I lost my apartment in a fire. I learned that community is what makes a home.

• In 2019, the Brooklyn apartment where I had lived for 10 years burned down.
• That apartment was my refuge; it was gone in a flash, taking my cat with it.
• My friends helped me salvage my life, and I got support from everyone.

At 4:49 p.m. on April 3, 2019, my phone rang. It was a crystal clear spring day with gusty winds, and my neighbor informed me that my Brooklyn apartment — and home of 10 years — was on fire.