Woman who became homeless as a teen, turns her life around for the better
A 30-year-old British Asian woman has completely changed her life, overcoming some of the toughest days she had to face as a young girl.
In the running for Miss Great Britain, Alicia Shah, who became homeless and went to live in a hostel at the age of 17, says that at the time she thought “it was the end” for her.
Shah was brought up in Richmond and was a runner-up for Miss London, and is now Miss Hertfordshire. She has been vocal about her homelessness and how it gave rise to mental health issues.
Currently serving as a caregiver for her mother, Shah has been fulfilling the role of a caretaker in her family since her childhood, as she grew up with a disabled brother and a single mother. She stated that her parents’ divorce during her early childhood years led her to “lose her sense of self.”
Speaking to MyLondon, she said, “At 17, I wasn’t coping with the responsibility of having a single Mum and having 2 other siblings who I had to help raise. I craved independence but I came from a complicated background. I didn’t have a safety net.”
This craving for independence led her way to a homeless shelter for teenagers. “There was a huge calibre of people there from those with anklets and pregnant to those the police had brought in to stay there,” she added.
She continued, “I felt bad and let it spiral but I realised nobody is going to come and rescue me but myself; nobody is going to take me out of this. I’m not a victim, I found healing in painting and art therapy.”
Shortly thereafter, Shah discovered pageantry. During her conversation with MyLondon, she acknowledges that people might perceive pageantry as superficial, but for her, it evolved into a platform to share her experiences and the comfort she derived from art therapy.
She said, “I thought, here is a platform, and here I can make my voice heard and help others find their voices.”
“I thought it was the end at 17. Pageantry has been a way for me to tell people they are not alone,” she revealed.
For the past 10 years, Shah has been conducting art therapy workshops. She initially promoted her business through word of mouth and self-made flyers when she began.
During her workshops, she instructs participants to draw a memory and then discusses the colours used and the emotions they might represent. The art serves as a means for many to express themselves, much like she did during her late-teen years.
Alicia told My London about a non-verbal autistic boy she helped during her workshops several years ago. She said, “I didn’t talk down to him, I just gave him a paintbrush and canvas. I spoke to him like a normal person, like he could understand. I told him what to do and asked questions and then let him get on with it.
“I kid you not at that moment he discovered his talent, his shading, and shaping were amazing. He ended up crying in the workshop. I gave him a way to express himself, I gave someone non-verbal a voice.”
According to Shah, art therapy and her exploration of art have enabled her to articulate her emotions effectively, while pageantry has provided her with a platform to share the comfort she has discovered. Going forward, the inspiring woman aspires to extend this support to others so that they don’t experience feelings of isolation.
