Washington (CNN) — Chiugo Akujuobi has survived on food pantries and donations from friends since fleeing their family home in Houston earlier this year. They said they grew tired of frequent transphobic comments from relatives.
The 26-year-old now sleeps on a friend’s couch in North Texas. They graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Scripps College in 2021 and have struggled to find a full-time job, instead taking on some work doing graphic design, social media marketing and copywriting on a contract basis.
Akujuobi is one of millions of Americans who are struggling in today’s economy. This calendar year, Akujuobi estimates they made less than $10,000. The poverty line was $15,480 for a single person in 2023, according to the latest data from the Census Bureau.
The cost of living crisis in the US has eased somewhat, but low-income Americans are still struggling after years of high inflation and elevated interest rates. Their situation could worsen if …