• My Father the Imposter

  by Sanovia Williams

  When asked about my father, I usually respond, “For the longest I can remember, it was just my mom and me. I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t,” which isn’t entirely true. I have early memories of my father spoiling me with clothes so I could feel comfortable and look my best.

• Housing Stability Changed My Life

  by Rose Perna

  My mom, my six siblings, and I moved into a homeless shelter in Brooklyn in February 2021. It was a shelter for families with children, and the apartment they put us in was horrible. The walls had graffiti and mold on them, the floors looked like they’d never been cleaned, and you could hear rats scratching and squeaking inside the walls. 

• United by Difference in New York City

  by Dominique de Castro

  A heavy pot blew through a window in a flurry of wind and rain. Just like that, the seal was broken. Pop! Pop! Pop! The rest of the windows came crashing out of the walls at the same time. Torrents of rain flooded the living room and kitchen.

• When I Lived in a Shelter, I Still Kept My Head Held High

  by Sirsy Galarza

  Some names have been changed. In 2016, I felt like my world was collapsing. My two aunts died, and then my grandmother. This made me afraid that I’d lose my mother and twin brother, too, and be put in the foster care system.

• Losing the Most Important Connection

  by Valentina Ferreira

  I recently wrote a YCteen story about how difficult it was for me to reconnect with my mother after being separated from her for so long. We’re originally from Colombia and she came to the United States before me, when I was only 5.

• I Started My Own Charity

  by Jahin Rahman

  The burning Dhaka summer sun reflected off the rearview mirror of my parents’ Toyota as I sat in the backseat with my sister. It was a typical afternoon, 100 degrees, and I could feel the sweat on my skin. I was 5 years old.