Represent: The Voice of Youth in Care

Represent is the "Voice of Youth in Care" publishing original stories and reporting by youth in the New York City foster care system. The stories collected on the website are a treasure trove of insights on what young people in the foster care system (and young people in general) think about the issues affecting them. Go to the site to check it out, or get links to some of the stories from recent issues, Read More.

ADOPTION: FINDING A NEW FAMILY
Brick by Brick
Before I got adopted, my mom and I had to build a relationship
Building a Family
How counseling can help you adjust

REUNIFICATION: MAKING IT BACK HOME
Leaving Her Behind
I love my mom, but I can’t live with her

INDEPENDENT LIVING: HOW TO FIND SUPPORT
Someone to Rely On
Figuring out who’s got my back
No Stone Unturned
Finding lifelong connections for teens
‘I Just Didn’t Have Anybody’
Foster Care Alumni of America's deputy director explains how she found her own supports
Getting What You Need
What your agency should be doing before you age out

REDEFINING YOURSELF
Finding Your Passion
An interview with basketball star Alonzo Mourning
Writing My Own Script
I had to leave my family to find myself
A Man of Many Names
My alter egos help me handle my life
Life in a New World
In America, I became someone I didn't want to be

"HOW WE HUSTLE"
My Summer Hustle
I played the drug game, and lost
What's Your Hustle?
Stealing from cars
Making Paper
I sell my stories on the street
Going Legit
Trading in your hustle for the 9 to 5
Five Ways to Get Paid
A money-making manual

LOSING OUR ILLUSIONS:
TEENS FIGHT ADDICTION
Hooked
I loved being high on heroin, but I couldn’t control it
A Fine Line
When does experimentation become addiction?
What Drugs Do to You
(Even the legal ones)
My Battle to Quit
Rehab helped me give up weed...for a while
Taking It With You
A drug treatment program that follows you home


TURNING IT AROUND: MAKING CHANGES IN OUR LIVES
Graduation Day
To get that diploma, I had to lose the attitude
Finding My Way Home
Getting help for my eating disorder has been a long journey
Starting To Feel Again
Where eating disorders come from, and how to recover

WHEN A PARENT IS ADDICTED
I Think These Drugs Are Daddy's
My father's an addict, but I won't give up on him
Something You Can’t Fix
What you should know if your parent has a substance abuse problem
House of Cards
My mom's addiction makes for a very shaky relationship
Making It On My Own
I lost my mom to drugs
Does Rehab Work?
Explaining drug treatment
The Parent's Side
Love Isn't Written in a Court Order

HOW WE COPE
My Street Brothers
Running wild with my friends helped me forget my pain
My Happy Place
I found a new perspective at church
Playing for a Dream
Basketball keeps me feeling good
Letting It Out
Poetry keeps me calm

And, here's a link to a highly rated book about what happens to foster children when they "age out" On Their Own: What Happens to Kids When They Age Out of the Foster Care System?