E – Aria Sa’id walks near San Francisco City Hall on her way to receive a 10-year service award from the mayor’s office. Aria first came to San Francisco looking for acceptance when she was 19. She was homeless with her boyfriend for over a year, and eventually turned to sex work such as prostitution to make ends meet, often sleeping on the BART at night. “It’s both traumatic story and a coming of age tale, of sorts,” Aria said. “Being homeless in SF taught me how to survive in the streets and the world. That, paired with my foundation of my upbringing, helped me be the person I am.”