National Foster Care Month: One Woman’s Story of Survival Through Writing

For Black youth in foster care, narrative craft serves as both a lifeline and a form of resistance.At eight, I received a small pink diary that became my sanctuary for self-expression. In it, I voiced my hopes, fears, and daily experiences without judgment. This diary offered me a semblance of control during my three years in foster care, revealing the transformative power of storytelling.May marks National Foster Care Month, established to honor the 600,000 youth in the system annually. My experiences, marked by separation from siblings, ignited my determination to transcend adversity. Ultimately, my journey led me to journalism, unearthing a profound realization: people deserve their own narratives. Storytelling is critical for marginalized youth, allowing them to push back against stigma and reclaim agency.