May is National Foster Care Awareness Month: 2013

Opinion on Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy from a Foster Kid!

I can remember it like it was yesterday! The day that I got separated from my biological family has been seared into my memory for the last 21 years. It was a somber day. It was filled with dread, sadness, and anxiety as I put my life possessions into black trash bags: toys, clothes, and games…most of which I would never see again anyway. My siblings and I had no idea what fate awaited us as we piled into the back seat of the social workers car… a woman whom we would never see again either! Being separated from my family was devastating. The trauma that was produced from that early experience marked my adolescence with trust issues, problems with authority figures, and a battle with rejection that I continue to engage in to this day. After spending about 7 years in the Michigan foster care system, I can attest to the fact that it is an experience that no one should ever have to endure. My heart breaks when I view the images of children in distress after being separated from t...

Foster Youth Leadership: Lessons Learned From Peaches & Social Media

In today’s society, it seems as if everyone wants to be an overnight celebrity. With recent trends of, “going viral,” in Social Media, the average Joe (and Jane) can become famous and well-paid at the click of a mouse. Are values like, hard work, practice, and discipline becoming obsolete in an age where people can gain access to their15 minutes of fame with a few million views and followers? One of the leadership topics that I enjoy discussing with foster youth is discovering their passion. I encourage them to find out what they are good at, and to start developing those skills as early as possible. Whether its sports, science, writing, or any other interests, the main objective is to first identify their skills and then work hard to master them so that they can become the best in their craft. The recent situation with Arizona peach crops has highlighted the need for young people to get back to the basics of going through the process of leadership development. This process i...

Only A Mountain

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