It took me sometime to pick what I wanted to talk about. I think I want to talk about how foster kids have voices too!! I talked to a lot of kids in the system and it’s sad because they give up on being heard. They feel like no one has their back or is going to be there for them; they give up everything, questioning why they’re still trying.
This four letter word seems to be what everyone tends to seek but just like the formation of a pearl it's rather difficult and doesn't happen by itself. A pearl forms when an unknown irritant - usually a parasite - works its way into a clam’s mouth. As a defense mechanism, a fluid is used to coat the irritant. Layer upon layer of this coating, called 'nacre,' is deposited until a lustrous pearl is formed. To get this pearl one must first search the very depths of the sea to retrieve it. And then wrestle ever so hard to get that clam's mouth open.
As members of the Board of Directors of Family & Youth Initiative, we are often in the background. You may see us at the annual Establishing Roots fundraiser or at a volunteer appreciation event. However, many of us aren’t long-time volunteers, mentors, or host parents and in fact, some of us have only been to a few DCFYI events.
