Adjusting to My Adoptive Family
When I was first adopted out of foster care at age 6, everyone in my new family was sweet to me. It seemed like there was a lot of love. In addition to my two adoptive parents, I had six new siblings. Nobody made me feel like I was different. I watched TV shows and […]
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Better Apart
My mom and I fought all my life. Sometimes, she insulted me and used foul language, saying things like, “You’re never going to be sh-t,” or “I should’ve never had you.” On occasion, she hit me. Nothing I did seemed good enough for her, even when I got A’s in school. She was angry at […]
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Finding a Supportive Home
I was 13 and it was almost summer in Florida. It was a sunny day and my best friend and I were walking to my house after school. When I got home, the atmosphere suddenly shifted from bright and lively to dark and gloomy. My mom immediately asked me for my phone, so I gave […]
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Making Family Where You Find It
When Covid shut down New York City in March 2020, I lost my home. I was part of the FCSI/Dorm Project, a program that lets college students in care stay in dorms year-round. Most of us suddenly left the dorms, and I moved in with a new foster family. It was my third placement since […]
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