When Dreams Take a Different Shape

When Faruque arrived in Los Angeles in 1996, he carried ambitious dreams for his future.

Back home in Bangladesh, he had trained as an aerospace engineer and worked in the aviation industry. At 27 years old, he came to the United States believing that additional education and hard work could help him build an even bigger future for himself and his family.

“I came here to make my dreams bigger,” he said.

His plan was to continue his studies, earn additional credentials, and advance his career. But life quickly became more complicated than he expected.

Later, a serious accident left him with a permanent foot injury, creating another challenge as he navigated work and employment opportunities. The combination of family responsibilities, financial pressures, and health setbacks changed the course of his life in ways he never anticipated.

Today, Faruque still reflects on some of the goals he never achieved. He sometimes wonders what might have happened had circumstances unfolded differently.

But his life story is not defined only by the dreams that changed along the way.

Over the past three decades, he has built a family, raised two children, and remained committed to creating opportunities for the people he loves most.

His daughter, now 17, hopes to become a teacher. His son is creative, curious, and passionate about building things. Their future is never far from his mind.

“I want both of my children to go to college,” he said.

For Faruque, that goal has become one of the clearest measures of success.

A few years ago, however, the family’s stability was shaken when they received an eviction notice.

For the first time in his life, Faruque found himself facing housing insecurity.

“I was confused,” he recalled. “I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

The family spent time in a motel before moving into a family shelter. What was intended to be temporary stretched into nearly a year as they searched for a more permanent solution.

Through that uncertainty, Faruque’s primary concern remained the same: keeping his family safe.

Eventually, the family connected with Venice Community Housing and moved into one of our communities.

The challenges in Faruque’s life did not suddenly disappear. He still thinks about work, opportunities, and the goals he hopes to achieve. But housing gave him something that had become increasingly difficult to find: stability.

“Honestly, when we got the offer, we already felt safe,” he said.

Just as important was the way the family was treated.

At a time when he often felt judged for his circumstances, Faruque found people who listened, checked in regularly, and treated his family with dignity and respect.

“They didn’t act like that,” he said, reflecting on how VCH differed from some of his previous experiences seeking help.

Today, Marian Place offers something Faruque deeply values: the ability to focus on the future rather than simply worrying about where his family will sleep.

“That’s why I feel like this is a safe place for me,” he said.

We are grateful to Faruque for sharing his story and speaking at VCH’s 34th Annual Jazz Brunch. His willingness to reflect on his family’s journey and the importance of having a safe, stable place to call home helped bring the impact of our work to life.

Faruque still has dreams of his own. He hopes to own a home someday. He talks about opening a small business, drawing on years of experience working in retail. And after their children finish college, he and his wife hope to travel together again, revisiting some of the wonder he experienced while exploring 27 countries earlier in life.

But the future he talks about most often belongs to his children.

The opportunities he once imagined for himself are now opportunities he works to create for them.

And while success may not have unfolded exactly as he expected when he first arrived in Los Angeles nearly thirty years ago, Faruque continues moving forward with the same goal that has guided him throughout his life: building a better future for his family.