Jacksonville teen escapes abuse and homelessness to graduate high school
At just 18, Juliana Alcantara—who goes by Jay—has already faced more than most her age.
'I was with my mom at the time, and it was just like a bit of unstable housing due to substance abuse and such, and the safest option for me was to come and stay with my brother,' Jay said.
After fleeing abuse between the ages of 15 and 16, Jay moved to Jacksonville seeking safety. For a while, she found it living with her brother—until he returned to South Carolina, the very place she was trying to escape.
'And go back there I feel like in a sense...we're having to relive it even more,' she said.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
With nowhere else to turn, Jay found Daniel's Project Prepare at the age of 17—a local program that offers housing, life skills, and support to homeless and at-risk youth. She moved into the Independent Living Village last year, and everything began to change.
'Within like the short span. I'm now here and I have my own job and I can find my own transportation and I've been able to take up like a lot more responsibilities,' Jay said.
Now at age 18, Jay graduated just last week from Fletcher High School.
'Once I was getting towards the end of school, like wow, I'm actually gonna graduate, and then like a couple days later it was like actually happening,' she said.
She's now working part-time and looking ahead to college, with dreams of becoming a cosmetologist—or even a firefighter.
'And we are proud of her because she did it,' said Daniel Kids Program Director Carmella Prescott.
Prescott said she's seen hundreds of teens in similar or worse situations than Jay over the past six years.
'500 to 600 kids, most of them being successful, we're usually the 90% success rate because we're so intense,' she said.
Nationally, more than one in four people experiencing homelessness are under age 25. 19% are children under 18, and 8% are young adults between 18 and 24, according to the 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report.
Jay said to always trust the timing of things—because she believes you'll always end up at the destination where you want to be.
SHARE PHOTOS OF GRADUATES IN YOUR LIFE:
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Newsweek
Woman in Psych Unit Diagnosed With Dementia at 56, It Was Menopause
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. This time last year, Hayley, 57, was sectioned and admitted to a psychiatric unit. She was suffering from intense psychosis, paranoia and depression. Her behavior had changed so drastically that she no longer recognized her own family. Her speech was incoherent, her thoughts disordered and she was experiencing vivid hallucinations. Doctors told her family that it's likely to be frontotemporal dementia (FTD)—a rare and devastating neurological condition that typically affects people between 45 and 64. Unlike Alzheimer's, FTD often causes dramatic personality changes, emotional withdrawal and problems with speech, movement and decision-making. But the diagnosis was wrong. Hayley wasn't losing her mind to dementia. She was going through menopause. Screenshots from TikTok showing Jay's face over an image of his mom when she was sectioned. A more recent photo of Hayley. Screenshots from TikTok showing Jay's face over an image of his mom when she was sectioned. A more recent photo of Hayley. TikTok/@drlouisenewson Menopause is a natural stage in a woman's life when her periods stop, marking the end of fertility. But it can also be a time of extreme vulnerability. Hormonal changes can trigger or worsen mental health conditions, including serious ones like psychosis. In Hayley's case, the symptoms were so severe and sudden that even specialists believed she had a degenerative brain disease. Newsweek spoke with Hayley and her 25-year-old son, Jay, about the misdiagnosis that upended their lives. "We were all completely devastated," Jay said. "At the time, it was totally believable. Mom's ability to communicate was deteriorating, her psychosis meant she couldn't recognize us, and her hallucinations were getting worse. "Upon hearing the news of a potential dementia diagnosis, it felt like the final stage in a long-standing journey of suffering." Misdiagnosis and Hospitalization Jay was heartbroken by his mom's diagnosis, but then a family friend suggested it could have to do with her hormones. Desperate for answers, he began researching alternative explanations. That's when he discovered Dr. Louise Newson, a leading U.K. menopause specialist known for transforming how menopause is understood and treated. Dr. Louise Newson. Dr. Louise Newson. Provided by Dr. Newson Speaking with Newsweek, Newson explained how menopause symptoms—including memory loss, brain fog, poor concentration and low mood—can closely resemble the early signs of dementia. "This can lead to confusion or misdiagnosis, with women being told they have cognitive decline when in fact their symptoms are due to hormonal changes," she said. "It has been known for many decades that the hormones oestradiol, progesterone and testosterone all have important and beneficial effects on the function of the brain—improving the way the cells and nerves work as well as working as neurotransmitters. "These hormones reduce inflammation in the brain and also improve blood supply to the brain." Battle for Treatment In a detailed TikTok video shared to @drlouisenewson, Jay highlights how medics refused to believe Hayley's condition was linked to her hormones. "Jay struggled to convince the psychiatrists to prescribe body-identical hormones, and it wasn't until they discussed with Dr. Newson that they eventually agreed to prescribe them some months later," Hayley told Newsweek. From left: Jay, 25, mom Hayley, 57, and Dr. Louise Newson. From left: Jay, 25, mom Hayley, 57, and Dr. Louise Newson. The Dr Louise Newson Podcast She began taking HRT and testosterone in September 2024 and it took from four to eight weeks for depression and psychosis to subside. "I recall one day feeling like something had lifted, and then I spent moments in the subsequent weeks crying as I realized what had been happening. "Coming back into reality after years of suffering was extremely overwhelming and daunting at first. By the 12th week of HRT, I had returned to reality and was fortunate enough to spend Christmas with my son," she said. History of Mental Health Struggles After suffering with postpartum psychosis with all three of her children, Hayley has spent most of her adult life in and out of mental health units. In 2010, she was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder—a mental health condition that is marked by a mix of schizophrenia symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, and mood disorder symptoms. "From 48, my mental health and cognitive condition deteriorated significantly," she said, "and I was unable to recover, spending a lot of the time sectioned on psychiatric wards." Hormones and Mental Health Newson said: "Hormonal changes are a major factor in many women's mental health, particularly during the perimenopause and after childbirth, as well as women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), yet they're often overlooked in psychiatric care. "As a result of this inadequate education, women are frequently given antidepressants, antipsychotics and other unnecessary treatments without exploring whether hormonal changes might be part of the cause. Women need to have a more informed approach that considers both mental health and hormones together." Hayley became agoraphobic as her delusions made it hard to leave her home and she self-medicated with alcohol. Screenshots from TikTok showing Hayley and her son enjoying a Robbie Williams concert this summer. Screenshots from TikTok showing Hayley and her son enjoying a Robbie Williams concert this summer. TikTok/@drlouisenewson Life After Recovery "Since my recovery with HRT, I love having my grandchildren stay with me at the weekends and we have the loveliest of times," Hayley said. "I also spend time with my children enjoying concerts, meals out and doing the things we missed out on as they grew up. "I have a newfound lust for life and motivation which I haven't experienced in decades. Few things worry me and my confidence has generally returned. Despite having suffered for most of my adulthood and the elements of lasting damage, I feel so fortunate to be able to finally create many special memories in such a short space of time." Now Hayley is making up for lost time with her family, something her son admires greatly. "Never in a million years did I think we would have ever achieved what we have done in the past year," he said. "I feel a great sense of achievement and satisfaction that the hard work and perseverance in advocating for my mum and finding the answers has paid off more than we ever could have imagined."
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Business Insider
I left New York City because I felt stuck in a job that was going nowhere. Now, after 6 years in Atlanta, I'm ready to leave.
A famous singer once sang, "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere." Frank Sinatra delivered these words in "Theme from New York, New York," in 1978, which was echoed decades later in a soulful adaptation by JAY-Z and Alicia Keys—a testament to the big city's timeless pulse and promise. The idea of making it in New York City became more than just a lyric; it was my quiet mantra during the time I lived there. It gave me confidence when I didn't always feel it and pushed me to show up as a professional, creative, and woman on a mission, determined to build something real. Love Business Insider? Log into Google and make us a preferred source. However, even with good friends, small wins, and a life that looked full on the outside, burnout still found me, eventually. The daily grind, constant motion, and quiet feelings of lack piled up slowly, and I began to wonder if I belonged. Why I moved to New York City I moved to New York in 2013, after first studying fashion design and marketing in Atlanta and then completing my Master of Fine Arts in Journalism in California in 2012. I intended to break into the editorial world in New York. But when opportunities didn't materialize, I pivoted into digital marketing and e-commerce, contributing to campaigns across print and digital channels in the fashion and retail space. I showed up day after day, and week after week for years. My calendar was filled with deadlines, meetings, side projects, and after-work events. To the outside world, I was thriving. However, each new day in New York began to feel like a small war. The big city wore me down The battle could be choosing between two unreliable train lines from my Harlem apartment, or dodging early morning catcallers on my walk to the station. Still, even amid chaos, there were small moments of light. On good days, the sunrise seeped into my apartment, lifting my spirits. By the end of the day, though, the delays, crowds, and the endless grind ran me ragged. I thought getting my own space would help. So, after three years of living in a tiny shoebox of a room in a five-floor walk-up with two other roommates, I took a second job as a fashion marketing professor to afford my own space. However, the 9 to 5 grind in my corporate role, followed by the 6 to 10 side hustle, only drained me more. There's a fine line between creative joy and depletion. After years of juggling two jobs, my body and mind demanded rest. Plus, I'd been in my corporate role for five years with little opportunity for real growth or advancement. In the end, I realized that the city that never sleeps offers little room to breathe, especially when you feel overworked, underpaid, and no longer valued in the place you thought you could grow. A two-and-a-half-week sabbatical and trips abroad couldn't reset me. Even the thrill of Fashion Week, my favorite time of year, faded. So I left. I needed warmth, not just in climate, but in my spirit. Restarting in Atlanta was a challenge I returned to Atlanta in the spring of 2019, but it wasn't how I'd remembered. I was nostalgic for the glam of Buckhead, the offbeat charm of Little Five Points, and the creative flavor of the Westside. But the streets had shifted. The beat of the city had changed, more polished in some places, more tense in others, but still rang true for artists, creatives, musicians, and the like. Even with the rapid development and the strange sense of disconnect, I was still grateful. Grateful for a glimpse of something that once felt like mine. Maybe it was the promise of renewal. Or maybe the hope of tapping into a different kind of rhythm. I took a job teaching fashion at my alma mater and continued virtually when the pandemic hit. I wanted more money and stability, though, so I took on second jobs. I tried building something during the entrepreneurial boom of the pandemic, but my businesses didn't take off. It felt like a never-ending cycle of letdowns. I wondered if I'd made a mistake coming here. Corporate fashion roles had been limited even when I returned to Atlanta, and after years of searching, they felt almost nonexistent. Freelance gigs paid some bills, but I never felt like part of a real team. Even the full-time corporate roles I landed never felt fully steady or secure, and I often found myself biding time, holding on, waiting for the right opportunity to return to something more fulfilling and more creative. Somewhere that felt like me again. Somewhere like New York. Still, I've learned to find joy in smaller things I've leaned on family, sought therapy, and gotten into fitness. I focused on my nutrition, building on the holistic lifestyle I'd embraced in New York. I further deepened my commitment to health and wellness by studying supplements and minerals, and took pride in my physical growth through consistent weight training and strength work at the gym. I began healing and growing more, exploring mindfulness on a deeper level by walking, reading, journaling, and at times simply sitting still to listen to my thoughts. Atlanta doesn't match New York's energy, but it offers slower moments, and sometimes, that's what I need. I've found places to love here, but I find myself wondering more and more: What's next? Why has it been so hard? How much longer will I bide my time? And is New York truly on the horizon?
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Nurse at centre of gender storm takes action against union
A nurse at the centre of a gender dispute has announced she is taking legal action against her trade union. Sandie Peggie was suspended from her job in 2024 after she complained about having to share a changing room with transgender medic Dr Beth Upton. Ms Peggie was later placed on special leave after a complaint of bullying and harassment by Dr Upton, but was cleared by an NHS Fife investigation earlier this week. The suspension led to an employment tribunal this year, in which Ms Peggie launched a claim against Dr Upton and NHS Fife, citing the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment, harassment related to a protected belief, indirect discrimination and victimisation. On Saturday, the Herald reported that Ms Peggie had taken legal action against the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), claiming it failed to support her after her suspension, which the union denies. 'The RCN's failure to act like a trade union ought to has contributed to Sandie Peggie's mistreatment,' Ms Peggie's lawyer Margaret Gribbon said in a statement. 'They have repeatedly failed to exercise their industrial muscle to advocate for female members distressed because they are being deprived of genuine single-sex spaces to dress and undress at work. 'Had the RCN fulfilled the conventional role of a trade union, it is less likely that Sandie would have faced the ordeal of an 18-month disciplinary process and having to raise legal proceedings against Fife Health Board.' The paper reported that Ms Peggie will be taking action for unlawful discrimination. An RCN spokesperson told the newspaper: 'We have responded to the claim, and we deny all the allegations from Ms Peggie.'
