Keymara was born and raised in Long Beach, the oldest of seven siblings in a home led by a single father. From a young age, Keymara learned to care for others before herself. But it wasn’t until she faced her own deep mental and emotional struggles that she truly discovered her calling: to support others facing the same pain.
Keymara’s life has been rocked by trauma: The loss of her younger sister to a drunk driver, a car accident that ended her first pregnancy when she was stationed with the U.S. Army in South Korea, sexual trauma during her military service, a struggle with addiction to cope with those losses and, after returning to Long Beach, becoming homeless while she battled PTSD and depression.
She moved to Washington state with her husband and new baby, hoping for a better future. But the challenges didn’t end there – COVID hit, her mental health worsened, and she experienced domestic abuse that left her fearing for her and her infant’s safety.
In 2022, Keymara left everything behind and started over again with her child at Veterans Park in Pomona, which is served by Hope through Housing. Having stability gave Keymara the clarity to reflect on her experiences. She realized that her journey had given her a rare gift: the ability to deeply understand the mental health struggles of others, especially veterans.
“Living through my own mental health challenges helped me realize I wasn’t alone – and that I could use my experience to help others find what truly works,” Keymara said.
In 2023, Keymara committed herself to becoming a nurse. She was accepted to West Coast University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with the goal of working in veteran mental health care. Her mission is to fight the stigma around mental health in the veteran community and help others discover personalized paths to healing. Keymara believes that no one’s trauma looks the same – and healing shouldn’t either.
This May, Keymara was chosen as one of 33 recipients of the 2025 Building Bright Futures Scholarship Recipient by the Hope through Housing Foundation.
She says the funds will help her pay for transportation to her classes, something that often determines whether she can attend or not. Every class takes her closer to the future she’s fighting for.
Keymara shared, “I’m incredibly grateful for the support. As a single mother, finding a place like Veteran’s Park and receiving this scholarship has given me the chance to pay it forward and help someone else in need.