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Lived experience

Tawanna Brown

Finding my voice, changing my story

“I believe in you. When my seventh-grade teacher said those words to me, it clicked. And so, I’m saying them to you. There are people in the world who see potential and greatness in you.”

Elizabeth Sutherland

“I found my family at Walmart”

A foster care alum writes about the friends, colleagues, and strangers who helped her succeed after aging out of care.

AnnMarie Rainwater

Finding normal

A young woman reflects on her adoption after eight foster placements: “I realized that they really loved me, that they weren’t going to give up on me.”

Alex Oleson and mother

From foster youth to foster care advocate

“Having a permanent home laid the foundation for my success. It also inspired me to pay it forward, because it’s up to each of us to share the opportunities we’ve had with the next generation.”