Laura Oliverio

Photo Editor

CNN

lauraoliverio.com

NYC Student Housing Insecurity, CNN

School: S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication

Isabella Zaldaña, 19...the biggest blessing."

Isabella Zaldaña, 19, has struggled with housing insecurity throughout her life. She now attends Medgar Evers College where she joined a pilot program that has given her affordable housing through the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter organization. "Not everyone has access to having, like, a clean space and a clean table, just to have that environment," Zaldaña said. "To me, to be able to create and set up my own environment has been the biggest blessing."

This building houses the 300-sq...mother, father and grandmother.

This building houses the 300-square-foot apartment Zaldaña shared with her sister, mother, father and grandmother.

Zaldaña looks out on...d grateful right now."

Zaldaña looks out on Manhattan, where her family still lives, from her new apartment in Queens. "I'm literally facing the Upper East Side. And I can't help but think I'm looking at my mom and my sister right now," she said. "And all the love for them -- I just feel so immensely blessed and grateful right now."

PLAY

STOP

GRID

FULL

LOVE

Media

NYC Student Housing Insecurity, CNN

laura oliverio

Jan 2, 2023

It was an honor to photograph Isabella for this story on housing insecurity for college students in NYC. To be apart of such an impactful story as my first time photographing for CNN was incredible. Thank you to my team at CNN for trusting me with this and most importantly thank you to Isabella for sharing your story with us.