Rizia — Painting a Brighter Future for Herself
As a young girl, Rizia grew up bonding with her mom over their love of art. They loved painting together — a pastime that has preserved Rizia’s interest in art to this day. A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Rizia had big dreams — and as she got older, she often thought about what life would be like outside of her hometown. When she met friends who shared the same passion for art, they decided to move to St. Louis together to pursue their dreams — a dream come true for Rizia.
She was excited to meet and live with these fellow creatives and for her big move. The group moved into a rental home and were getting familiar with the area. Rizia’s first few weeks in St. Louis were encouraging.
Then, suddenly, the group found themselves bouncing from place to place and the friendships between them began to strain. The instability and uncertainty left Rizia deeply depressed. She left one problematic living situation, only to find herself in another. She could live on the street, or in her car — two awful options from which to choose!
Rizia knew she could not continue to grow and thrive in this situation; all she could do was just try to survive. She was so determined to figure things out on her own that she didn’t even think of asking for help.
When Rizia decided it was time to ask for help, she came to St. Patrick Center and enrolled in the Women’s Night Program. This program provides emergency shelter and supportive services to women experiencing homelessness, mental health issues, and/or substance use disorders to prepare them for permanent housing.
Because of the program, Rizia finally had her own space. She was able to stay motivated and work hard each day because she had a safe place to go every night. She always asked her case managers if there were any programs or classes she could attend to better herself and improve her situation.
Rizia’s case managers at St. Patrick Center were caring and patient with her when she shared with them her anxieties about her future. Together, they helped Rizia set goals for her life and create a plan for accomplishing those goals.
Rizia’s fondest memories at St. Patrick Center are of the group sessions she attended with the occupational therapy staff. They would cook together, do crafts, and participate in a variety of other creative activities. She also enjoyed her time in Job Readiness Training, a part of our Workforce Development Program. This program prepares clients to enter the workforce by teaching soft skills, preparing for interviews, and providing training for various types of employment.
Rizia discovered a new passion during her time in Job Readiness Training. While in the program, she fell in love with learning about and how to prepare coffee. She looked forward to going to Barista Training each day and would even study the craft of coffee-making outside of the program.
“I wanted to learn about coffee, from the history to how to make it because in times when I was cold outside, I had a cup of coffee that warmed me up inside,” said Rizia. She never forgot that encouraging feeling and wanted to bring the same joy to others. She wanted to do something that made people happy and knew firsthand how coffee could bring a smile to someone’s face.
Rizia continues to love art and being an artist. She loves working with acrylic paint and also likes drawing; she is even dabbling in animation and three-dimensional art. She likes the process of creating art, even when it gets frustrating. Rizia uses vibrant colors in her paintings because she feels they bring out the best in herself and others.
Today, Rizia works at the 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis as a barista, where she combines her love of coffee and art with her career. She spends her days as a barista in this artsy café spot. Whenever she has a break or when she is walking around the building, she takes time to appreciate the art around her.
The day we interviewed Rizia for this article, she also received the keys to her new apartment. She is excited to have a space she can call her own, where she can continue improving and healing herself. She cannot wait to fill her space with art, thrive in creativity, and bring more art into the world.
This story was featured in More Than a Soup Kitchen 004