Meet Sa'Nyah: The Fierce Foster Youth Taking Charge of Her Future
Get ready to be inspired by Sa'Nyah’s incredible journey as she shares her story of resilience and transformation. At just 19, she’s already turned her hustle into a legacy, proving that the tough times don’t define us but shape us instead. From navigating the foster care system to overcoming a challenging upbringing, Sa'Nyah opens up about her experiences and the support she found along the way. We dive deep into the importance of community, mentorship, and having a safe space to grow, which has helped her flourish in ways she never imagined. So grab a snack, settle in, and let’s explore how Sa'Nyah is not just surviving but thriving, setting the stage for her bright future ahead!
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker A:Welcome.
Speaker A:Where we turning hustles into legacies.
Speaker A:I got my beautiful current foster youth in be with luxurious fostering program.
Speaker A:Introduce yourself, pretty lady.
Speaker B:Hi, guys.
Speaker B:My name is Saniya.
Speaker B:Nice to meet you guys.
Speaker A:The troublemaker, period.
Speaker A:Let's get straight to it.
Speaker A:I'm totally joking.
Speaker A:This is my pudding.
Speaker A:I brought her specifically on this show because One thing about Ms. Saniyah, she was about her bread.
Speaker A:When I took her in, she had a job going to.
Speaker A:First of all, she came straight from probation.
Speaker A:Let's be clear.
Speaker A:This is my probation.
Speaker A:You came straight from probation, but the social worker was like.
Speaker A:Or the probation officer was like, look, this one right here is a good one.
Speaker A:I said, all right, let me holl at her.
Speaker A:She came through very respectable.
Speaker A:Never had no problems with.
Speaker A:I think you've been in the program, what, about a year?
Speaker B:Almost two years now.
Speaker A:Shut up.
Speaker B:I just turned 19.
Speaker B:I moved in at 17.
Speaker A:I took her.
Speaker A:Factual.
Speaker A:I took you in at 17.
Speaker A:As you guys know, I only do 18 to 21, but I get exemptions for certain kids if I feel like they're going to be successful and good.
Speaker A:I'll request from the state for them to send her.
Speaker A:And when I met her one, as you can see, she's absolutely beautiful, naturally, just a gorgeous young lady.
Speaker A:But she also has this aura.
Speaker A:And for me, it immediately drew me.
Speaker A:And I said, yep, get her.
Speaker A:We got to help her.
Speaker A:When you first came, what was your apartment looking like, though?
Speaker B:My apartment was so nice.
Speaker B:I was like, oh, my God, it's fully decorated.
Speaker B:I still got like most of my stuff from my apartment.
Speaker B:Cause, you know, you moved me to a nicer one.
Speaker B:I didn't, but like, I was just like, oh my gosh.
Speaker B:Like, I feel so welcomed.
Speaker B:And I felt like, you know, comfortable.
Speaker B:I felt at home.
Speaker B:It reminded me like my mom house.
Speaker B:Cause my mom is like that.
Speaker A:She likes to have her stuff decorated and nice.
Speaker A:And so when I got her, my goal with her was to keep you on track, not to be bugging you all the time.
Speaker A:And we give them space.
Speaker A:We don't be doing unannounced visits all in your business.
Speaker A:But I wanted to bring.
Speaker A:Bring her on specifically because a lot of people don't realize a lot how these kids got in the foster care system.
Speaker A:So I thought you being on the show and just telling your story can help other kids, right?
Speaker A:Or can help other youth.
Speaker A:We do bewig crash out every Monday and she laughing because she know what I'm gonna say.
Speaker A:She was there this Monday.
Speaker A:And honestly, you was a Role model, though.
Speaker A:If you noticed the kids was listening to.
Speaker A:Did you notice that they're listening and.
Speaker B:They start, like, interacting more?
Speaker B:Because I start interacting and talking to them.
Speaker A:And so that's why I do it.
Speaker A:It's called Be With Crash Out.
Speaker A:And I did that so y' all can have a safe space to talk.
Speaker B:To talk, and to be able to crash out.
Speaker A:And crash out, right?
Speaker A:And no judgment zone.
Speaker A:I'm there to support.
Speaker A:And I think me showing up make y' all kind of want to be there more, right?
Speaker A:Because if I ain't there, okay, Dr. Stan saying I don't want to be there.
Speaker A:They want to see the CEO, so the CEOs be available.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:So I do that one.
Speaker A:Mental health services.
Speaker A:I'mma ask you if you had somebody like that's a psychologist, but haven't had those lived experiences, do you feel comfortable talking to them?
Speaker B:Not necessarily.
Speaker A:And why?
Speaker A:Because they just can't relate.
Speaker B:They can't relate.
Speaker B:They don't understand.
Speaker B:Like, it's been times where I didn't try to talk to people who've never been in my shoes.
Speaker B:They've never been through what I've been through.
Speaker B:So they don't understand.
Speaker B:And it's.
Speaker B:No matter how much you try to break it down and explain it to them, they.
Speaker B:They can't get it.
Speaker B:Like somebody who has been through the same things as you.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:And that's why I created Be With Crash Out.
Speaker A:Because me, you know, I live the experience.
Speaker A:Duh.
Speaker A:Holder, CEO, been in the streets, from the street to East Oakland.
Speaker A:So I can more or less relate to y'.
Speaker A:All been in and out of jail, all that.
Speaker A:And let's.
Speaker A:Let's get to that.
Speaker A:Cause, you know, this my thug.
Speaker A:This my.
Speaker A:My.
Speaker A:My pretty thug.
Speaker A:Okay, let's be clear.
Speaker A:This is my pretty gangster.
Speaker A:So let's talk about it.
Speaker A:How did you end up in foster care?
Speaker B:So when I was younger, when me and my mom, we start.
Speaker B:So when I was younger, my grandfather took me away from my mom, and then I was.
Speaker B:I wasn't a teenager yet.
Speaker B:I didn't go through puberty.
Speaker B:And then.
Speaker A:How old was you?
Speaker B:I was about 11, 10 years old.
Speaker B:And then I moved back with my mom when I was 14.
Speaker B:So at this point, I'm a teenager.
Speaker B:I'm talking to boys.
Speaker B:I'm doing, like, different things.
Speaker B:Like, you know, and it was like me and her just kept.
Speaker B:We kept fighting.
Speaker B:Fifteen came, I started running away.
Speaker B:I started boosting.
Speaker B:I started robbing people.
Speaker B:And then it caught up to me.
Speaker B:I was bipping I was bipping cars.
Speaker A:And I was one of them damn fuckers that was probably busted my window.
Speaker A:He was probably you.
Speaker B:But it caught up to me, and I ended up going to jail the first time I went to jail.
Speaker B:And that's why you said, my probation officer and everybody, they've been working with me since I was that age.
Speaker B:They seen how I, like, I didn't want to be there.
Speaker B:I knew I had to get some money, but I'm like, okay, I know I got to do this, I got to do that, but I can't get caught.
Speaker B:So I just start boosting more and I started stealing.
Speaker B:I was boosting and I was getting so much money, and that's all I really cared about.
Speaker B:Honestly.
Speaker B:I didn't care about no boys.
Speaker B:Like, I was never one of them girls who was old.
Speaker B:Yeah, I was all up under a nigga and a.
Speaker B:Had me took away somewhere.
Speaker B:No, I was getting money.
Speaker A:Like, that's why she on the show.
Speaker A:That's why I love my money.
Speaker A:Go get it.
Speaker B:I ain't going lie.
Speaker B:I touch more money than I know a lot of people that's, like, right now, that's older than me, but I used to be robbing people, like armed robberies.
Speaker B:And I had a lot of grand theft auto charges from stealing cars, so.
Speaker A:Can imagine that one.
Speaker B:Cause that's how I was getting to go, to do whatever I needed to go do.
Speaker B:So, you know, I didn't have no license.
Speaker B:I was 15.
Speaker B:And I went to jail one more time.
Speaker B:And when I got out, I told myself, sinai, I'm not going back to jail.
Speaker B:You're not going back to jail.
Speaker B:Whatever you do, you ain't going back.
Speaker B:Me and my mom, we kept fighting.
Speaker B:I turned 16 and I moved in with my ex boyfriend.
Speaker B:And me and him were in a very abusive, toxic relationship.
Speaker B:I was getting abused, I was getting beat.
Speaker B:I was isolated from my family, my friends, everybody.
Speaker B:Everything I knew was just him.
Speaker B:And I remember always telling myself, like, you gotta do this.
Speaker B:You gotta keep going.
Speaker B:You gotta keep going.
Speaker B:I remember it'd be times I didn't want to do nothing.
Speaker B:I didn't want to even, like, live no more.
Speaker B:And it's like he, like, he was.
Speaker B:He was on some.
Speaker B:Like, he didn't want to get up and go do nothing.
Speaker B:He was a very insecure person at the time.
Speaker B:So he was like, you know, he wanted to keep me down, sitting down.
Speaker B:So I remember when I broke up with him, I was with him.
Speaker A:Like, have you talked to him?
Speaker B:No, we talk every once in A while.
Speaker B:Like, you know, a checkup, but we don't talk.
Speaker B:And I just remember when I broke up with him, I didn't have nowhere to go.
Speaker B:And I was talking to my probation officer, and she kept telling me, like, oh, I had to go to a group home.
Speaker B:I said, I'm not going to a group home.
Speaker A:That's definitely different.
Speaker B:I said, y' all won't see me.
Speaker B:I said, y' all won't see me.
Speaker B:I'm not coming.
Speaker B:So it was to a point where they was like, well, you gotta find you a thp.
Speaker B:And I called my friend, this boy, his name Tix, shout out to you.
Speaker B:He sent me.
Speaker B:He was like, this my tt.
Speaker B:He was like, here, call her.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, I remember him.
Speaker A:Okay, okay.
Speaker B:And he was like, yeah.
Speaker B:He was like, call her and see if she could help you.
Speaker B:And then I called you, and he was like, you said what?
Speaker B:He was like, okay.
Speaker B:He was like, you okay?
Speaker B:You got somewhere to go for the night?
Speaker B:I'm like, yes, I got somewhere to go, but I need somewhere to stay.
Speaker B:Shit.
Speaker B:Like, you're how old?
Speaker B:I'm like, I graduated out of high school.
Speaker B:I get off probation soon.
Speaker A:Yep, that's what got me.
Speaker B:I graduated at 16 years old.
Speaker A:That's what got me right there.
Speaker B:I graduated at 16.
Speaker B:I stayed with a job.
Speaker B:I was in esthetician school at the time.
Speaker B:Like, you know, I'm in aesthetics.
Speaker B:I do facials, waxing, eyelashes, eyebrows, dermaplaning, massages, those type of things.
Speaker B:So I was in school for that around that time.
Speaker B:But I was really struggling because I didn't really have nowhere to stay.
Speaker B:And I just remember Miss Audrey, my titi, she was like, yeah, come on, girl.
Speaker A:I got you.
Speaker B:I got your apartment.
Speaker B:And then she was like, come on, come get your keys.
Speaker B:I came, I got my keys, and I was just like.
Speaker B:And the reason why I didn't be able to stay with my mom was because when I was in juvenile, she didn't come to my court.
Speaker B:She didn't come get me from jail.
Speaker B:Like, it was stuff like that.
Speaker B:I didn't have nobody to come get me, so I'd be in jail longer.
Speaker B:Cause nobody trying to come pick me up from my court after, like, you know, I'm getting released and stuff.
Speaker B:You know, when you're a minor, you.
Speaker A:Can'T release us at.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And then when I got into my abusive relationship, my.
Speaker B:My probation officers and them were kind of involved into it at the end, so they knew what I was going through.
Speaker B:And, yeah, it was just A lot like that.
Speaker B:So I ended up qualifying to be able to go into, like, into a THP and to be into foster youth.
Speaker B:And I just really thank you so much, Titi.
Speaker B:Like, you really, like, saved me.
Speaker B:I don't know where I would be right now.
Speaker B:I probably would still be up under that boy right now.
Speaker A:Oh, thank God you're not.
Speaker B:And probably pregnant, stuck somewhere with a baby.
Speaker A:And we ain't doing none of that, like, none of that.
Speaker A:Please, not right now, Elise.
Speaker B:And since I get your degree first and since I.
Speaker B:My tt, I've been working.
Speaker B:She stay on my line about working, but, like, you know, she don't bother me too much.
Speaker B:She's not all in my business, but I talk to her.
Speaker B:I'm very open with them because they're very.
Speaker B:They make me comfortable and they make me more comfortable and want to talk like, you know, and, you know, everything that's been going on.
Speaker B:My boyfriend recently passed away.
Speaker B:And ever since then, everybody, the whole staff, the whole team has been there for me.
Speaker B:You guys all been following me and be very supportive.
Speaker B:And on the crash out meetings, all my peers are very supportive on the phone, like, you know, and I just really appreciate that stuff so much.
Speaker A:So cute kids.
Speaker A:I love you.
Speaker A:And honestly, I appreciate kids like you that come in.
Speaker A:Honestly, that's what made me gravitate to you.
Speaker A:Once you said, oh, I got.
Speaker A:I graduated already TT at 16.
Speaker A:I said, yeah, get her.
Speaker A:Cause I try to focus on the kids that's already on their way up.
Speaker A:The ones that's like, I don't have time for them.
Speaker A:We gotta get the.
Speaker A:They not ready.
Speaker B:They're not ready.
Speaker A:You was ready, you was ready to change.
Speaker A:You was ready to get your together, you was ready to get your own spot.
Speaker A:And honestly, since the whole time she'd been in program, I never had no problems, man, besides you beating up that one girl with that.
Speaker B:We had a small.
Speaker B:It was very small.
Speaker B:I wasn't necessarily in the wrong and I actually was the bigger person and.
Speaker A:Did she did the right thing.
Speaker A:And I thought it was so cute that she did that.
Speaker A:So for me, I am just so glad you in the program.
Speaker A:I know you got two more years with me, so I'm hoping to see yo you cross that road.
Speaker A:You do what you do.
Speaker A:But of course, I got something special for you.
Speaker A:I wanted to give it to you, my producer in the back end.
Speaker A:Can we hand her her gift before we go?
Speaker A:Cause I feel like you deserve it.
Speaker A:You've been an amazing youth and I'm hoping you could tell stories in the past.
Speaker A:So of course we gave her a Versace roll, period.
Speaker A:My kids deserve luxury.
Speaker A:Everybody that come fuck with me deserve luxury because that's what we do.
Speaker A:Period.
Speaker A:Okay, so there's my Pudding, we love you.
Speaker A:And I hope even when you graduate, when you tune in, you come back and speak to the youth.
Speaker B:And I want to be able to work with you.
Speaker A:And you can for sure.
Speaker B:I want to come in and work with you.
Speaker B:You can when I'm older and stuff too, because I really appreciate you so much.
Speaker B:Really love you so much.
Speaker A:TT I love you too.
Speaker B:You know, like, you really made a really big difference in my life.
Speaker B:And you made me feel like I. I could get up and do it again.
Speaker B:Cuz I always been able to get up and do it.
Speaker B:But, you know, you need support.
Speaker B:You need support that I needed.
Speaker B:Not no police ass support.
Speaker B:Not.
Speaker A:Yeah, we ain't policing.
Speaker A:We from the town.
Speaker A:We.
Speaker A:We try not to.
Speaker B:She was just always there for me.
Speaker B:Just always.
Speaker A:I'm like, look, we got to do this, okay?
Speaker A:Because I don't need.
Speaker A:We got to do this, all right?
Speaker A:And she like, I got you, Titi.
Speaker A:So I love you.
Speaker B:I thank you.
Speaker B:I love you, too.
Speaker A:This kid right here is going to turn her hustle into a legacy.
Speaker A:So y' all tap in with my boo Sanaya, man.
Speaker A:Make sure y' all show her some love and me welcome.
Speaker A:And I love you, pudding.
Speaker B:I love you more.
Speaker A:Choppy.
