To provide Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI) youth with safe shelter, services, and opportunities that support and guide them to take ownership of their lives to reach their full potential.
Ramen Ya (the Noodle House) is the Independent Living Assistance program provided through Asian Media Access‘ social service division RICE (Reaching Immigrant with Care and Education).
Ramen Ya assists homeless youth ages 16 through 21 with up to 18 months of housing and skill development as part of a comprehensive program to help youth transition to adulthood.
Ramen Ya supports training and counseling services that prepare our young people for independent livings; and offers 8 Transitional Living Housing beds for runaway and homeless Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI) girls, for a safe, dignified living.
Ramen Ya creates a nurturing environment of safety, equality, and self-respect for all youth, and provides a wide range of culturally and linguistically appropriate services reflecting the youth’s needs, and allows flexibility for the youth to choose the course of action that is best for them.
Any youth aged between 16 - 21 years old who is at risk or experiencing runaway and homelessness can be self referred, referred by shelters, or by school personnel, county social worker, and/or probation officer, or by other social service agencies.
After a short In-Take process, youth will know if he/she is qualified for services. If needed, girls will be referred and placed at Ramen Ya housing facilities. All Ramen Ya services are free of charge to qualified youth.
Ramen Ya is more than a transitional living program, but a big FAMILY designed to comfort AAPI youths who have been victims to domestic abuse, violence, sexual assault, untreated mental health disorders, drug use, and sexual exploitation due to living on the streets.
Based on our fieldwork, we found that 85% of AAPI female runaways are sexually assaulted during the time that they are on the run or homeless. Many are running to escape cultural expectations such as early, and /or forced marriages, unrealistic domestic duties, and unfair treatment between boys and girls. The well being of the girls have long been ignored at home. During the run-away/homeless period, because they are in need of shelter, clothing, and food, they are often taken advantage of, more than not, raped and/or pushed into drugs and prostitution. There is an urgent need to support this group of vulnerable girls to live safely, gain skills and re-build their lives.