The Allen Family - 2010

My name is Tamika N. Allen. I was born November 3, 1982 in Springfield, Illinois. I moved to Indianapolis sometime in 1987. I attended IPS for my elementary and middle school years. While in 8th grade at the young age of 14 I became pregnant with my first daughter “Essence.” This changed my life drastically. I had her August 6, 1997. I continued to go to school and about three years later decided to get a job at Kroger. So now I was a teenage mother, full time student, and working full time. It was hard, but I made it! In January 2001 I graduated from Ben Davis High School with a Core 40 Diploma. I was proud of myself. I didn’t go to college like I should have; I just started working full time. A few months later in May 2001 I became pregnant with my second daughter “Ezene.” This pregnancy wasn’t as hard because I was a lot older and I had a job. I continued working full time throughout my pregnancy and I had her January 29, 2002. With two kids now, I thought it was about time I moved out of my mother’s house. So in June 2002 my boyfriend and I got our own apartment. It was nice at first living on my own. I started going to PCI in November for Medical Assisting. In January 2003 we decided our relationship just wasn’t going to work. I moved back with my mother and graduated in April 2004. I continued to work and in April 2004 decided to get an apartment with my best friend and her daughter. This was nice because my daughters loved her daughter. In August 2004 I met my companion Lee. In March 2005 someone broke in our apartment so we decided to move. I moved into a house with Lee. It was nice at first because it was 2 minutes away from my job and five minutes away from my mom. Then the winter came and I learned the house had mice. I hated mice so when my lease was up I knew I had to move. In February 2006 I moved to Coppertree Apartments. This was my best place ever. It was affordable and in a great location. In August 2006 I had my first son “Lil Lee.” I was so excited because I had two girls already. In about June 2008 someone bought the apartments. They raised the rent and everything else and they wouldn’t fix anything. I couldn’t wait for the chance to move. In August or September 2008 (can’t exactly remember) I learned I was pregnant again. This time with twins. In January 2009 my doctor took me off work. I was devastated. I didn’t have a lot of money saved and I needed somewhere to move. I searched and searched wondering who would let me move with no steady income. My friend told me about her apartment. I went to see it; I liked her apartment but the apartments had a history of drugs and violence. I thought about it and my mother said I could move in her upstairs. That would be so cramped, so I went ahead and took the apartment. In the process of moving I had two beautiful baby girls Le’Nay and Leeah. Now I have 5 beautiful children and so happy I found Habitat for Humanity.