Yaya Por Vida Foundation

Yaritza Rollan (05/28/1993-12/28/2019) was a young, vibrant tattoo artist, painter, ceramics sculptor, illustrator, muralist, and cosmetologist who dedicated her short life to the arts. She participated in local gallery events right out of high school, got herself into tattoo apprenticing all on her own, and paved her own path to what was a bright career in the arts.

  "My sister, Yaritza Rollan (better known as Yaya ) dedicated her entire life to the arts. She tattooed, painted, drew, created murals, and even got into Cosmetology. She began participating in local gallery events right out of high school, got herself into tattoo apprenticing all on her own, and paved her own path to what would have been a bright future in the art world. Sadly, she immediately met and became influenced by the darker figures of this profession and began a slow decline into opiate addiction. Nevertheless, she always held on tight to her art, still tattooed, and still worked hard to stay on the path of her dreams regardless of her struggles. Sadly, the ten-year battle with drug addiction claimed her life on December 28, 2019. That was the day another shining light in an otherwise grim world ceased to shimmer.  ​

Her struggle was not in vain from where I see it. In the aftermath of her passing, I learned how much she inspired those around her, especially at Reaves House (click here to learn more). In her worst moments (whether of her own accord or not) she always found a way to get clean again. Reaves house might have been her last stop on this earth but it is certainly only one of many stops in her new journey across the universe. Reeves House is a non-profit, women's only community treatment center in the heart of Miami with over 50 years of passionate work in trying to get our girls off the streets and back to living healthy lifestyles."

​ Yamila Rollan Escalona, Founder

The heart of our organization is art. Yaya always had a pencil, paintbrush, or tattoo gun in hand. Art was her therapy, her healthy escape, and her means of expression when she didn't know how to put into words how she was feeling. The importance of her art is not just based on how successful she was becoming, but more so on what the art did for her in her more challenging moments. We live her legacy through her art and share the healing art provided for her. We currently run two Art as Healing programs that are curated between our organization and local artists to bring a unique, fun, and therapeutic experience to those in recovery, their families, and people who use drugs.

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic, relapsing disease that is characterized by compulsive drug use despite harmful consequences. People with SUD often have difficulty controlling their drug use and may continue to use drugs even when they know that it is causing them problems. SUD is a complex disease that is caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and social factors. There is no cure for SUD, but it can be successfully treated with a combination of medication and therapy. Yaya Por Vida provides a variety of SUD treatment services, including referrals to medication-assisted treatment providers (MAT), individual and group support, peer support, trauma-informed care, harm reduction-based practices, and referral navigation to in our outpatient treatment. We are committed to helping people overcome SUD and live healthy, fulfilling lives.