstep. The mom was having issues with drugs and couldn’t care for a child. After a few years, the mom went into rehab, afterwards reuniting with Jazmine’s dad. During this time Jazmine’s brother was born. The mom’s recovery was short lived, however, and after a few years Jazmine and her brother were back to being raised by their grandmother. The dad lives close to Jazmine’s grandmother but is in another relationship that has taken priority over raising Jazmine and her brother.
“I know I don’t get the same experiences as many students around me,” Jazmine said. “I don’t have my own room, my phone is cut off because we can’t pay the bill, I don’t get privacy, I don’t get the latest clothes, I want a lap top, but I can’t get that. I just have to live with what I got. I would like to have more, but I have a roof over my head, I have a family who doesn’t hurt me, and I have food, so I am good.”
Even though she was abandoned by her mom, and her dad doesn’t take the best care of her, she is loved and supported by her grandma.
“Apparently my mom just told her to take care of me and left,” Jazmine said. “At that time, she said I smelled like I hadn’t taken a bath for awhile, I was starving, and I was crying because I thought it was my fault my mom had left. I was upset, but I have all of my granny’s love and affection, so at least I have her.”
Because her grandma is suffering from diabetes, Jazmine has to take the role of a mother sometimes.
“I clean and I do the shopping,” Jazmine said. “I usually walk to the nearest store, but if there’s a store with a sale and it’s far way I will either walk there or get someone to drive me.”
Jazmine is not alone. She has the support of her friends, and her friend’s parents when she is need.
“My friend Jackie will give me money and food if I am hungry, and she will give me rides if I need to get somewhere that is too far away,” Jazmine said. “My other friend Michelle is also there if I have to walk really far and she will walk with me or go to the stores.”
With the support of her grandma and her close friends, Jazmine gets by, and tries to be happy with what she has. Instead of falling to drugs, Jazmine stays positive.
“I have never done drugs because of the fact that so many people at school do it as well as my mom and uncle are involved in drugs and that really hurts my granny,” Jazmine said. “It hurts her to know that her children are doing drugs. I don’t do it because I don’t want to disappoint her and it seems like a waste of time. Even if your doing it to get rid of stress, you’ll have to face reality soon enough.”
Through the hard times of the lights, water, and cable turning off in her house, to her mom taking their money Jazmine feels she has grown a lot, and seems to still appreciate what she has.
“I don’t try to feel sorry for myself,” Jazmine said. “Yeah it’s a sad situation that neither of my parents are here, and if they are they don’t give me much support. But my situation is nothing compared to other peoples situations. Like there are kids that don’t even have a roof over their head, or kicked out, live on the streets and do drugs or prostitution. My situation is nothing compared to other people in the world.”
Jazmine puts a smile on through the day, and doesn’t let all the bad things get to her.
“If you really knew me,” Jazmine said. “You would know my life isn’t as easy as it is played to be, and I am not all giggles and smiles, but I survive.”
