KeShuna B. Wichita Falls, Texas If I’m writing from my heart, a permanent connection is something I’ve never experienced. To me, the connection leaves when you leave care. I aged out of foster care at 19. For me, that’s when life started. Although
Zeke P. Des Moines, Iowa Have you ever wondered what goes unnoticed within the system? It may surprise you, but approximately 420,000 youth are in foster care in the United States, with a national average of 55 kids going missing in a
Celeste G. Little Rock, AR Proverbs 11:14: "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (ESV). When you spend most of your childhood in the Bible Belt as I did, it's not unusual to
Michael F. Chatsworth, Georgia Can you imagine feeling lost or alone with no one to guide or support you in your life? For youth in foster care, this is often their reality — one that can be changed by having supportive adults,
Tee M. New York Why? Why me? Why now? These were the questions that echoed in my mind, day in and day out, as I faced the harsh realities of life. As a teenager who had left the foster care system to
“Being in foster care felt like being incarcerated,” shared a young person with lived experience. Incarceration, the act of confining a person, is used for retribution, incapacitation, deterrence, and rehabilitation. Youth in foster care have not committed a crime so
If my younger self could see me right now, she would be so proud. Sometimes, I can’t believe I am still alive. On June 12, 2016, my mom’s ex-husband, a semi-truck driver, forced me to go on a work trip around
There comes a time when foster kids hit a breaking point. My breaking point happened when I was 13. I had been in over 30 homes in my first year in care. No one seemed to listen to me or
As a transgender youth, I’ve had my fair share of problems, but I’d like to address the fact that not all foster parents are properly trained to foster LGBTQ+ youth. I live in an open-minded home, but it was still
It is so easy for youth to lose their voice while in care. It’s sad for them to feel small during such a significant time in their life. Yet, their voice is bigger than anything going on in their case.
