This story is part of Neon Tommy's series, Wage in L.A., which explores how Angelenos survive on the state's minimum wage of $8 an hour, and how they feel about their jobs.

Latunya Garnett explains what it's really like to live on the streets of Los Angeles (Sara Newman/Neon Tommy)

A college degree should be a safety net against unemployment, poverty and general strife—at least that's what 57-year-old Latunya Garnett always believed.

After getting her degree from Mt. San Antonio College and spending nearly three decades working as a nurse, an on-the-job injury put Garnett out of work, forcing her to live on the streets. 

“I loved my work. My mother was a nurse and the caring profession came naturally to me,” said Garnett.

But all abruptly changed when one of Garnett's patients fell from his bed.

"I tried to help him up, he fell on me and messed up my back in a way I still haven’t recovered from,” she said.

Although most people think of nursing as one of the more secure jobs,  nursing ranks among the worst occupations in terms of work-related injuries, and studies have shown that in a given year, nearly half of all nurses will have struggled with lower back pain.

“Afterwards, I tried to do something else,” explained Garnettt. “I started working as a live-in caretaker, but by the end of that job I stopped being productive because the pain was just taking such a toll on me.”

READ MORE: No Country For Young Nurses

Prior to her accident, Garnett had made a comfortable living that afforded her economic security and leisure time.

“I bought nice furniture and beautiful clothes and was living the way you’re supposed to live,” said Garnett. "I was paying $1,100 a month on rent and it was no problem. I traveled a bit and went to Jamaica. I even had enough extra money to help my sister raise my niece and nephew.”

Too young to collect social security, and frustrated with the complex bureaucratic processes involved in obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance, Garnett has been in-and-out of various shelters and motels, living off occasional donations and the homeless outreach programs for the past two years.

A Community Place helps feed Los Angelenos living below the poverty line, (Sara Newman/Neon Tommy)

When not meeting with lawyers, going to the social security office, or checking up on her disability pension, Garnett tries to make the most of her situation by using computers at the public library and reading. 

“I go to the park to read my book or take a bus down to the beach or Griffith Park,” said Garnett. “My cart goes with me everywhere. It has every last thing that I own—blankets, my hygiene kit, towels, clothes, soap.” 

Like Garnett, many who live in shelters are not there because they are “lazy” or “uneducated”—rather they have just fallen on hard times, a fairly common problem for people with today’s trying economic climate.  

“You go to shelters and they are just so crowded—dozens of people get turned away each day. Even people who are employed and have kids are living there,” said Garnett. “Nowadays they want you to have three incomes to even rent an apartment in the city…when you get a check, most of the times it goes straight to rent.”

Having to condense a lifetime into a single grocery cart is a reality for some people, (Sara Newman)

READ MORE: Los Angeles Bans Homeless From Living In Their Cars

But Garnett feels extremely fortunate to have a roof over her head most days. She also is able to find decent food, having learned to scavenge around the city—even if it means eating nothing but cans of Hormel Chili for long stretches of time—but her various medical conditions make each day a struggle.

“You can’t get to decent medical treatment [when you’re homeless],” said Garnett. “I’m supposed to get surgery, but I refuse because you’re supposed to sterilize things and how can you do that when you live in a shelter?” 

Dealing with bipolar disorder further complicates things for Garnett. Luckily free clinics have given her access to Seroquel and Mezine to help control most of her symptoms, but she still struggles with trusting people—a problem further exacerbated by living in shelters. 

Even canned chili tastes better when enjoyed with friends, (Sara Newman/Neon Tommy)

“I refuse to get a tent. I refuse to get a permanent place at a shelter where I have to constantly worry about other people taking my stuff,” said Garnett.

READ MORE: Minimum Wage And Homelessness In America

 Garnett was trying to break out of the shelter rotation and find permanent housing, like many of her friends had done. With the help of Minister Frank, the leader of a nearby Lutheran Church, Garnett had been in the process of moving into a low-income housing development in Santa Barbara or Riverside.

But six months later, her housing hopes had fallen through. 

"Minister Frank keeps trying, but it's not looking good," said Garnett. "All I hope is that something good can come of this project of yours."

Garnett is very aware that she is only one of thousands of Americans who have fallen on hard times. She feels deeply indebted to the many organizations that have helped her in her time of need.

“If the [disability] money ever comes in, I’m going to spend it wisely,” said Garnett. “Hopefully I could use it to go into business with my son and daughter to open a little café, or maybe even open a place to help other people who’ve been in my situation.”

This story is part of Neon Tommy's series, Wage in L.A., which explores how Angelenos survive on the state's minimum wage of $8 an hour, and how they feel about their jobs.

Contact Senior News Editor Sara Newman here. Tweet her here.