Losing the Most Important Connection
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 was not able to join her until I was 12, […]
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I Started My Own Charity
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. The smell of gasoline attacked my nostrils as we remained stuck […]
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Living in Shelter
Before I went into the shelter system, I was confident. I wanted to try new things and I was very loud. No matter what I was saying, I had to be loud about it. “THERE’S THE ICE CREAM TRUCK! CAN WE GET ICE CREAM PLEASE?” I was 9 years old and in 4th grade when […]
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Growing Up Homeless
When I was 11 years old, my mother lost her job as a receptionist for a small carpentry company. After a few months of not being able to pay the rent, my mom, my younger sister, and I moved into a smaller apartment. Then we stayed with family and friends, then motels, until there was […]
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