Elena Navarro is a single, 27-year-old woman living outside of San Jose, CA. She has a bachelor’s degree and ambitions to attend law school. While Elena’s degree and experience qualify her for jobs that pay well above the poverty line, she lives close to the margin. Elena survived a challenging year thanks to the generosity of her sister and her ability to repeatedly find new employment. Without her resourcefulness and considerable help from her family, it is easy to see how these challenges might have derailed her significantly, perhaps permanently.