This post contains major spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2. In the newest episode of HBO's The Last of Us, Joel (Pedro Pascal) is brutally and slowly beaten to death with a golf club by Abby (Kaitlyn Dever). This also happened in The Last of Us: Part II the game, of course, so many viewers of the TV series were wondering when during Season 2 it would happen. Now that it has happened, Pascal, along with showrunners and writers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, have discussed the momentous event in great detail.To begin with, Druckmann told Variety that the team debated when during Season 2 to have Abby kill Joel, and it was ultimately decided to do it in Episode 2 to help the story move along."Even in the game, there's like an hour or something before you get to this moment. But we also knew it needed to be early enough, because this is the inciting incident for this story," he said. "So yes, we always pick every permutation, but the later it got in the season, it just felt we were kind of dragging our feet instead of just getting to the meat of what the story is about."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Fortnite and Marvel are once again teaming up and bringing more comic book skins to the game. Epic Games has annoucement the upcoming Thunderbolts set, which features the White Widow and the Winter Soldier as skins and several other cosmetics that will finalize their look perfectly, ranging from themed wraps to back blings, emotes, and pickaxes.

There’s a lot to love about the Nintendo Switch, not least of which the abundance of titles with local multiplayer features, making it a great console for game night with friends or a casual play session with a roommate. We’ve collected some of our favorite titles that allow for some good old-fashioned local play. It’s also my preferred play style, as the last few years have given me more excuses to stay in and try new games. Local multiplayer makes ass-kicking games much more approachable, thanks to friends respawning my character. I also love building something together in real time, like a farm in Stardew Valley, or causing communal chaos like with Untitled Goose Game’s treacherous honking. Sure, couch co-op can also mean getting revived just to get ragdolled across spikes in Spelunky 2. But it sure beats dying alone. And if you’re looking for more platform-agnostic couch co-op recommendations, here are our favorite local multiplayer games, games to play with a Valentine’s Day beau, and a Dear Polygon column about couch co-op. Our last update added Super Mario Party Jamboree, Lego Horizon Adventures, and Cult of the Lamb! For two players Cult of the Lamb Find yourself daydreaming about the utopian society you’d create if only you were in charge of everything? Me too, buddy. But starting a cult is harder than it looks, so it’s probably better to just simulate doing so in Cult of the Lamb, the indie darling roguelike that has players forming new religions through a bizarrely diversified game loop. It now has two-player co-op on Switch, too, so you and a friend can play as the lamb and the goat, or vice versa. Just try not to be the sacrificial one, OK? —Zoë Hannah Lego Horizon Adventures Like all of the Lego video games, Lego Horizon Adventures allows for single-player play, but it’s most fun when you play with a friend. This redux of Horizon Zero Dawn made its way onto Switch despite the franchise being Sony IP, and that was a good choice for both companies. The game got surprisingly good reviews for a Lego version of an existing game, and it probably represents lots of younger Switch users’ first exposure to the longtime Horizon franchise. Plus, you can’t beat that Lego-y ASMR. —ZH Bread & Fred Bread & Fred went viral on social media for its hilarious co-op gameplay; two penguins are attached by a rope, then set off into a chaotic platforming sequence. It requires the two players to work together to time jumps and precision moves to make it to the next level. Simply put, it’s a wild ride. More often than not, you and your partner will fail — spectacularly — which often leads to a better, more hilarious co-op session. It was originally released on Windows PC, but was added to Nintendo Switch in 2024. —Nicole Carpenter Pikmin 4 Pikmin 4’s couch co-op mode is pretty simple, which makes it one of those games that’s perfect for an adult to play with a young child. Two adults might find the experience a little underwhelming, as you’re tasked with controlling a single character, not two individual pilots. The main player controls the pilot, while the secondary player controls the game’s cursor and throws pebbles. It’s an entirely different experience than Pikmin 3, but it doesn’t necessarily make it worse — just a different experience for a different player. —N. Carpenter Stardew Valley This modern-classic farming sim game takes its cues from the Harvest Moon series, and running a farm with your friends only adds to the fun. You can work together to plant and harvest crops or spend your days doing different activities, like fishing or mining. Local co-op is available for two players — just don’t forget to build an extra cabin on your farm. (Up to four can play with online multiplayer.) —N. Clark Portal: Companion Collection This Switch remaster includes both Portal and Portal 2, seminal games well worth the revisit. You’ll explore and solve puzzles by using a portal gun; experimenting within the game’s physics is even more fun with a friend in tow. (Plus, when playing local co-op, the number of portals that can be placed is doubled.) —N. Clark Good Job! Congrats, you are the new CEO of a large corporation, and your wisdom is required to help employees stay on task. Good Job! has a lot in common with Untitled Goose Game. In this isometric game, you’ll be given a list of tasks — like bringing a projector into the conference room. But no one said you couldn’t do it by launching it like a projectile through the window. —N. Clark Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker This Wii U game’s Switch port is full of charm. Play together in local co-op as Captain Toad and Toadette, and explore and solve your way through a series of bite-size puzzles. Each self-contained course has little nooks and crannies to pop in and out of, and Koopas to navigate around. —N. Clark Untitled Goose Game It’s a lovely morning in the village and you are a horrible goose! Cause mayhem and honk to your heart’s content in this charming game. With local co-op you and one friend can each be horrible geese, using teamwork to terrorize the townspeople. Honk honk HONK!! —N. Clark Spiritfarer In this melancholy game, you play as Stella the ferrymaster, who guides spirits into the afterlife. Meet wonderful characters and help them find closure. Spiritfarer combines exploration on the seas with management sim elements, as you build housing, kitchens, and more, and learn to farm, cook, and craft. Player two is Stella’s cat Daffodil, who can do most management sim tasks — she just can’t talk to characters, and thus, can’t trigger quests. —N. Clark Luigi’s Mansion 3 Screw playing as the plumber in the red hat — it’s time to be his taller counterpart. In Luigi’s Mansion 3, you can play local co-op with player two as Gooigi (a spooky goo Luigi) after finishing the intro walkthrough and getting E. Gadd’s briefcase. Platform your way through the haunted hotel to save your friends Mario, Peach, and numerous Toads. —N. Clark Cuphead This modern-day, punishingly difficult platformer has the beautiful look of vintage animation. The art direction and soundtrack are wholly unique, making the game a joyride from start to finish, despite the challenge. Mugman, Cuphead’s sibling, can join on a local co-op journey. —N. Clark Unravel 2 Play as a Yarny (a living ball of yarn that looks like a small sprite) and solve puzzles with a friend by using your spare yarn to pull, yank, and swing. It requires quite a bit of teamwork. Where other local co-op games might allow players to wander and do their own thing, this game is all about solving puzzles using each other’s momentum. —N. Clark Kirby and the Forgotten Land Kirby games tend to be perfectly chill and incredibly adorable, and this one is no exception. In Forgotten Land you and another player run, float, and fight through 3D levels. In addition to Kirby’s classic inhale powers, Forgotten Land also gifted us “mouthful mode,” which lets Kirby stretch like a glove over enormous objects like cars and huge lightbulbs. (By the way, Kirby Star Allies is also fun with local co-op.) —N. Clark Nobody Saves the World Play as characters named “Nobody” as you work together to attempt to cure the world of a poisonous blight, and figure out why you have no memory of your past life. But there’s another twist: Instead of a classic perk tree, your characters will unlock various forms — like a turtle, ghost, knight, or ninja — each with its own set of moves. What’s more, the forms can synergize with one another, making for some incredibly absurd skill combos. —N. Clark Cat Quest 2 This criminally underrated action game puts you in the shoes of a cat fighting their way through the pun-filled land of Felingard. And player two gets to be a dog! Playing is a simple grind in this approachable and silly RPG. Fight your way through dungeons, meet necromancer cats, and try on lots of outfits. —N. Clark Unsighted Play as an automaton that needs a gem substance to survive, and fight against the clock to keep your friends from becoming “unsighted” and turning into shells of their former selves. This Metroidvania has an incredible map with three interwoven floors of levels, and tons of Zelda-like puzzles. A couch co-op buddy makes these challenges much more surmountable. —N. Clark Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove This pixel art Metroidvania has the feel of a great NES game, with its retro aesthetic and excellent platforming and battling. The definitive edition (which includes the original Shovel of Hope campaign), available on Nintendo Switch, supports local co-op for two players. —N. Clark Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga The Lego games are always a great laugh, and they have reliable couch co-op modes (see also: Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2). They’re accessible, family-friendly, and give a silly spin to some of the most recognizable films of our time. The Skywalker Saga is no different, with Lego versions of a whopping nine movies from the behemoth franchise and 200-plus minifigs to unlock. —N. Clark Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle A silly collaboration between Nintendo and Ubisoft became one of the sleeper hits of its release year. This squad tactics game pairs Mario and friends with their own doppelganger Rabbids against a veritable sea of evil Rabbids. While local co-op is limited to five specific challenges — so we wouldn’t recommend buying it specifically for co-op play alone — these levels are especially fun. Working together changes the tactical dynamics. —N. Clark Crypt of the Necrodancer Crypt of the Necrodancer is the perfect combination of dungeon crawler and rhythm game — with some sweet tunes, to enliven the whole experience. But dancing through the game’s levels is even more fun with a friend, even if having someone else there doesn’t necessarily make it easier. You both still have to stay on beat! —N. Clark Escape Academy If you’ve ever wanted an escape room experience but in a video game, Escape Academy absolutely scratches that itch. Up to two couch co-op players can go to this school for puzzle enthusiasts. Players find solutions and crack codes to avoid legitimately perilous fates — like a tower flooding with water as you climb. Hints (and red herrings) are everywhere. Are you smart enough to escape each room? —N. Clark For two or more players  Super Mario Party Jamboree Super Mario Party Jamboree is simply the latest installment in the Mario Party franchise that has delighted friend groups for years. This version comes with some welcome quality-of-life updates and new twists, but most importantly, it’s a fresh look for the tried-and-true format of playing a bunch of minigames while your friends shout at you. There are new minigames, too, which is a necessary addition now that we’ve all memorized how to win the existing ones. —ZH WarioWare: Move It WarioWare: Move It is minigame heaven! Local co-op using Nintendo Joy-Cons means that you and your pals can play Move It’s hundreds of microgames — they’re called that because they take seconds to play. Anyone who knows Wario knows to expect chaos, and that’s no different in Move It. There are two modes: story mode, which two players can play cooperatively offline, working with each other. Then there’s the party mode, which pits up to four players against each other in the signature microgames. (Think Mario Party, where you work your way through a board game-esque world.) —N. Carpenter Super Mario Bros. Wonder Super Mario Bros. has always been one of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises, and Wonder is another banger. Super Mario Bros. Wonder brings together so many delightful ideas: platforming shenanigans, silly power-ups, and lots of map secrets. The best part? Four people can play local multiplayer, picking from so many classic characters: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Toad, Toadette, and more. —N. Clark Vampire Survivors I’ve donated hours and hours of my life to this deceptively simple roguelike bullet-hell — min-maxing various buffs in order to avoid waves of mob attacks. But multiplayer changes everything. Having more reinforcements to fight waves of attacks means each player can try out unique combinations of weapons and buffs. Just make sure you and your teammates stay in the same screen; there isn’t split screen. —N. Clark Moving Out 2 Though packing up and moving is a pain in the neck in real life, Moving Out 2 turns the experience into a goofy, whimsical group experience. Play as a member of the F.A.R.T. moving crew (yes, you read that correctly) attempting to move furniture, and other items, around some highly inconvenient spaces. —N. Clark Diablo 3 Now more than a decade old, Diablo 3 is still a great local multiplayer choice, especially on the Switch. The action RPG, which felt bombastic when it first came out, has become a very comforting grind game that I get to share with friends. (Especially as Diablo 4 hasn’t made its way to Nintendo Switch.) —N. Clark Spelunky 2 This one is not for the faint of heart. Work with a friend to excavate cave levels, avoid the dangers within, and ration supplies. In local co-op, if one of you dies, you can bring them back to life by finding a coffin. Ragdoll physics — not to mention turkey riding — add challenge and humor to one of the best platformer roguelikes. —N. Clark Rayman Legends Definitive Edition This edition of Rayman Legends has all of the platforming and hijinks that the series is known for. Play through delightful levels and time trials, and collect to your heart’s content. Having multiple players is particularly helpful for respawning, as the game ramps up in difficulty in its later levels. —N. Clark Rocket League Sure, racing games and soccer games are fun on their own — but mashing the two together results in something bizarre and unforgettable. Rocket League asks what other games don’t dare to: What if you played soccer? And what if you did that with rocket-powered vehicles? —N. Clark Towerfall Ascension Towerfall Ascension is the gold standard for 2D arena games. Players are archers and must fight each other with well-placed arrows, or by stomping from above. Movement is a dream with dodging and dashing in the air, lending each character a spry and agile feel. Different multiplayer variants, like starting with just one arrow and having to scavenge for others, keep rounds feeling fresh. Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition This bestseller is a no-brainer for anyone looking to spend time with friends in a sandbox world. Mine, build, dig, fish, plant crops, and protect yourself from the monsters that come out at night — and most of all, survive. —N. Clark Overcooked! All You Can Eat This definitive remaster bundles Overcooked and Overcooked 2 (both excellent games) into one delicious package. Prepare orders for hungry customers while facing ridiculous odds — like cooking in a hot air balloon with cooktops that sometimes catch on fire, or while crossing a busy street. —N. Clark Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury If you’re searching for that classic Super Mario feeling in a modern 3D world, look no further. (Or if you’ve always wanted to play as Mario in a cat suit.) Play as Mario, Luigi, Peach, or Toad — each of them has a slightly different perk. Luigi can get a bit more air in his jump, while Toad is a bit faster. —N. Clark Nintendo Switch Sports Wii Sports’ legacy will never be forgotten (nor will its banging soundtrack). Nintendo Switch Sports gracefully takes up the mantle of its predecessor, along with many of the same classic sports, like bowling, golf, and tennis. It also adds some new ones to the mix, like volleyball and chambara (a great complement to Wii Sports’ boxing). Just make sure you have enough space around you so you don’t accidentally hit your television. —N. Clark Mario Kart 8 Deluxe No multiplayer Nintendo Switch list would be complete without mentioning the most recent edition of 20-year series Mario Kart. Though the game came out in 2017, it still reigns supreme, as far as kart racing goes — and it still gets new courses, like the recent addition of Mario Kart 7’s Rainbow Road. —N. Clark Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime Scramble with your friends to operate a spaceship hurtling through outer space. Each of you can only pilot one of the ship’s eight total control panels at any given time. We hope you like your partners, because you’ll be shouting directions and trying not to lose it as you work together. —N. Clark Snipperclips Plus: Cut it out, together! The premise is simple: Each of you is a piece of paper, and you can cut shapes out of one another in order to accomplish tasks. Some of these challenges involve working together to create a specific shape. Others require teamwork to shoot a ball into a hoop or fill up a basin with water. Bring your most levelheaded (or, alternatively, chaotic) friends. —N. Clark Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Another Switch take on a stone-cold classic, Nintendo’s fight-to-the-death brawler is stocked with all of your favorite characters. Play with up to seven other people and survive to be the last one standing. —N. Clark Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a return to the halcyon days for any TMNT fan, and a truly excellent beat-’em-up brawler. Players can choose between the four Turtles — Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael — along with April O’Neil, Master Splinter, or Casey Jones. —N. Clark

Smart trackers are becoming increasingly common, but few of them look as cool and unique as Roam, which was designed by design firm Tangerine. The new tracker is designed to bring a little character to the smart tracker, while offering a more eco-friendly build in the process. Roam is also designed to be a little less bulky than other smart trackers. The device has an elastic strap that can easy be used to attach it to bags, keys, and other items – all without the need for additional accessories. Apart from the design, that’s perhaps one of the biggest design differences between the Roam and Apple’s AirTags. The tracker is available in six fun colors, including yellow, pink, green, blue, black, and white. You could buy one that stands out a little more, or you can select one that better matches the item you’re attaching it to. Lastly, the device is shockproof and water-resistant, so it should be able to survive anything you put it through. As mentioned, Roam was designed to be eco-friendly. The casing of the tracker was built with 100% recycled plastic, and the built-in strap eliminates the need for additional accessories that are built from wasteful materials. Thankfully, it’s not all about the design. Roam integrates with both Apple’s Find Me and Google’s Find My Device networks, plus it has a replaceable battery that can power the tracker for a year. On the back there is a QR code, which can be scanned by someone who finds your item, to allow them to return it to you. Lastly, the device has geo-recovery with what3words, for more precise tracking. It does not, however, have the same Precision Finding as an Apple AirTag, which relies on an Ultra Wideband chip. For many, that won’t be a huge deal – you’ll still get an updated general location from nearby iPhones. Once you’re near it, you might need to look around a little. Roam is available for pre-order. Visit roamsmarttracker.com for more information.

Weekly curated resources for designers — thinkers and makers.“Today’s pine trees are bred to grow fast to meet the demands of modern lumber production. They mature in about half the time, but with far fewer growth rings. And those rings matter. Fewer rings mean weaker lumber. The fibers are looser, the boards are lighter, and the structural integrity just isn’t the same.”A case for slow growth →By Jon DaielloEditor picksDesigning for emotional residue over functional outcomes →Why design’s most human contribution is now its most strategic advantage.By Peter BarberHealthcare needs interior decorators →Why you need to be an interior decorator of perception.By Himanshu BharadwajDesign isn’t dead. You sound dumb →The problem of clueless critics, inflated egos, and AI panic.By Nate SchloesserThe UX Collective is an independent design publication that elevates unheard design voices and helps designers think more critically about their work.The People’s Graphic Design Archive →Make me thinkNo code is dead; long live vibe coding →“Natural language is proving to be a more powerful interface than drag-and-drop WYSIWYG editors. And most importantly, people don’t want to be locked into proprietary runtimes. They want actual code. They want control. They want to scaffold, edit, and deploy anywhere.”How to hire →“Established talent presents problems. They come with fixed ideas. They’ve developed methods at previous jobs and don’t want to change them. They believe they know the ‘right way’ to do things, which often conflicts with how your team works.”The precise language of good management →“The most common example of imprecise language is when someone asks you in a 1:1 ‘how am I doing?’ Very few managers are ready to answer this question well on the spot. But managers answer the question anyway and often say things like: ‘Oh you’re doing well, communication could improve a bit but overall you’re doing well.’”Little gems this weekDesignShift: from mindset to access →By Ida PerssonThere’s always more pie →By Trip CarrollThe 500-year-old underdog no one is talking about →By Rosie HoggmascallTools and resources10 Figma hacks I wish I’d known earlier →Smart design shortcuts that make your workflow faster.By nurXmedovI finally understand what FAANG wants in a candidate →6 rules on “how to tango” in interviews.By Rita Kind-EnvyTesting your UX ideas with vibe coding →How UX designers can use AI app builders to their advantage.By Allie PaschalSupport the newsletterIf you find our content helpful, here’s how you can support us:Check out this week’s sponsor to support their work tooForward this email to a friend and invite them to subscribeSponsor an editionSlow growth, emotional residue, 10 Figma hacks, from idea to vibe coding was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.You may have considered making your own videos until you actually tried to edit one and ended up staring at timelines and layers, wondering where to even start. Adobe Premiere Elements 2025 is built to simplify that chaos, and right now StackSocial is offering a 3-year license on sale for $99.99. That’s a one-time payment, not a subscription, which already feels like a win. You get AI-powered editing, mobile and web companion apps (still in beta), and access to Adobe Stock templates for titles. It’s aimed at hobbyists, content creators, and anyone who wants their vacation videos to look like a highlight reel.This version's workflow has been simplified a lot. The timeline is cleaner, the performance is snappier—especially on Macs with Apple’s M3 chips—and tools like color correction and grading presets are built-in. You can stylize titles, fix up the lighting, and string together polished transitions without digging through a maze of menus. It also helps that Adobe throws in some templates and effects to nudge beginners in the right direction. That said, if you’re planning to edit in 4K or juggle a bunch of large media files, you’ll want a more powerful system (think 32GB RAM, SSD, and decent GPU). It runs on Windows 10/11 and macOS 13/14, but if you’re still holding on to Windows 8.1 or anything older, this won’t install.Additionally, this deal is only for new users, and you’ll need to redeem the code within 30 days. You can only use it on one device, so no jumping between your desktop and laptop. And while the mobile and web versions sound handy, they’re still in beta and only available in a few languages. But if you want to go from random clips to something with titles, effects, and maybe even background music, without hiring an editor or learning Premiere Pro, this version of Elements makes a lot of sense. And for $100, it gives you three years to play around, learn the basics, and maybe even discover you enjoy editing.

If you're looking for a way to improve your streaming experience without buying a whole new TV, our top pick for the best streaming device is down to an all-time-low price. The Google TV Streamer 4K is on sale for $79, which is a 21-percent discount from its regular price. This new streaming device came out at the end of last year and effectively replaced Google's Chromecast. This is the lowest price we've seen on it since launch, and you can grab it from Amazon or direct from Google. We gave the Google TV streamer 4K an 87 in our review thanks to features like its great interface that keeps everything organized and clear, even across different streaming sources. It also has a simple, easy-to-use remote and switches between content very quickly. However, it does require an HDMI cord (which is not included) and doesn't work with Wi-Fi 6 or 6E.  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-google-tv-streamer-4k-is-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-133539103.html?src=rss

Looking for Quordle clues? We can help. Plus get the answers to Quordle today and past solutions.

All of the megacap companies have significant exposure to President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, which will be a major topic on earnings calls.

Moments after Daniris Espinal walked into her new apartment in Brooklyn, she prayed. In ensuing nights, she would awaken and touch the walls for reassurance—finding in them a relief that turned to tears over her morning coffee.Those walls were possible through a federal program that pays rent for some 60,000 families and individuals fleeing homelessness or domestic violence. Espinal was fleeing both.But the program, Emergency Housing Vouchers, is running out of money—and quickly.Funding is expected to be used up by the end of next year, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and obtained by The Associated Press. That would leave tens of thousands across the country scrambling to pay their rent.It would be among the largest one-time losses of rental assistance in the U.S., analysts say, and the ensuing evictions could churn these people—after several years of rebuilding their lives—back onto the street or back into abusive relationships.“To have it stop would completely upend all the progress that they’ve made,” said Sonya Acosta, policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which researches housing assistance.“And then you multiply that by 59,000 households,” she said.The program, launched in 2021 by then-President Joe Biden as part of the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act, was allocated $5 billion to help pull people out of homelessness, domestic violence and human trafficking.People from San Francisco to Dallas to Tallahassee, Florida, were enrolled—among them children, seniors and veterans—with the expectation that funding would last until the end of the decade.But with the ballooning cost of rent, that $5 billion will end far faster.Last month, HUD sent letters to groups dispersing the money, advising them to “manage your EHV program with the expectation that no additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming.”The program’s future rests with Congress, which could decide to add money as it crafts the federal budget. But it’s a relatively expensive prospect at a time when Republicans, who control Congress, are dead set on cutting federal spending to afford tax cuts.Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, who championed the program four years ago, is pushing for another $8 billion infusion.But the organizations lobbying Republican and Democratic lawmakers to reup the funding told the AP they aren’t optimistic. Four GOP lawmakers who oversee the budget negotiations did not respond to AP requests for comment.“We’ve been told it’s very much going to be an uphill fight,” said Kim Johnson, the public policy manager at the National Low Income Housing Coalition.Espinal and her two daughters, aged 4 and 19, are living on one of those vouchers in a three-bedroom apartment with an over $3,000 monthly rent—an amount extremely difficult to cover without the voucher.Four years ago, Espinal fought her way out of a marriage where her husband controlled her decisions, from seeing her family and friends to leaving the apartment to go shopping.When she spoke up, her husband said she was wrong, or in the wrong or crazy.Isolated and in the haze of postpartum depression, she didn’t know what to believe. “Every day, little by little, I started to feel not like myself,” she said. “It felt like my mind wasn’t mine.”When notices arrived in March 2021 seeking about $12,000 in back rent, it was a shock. Espinal had quit her job at her husband’s urging and he had promised to cover family expenses.Police reports documenting her husband’s bursts of anger were enough for a judge to give her custody of their daughter in 2022, Espinal said.But her future was precarious: She was alone, owed thousands of dollars in back rent and had no income to pay it or support her newborn and teenage daughters.Financial aid to prevent evictions during the pandemic kept Espinal afloat, paying her back rent and keeping the family out of shelters. But it had an expiration date.Around that time, the Emergency Housing Vouchers program was rolled out, targeting people in Espinal’s situation.A “leading cause of family homelessness is domestic violence” in New York City, said Gina Cappuccitti, director of housing access and stability services at New Destiny Housing, a nonprofit that has connected 700 domestic violence survivors to the voucher program.Espinal was one of those 700, and moved into her Brooklyn apartment in 2023.The relief went beyond finding a secure place to live, she said. “I gained my worth, my sense of peace, and I was able to rebuild my identity.”Now, she said, she’s putting aside money in case of the worst. Because, “that’s my fear, losing control of everything that I’ve worked so hard for.” —Jesse Bedayn Associated Press/Report for America