To every foster kid and at-risk teen, I want you to know this: your life matters. You are not invisible. You are not alone.
I’m writing to any young person who feels forgotten or pushed aside. I know that feeling. I was born in Sacramento, the youngest of eight children, and our lives were shattered by my parents’ addiction. From the age of eight, I moved through the foster care system until I was placed with my older sister. That lasted until I was almost seventeen. When I got kicked out, the streets became my reality.
I never learned how to talk about my pain. I had no outlet, no support, and no safe space to speak honestly. I coped by numbing myself with weed and alcohol. I dropped out of high school and chased fast money. I thought carrying a gun made me powerful. I believed the lies that the streets were the only place I could belong. In March 2011, I helped take a life and hurt three other people. I was nineteen years old. I was sentenced to four life terms.
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t regret the pain I caused. No excuses. Just the truth. I blamed others for years, but the fault is mine. It took years of sitting with myself, asking hard questions, and learning how to take responsibility. I have grown in ways I never imagined. I have earned my GED and I’m now taking college courses. I’ve learned that strength is found in asking for help. Talking about what you’re going through opens the door for healing.
To every foster kid and at-risk teen, I want you to know this: your life matters. You are not invisible. You are not alone. The system can be tough and it’s not perfect, but there are people and resources out there who want to help you succeed. Ask questions. Talk to a teacher. Connect with a counselor. Stay in school. Stay focused. Education will give you a future far bigger than what the streets offer.
My life is not over. I am working every day to become someone my family can be proud of. I want to use my story as a warning and a message of hope. The streets lied to me. They will lie to you too. There is no future in that life.
What you are going through now is part of your journey, not the end of it. Keep pushing. Use your voice. Believe in yourself. You have value. You have a future. You can make it count.
