Pregnant and Addicted-TJ (January 2026 update)

Quick Overview

The January 2026 update on TJ, a pregnant and addicted individual from Skid Row, Los Angeles, reveals her ongoing struggles with sobriety, her precarious housing situation, and her deep fear that if she does not remain clean, Child Protective Services will take her expected son, highlighting the immense pressure she feels to succeed in recovery for her child's sake.

Key Points: TJ is eight months pregnant and expects to give birth in about two weeks, stating she is currently homeless. She is using drugs (fentanyl and crack) but states she is trying to get clean and hopes to go to a program in Tucson where she can have her baby with her. She reveals that her mother died when TJ was seven, and her father died two years prior to the interview, leaving her without immediate family support. TJ expresses deep concern that if she relapses, Child Protective Services will take her baby, which motivates her attempts at sobriety. She has been living on Skid Row for about six years and has seen many people lose their children to the system. The video concludes with Mark Laita promoting his book, 'Soft White Underbelly 2,' which features a collection of portraits from the series.

Context: This video is an update on TJ, a subject previously featured in the 'Soft White Underbelly' series by Mark Laita, focusing on individuals struggling with addiction and homelessness in Skid Row, Los Angeles. This installment catches up with TJ while she is heavily pregnant, detailing her current living situation, her continued substance use despite the pregnancy, and her anxieties surrounding impending motherhood and the threat of child services intervention.

Detailed Analysis

This documentary segment provides an update on TJ, who is eight months pregnant and living on Skid Row in Los Angeles, expecting to give birth in about two weeks. She confirms she is still using drugs, specifically fentanyl and crack, but expresses a desire to get clean and hopes to enter a program in Tucson that would allow her to keep her baby with her during treatment. TJ reveals significant personal loss, stating her mother died when she was seven and her father died two years before the interview, leaving her without family backup. This loss compounds the pressure she feels to stay sober, as she is acutely aware that if she relapses, Child Protective Services will take her son. She has been living on Skid Row for six years and has witnessed many others lose their children to the system. The interview segment closes with the introduction of Mark Laita, who promotes his second book, 'Soft White Underbelly 2,' which includes portraits from the series, along with information on how to purchase it and support independent journalism via Ground News.