Nicole’s Place: Building Women to Stand on Their Own

Supported by The Austin 20

By:  Anne DeVries

In recent years, more visibility has been given to the existence of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) in the United States. What most people in Austin don’t realize is that it is not a far-off problem, but is happening in our own city.  The issue is commonly thought to be isolated to kids being trafficked across the southern border.  This is not the full story.

In reality, the abuse is often started by a girl's own family, fueled by drug abuse. Occurring due to teen isolation and loneliness that is preyed upon.  Techniques, including social media, are used to hijack vulnerable young women, luring them into relationships with extravagant gifts and false friendship that place them into debt.  The repayment option: sexual exploitation.

For one local resident, learning this was enough to compel her to take action.

In 2017, Lisa Knapp founded Nicole’s Place alongside 20 friends from the Westlake area.  They call themselves The Austin 20. Together, they built a transitional living community for pregnant and parenting mothers working to leave behind lives marked by trafficking, abuse, and poverty.

Located a short drive from Austin, Nicole’s Place is a residential home that provides not just a roof over the heads of young mothers and their children, but also a roadmap guiding residents toward independence through concrete, measurable steps.

“We are not raising girls to rely on us,” Knapp says. “We are raising women who rely on themselves.”

That philosophy shapes every aspect of the program. The path forward at Nicole’s Place is built on actionable progress: obtaining a driver’s license, pursuing an education, securing employment, and accessing reliable childcare. These are not aspirations. They are tools necessary to build a self-sustaining life.

What separates Nicole’s Place from traditional transitional housing is its refusal to confuse support with dependency. There is no therapeutic language designed to keep someone comfortable while they stay stuck. There is, instead, a steady and non-negotiable expectation of growth guided by professionals and caring volunteers.

“These girls are not the problem,” Knapp says. “They are not lazy, not reckless, not looking for a handout. They are capable, very capable. Growing up in chaos makes you very good, very fast, at reading people and situations. That’s not dysfunction. That’s survival. And we build on it.”

Knapp’s experience with the young woman has revealed that though each is unique, they share one unmistakable characteristic: extreme strength.  “It is the kind of strength that isn’t found on motivational posters. It is the kind that kept them alive. And when a young mother arrives with an infant and very little else, something remarkable often happens”.  She shared.

“You can watch it happen,” Knapp continues. “The moment the thought clicks inside of them — I can do this.  It happens not because we saved them, but because that capacity was there the whole time. Nobody had ever bothered to expect it out of them.”

The women leading Nicole's Place hold themselves to the same standard. Debra Rodriguez, a counselor and psychoeducation specialist who specializes in trauma recovery, runs the day-to-day operations. She is assisted by Jennifer Comeaux, who serves as the House Manager."

Dena Wood, an original member of the Austin 20 group and Board Member, serves as the Volunteer Coordinator.  Wood is described by Knapp as the embodiment of the organization’s culture, someone who leads with consistency, never says “we can’t,” and shows up without exception.

That culture of showing up extends to one of the program’s defining commitments: no waitlists. When a young mother and her baby are living in a car, Knapp says, there is simply no “circle back later.”

Nicole’s Place is currently pushing to expand its campus to serve more women, and the need is urgent.  Monetary support is needed, as are volunteers willing to commit consistently in various capacities.

Learn more or get involved at https://theaustin20.org/.