It’s the season of giving. We pass Salvation Army bell ringers that remind us to think of the less fortunate and give what we can.

Right in time for the holidays, the New York Times offers us a chance to dive into the life of a struggling family, to see what it’s really like for someone living in an America often forgotten.

Andrea Elliot’s, “Invisible Child: Dasani’s Homeless Life,” is a five part exposé into the life of one of New York City’s 22,000 homeless children. 

The story includes an eclectic cast of real-life characters: 

Dasani – She was named after the water bottle brand, an exotic symbol of a better life in the eyes of her mother. The sixth grader has always been bright, but she has her mother’s temper. Staff at Susan S. McKinney  Secondary School for the Arts say she has the potential for greatness, if she would stop the fighting. 

 her principle Miss Holmes says.

“Dasani has something that hasn’t even been unleashed yet, it’s still being cultivated.”

Chanel, the Mother –  Chanel wants the best for her daughter, but she encourages Dasani to fight the biggest girls in school. She steals from the corner store when welfare benefits do not suffice.

Supreme – Dasani’s stepfather, Supreme is a former inmate attempting to turn life around through belief in the “Five-Percent.” He is often absent. When he is around, he tends to be a harsh disciplinarian. 

Dasani’s siblings - Dasani helps to take care of Khaliq, Avianna, Nijai (legally blind), Papa, Hada, Maya, and baby Lele in the one room they share with Chanel and Supreme at Auburn. The group is tight knit. Their greatest fear is that Child Protective Services is going to take them away from each other.

Paula Holmes – McKinney School principal. Miss Holmes encourages Dasani to be the best. She does not accept any acting out, even though she favors Dasani, suspending the girl when she continues to threaten a student who teases her.

Faith Hester,  The sixth grade teacher - Chanel describes her as “weird.” , a child of a single mother in the projects, left for college at sixteen after a teacher guided her to success. Two master’s degrees later, she’s strives to be that teacher for her students. She blends fun and seriousness in her classroom. 

“I don’t ever wanna hear, ‘Well, my mother told me to do this,’ unless you know that that’s the right thing.”

Giant - The fitness guru from Harlem takes note of Dasani’s strength at a “Five Percent” event. He offers her a spot on his acrobatic fitness team, Bartendaz. Her spot on the team offers another chance for Dasani to get out of the cycle of poverty, through athleticism and fame. 

These characters have battled everything you can imagine: drug addiction, violence, injustice, illness, personal irresponsibility. 

It is a story of disappointment, hope, and sheer survival. Besides the brilliant writing, the piece is complimented with captivating pictures, interactive maps, and actual records of complaints filed at Auburn that paint a portrait of Dasani’s world. 

If you get a chance this holiday season, we highly recommend you read the full story.