Laila K. / “Against all odds, have hope.”
For Laila, hope isn’t just a word. It’s something she has carried with her through some of the most difficult moments of her life and is something she hopes to pass on to others through her work.
Today, Laila is living out a future her younger self would be proud of. She’s graduated from her dream college with a Bachelor’s degree and is now pursuing her Master’s.
Education is more than a personal accomplishment for Laila. It’s also leading her toward a career in higher education, where she hopes to help students discover possibilities of their own.
“I want to inspire and equip students with the tools, support, and confidence to help them pursue their professional and/or entrepreneurial dreams.”
After earning her Master’s degree, Laila plans to use research, therapeutic techniques, and her counseling philosophy to support prospective and current college students.
Laila’s personal experience has given her a clear understanding of what can be missing when young people transition out of foster care.
“There is no guide or particular person who prepares you for it. It just happens when you reach a certain age.”
When Laila aged out, she wished she had access to mentorship, career support, and affordable housing. She believes these resources could have made the transition out of care smoother and eased the loneliness she experienced. Eventually, Laila found a nonprofit organization that provided a safe space to connect with other transition-aged youth. That experience reinforced her understanding that connection can be an important part of finding your footing.
“From my experience, having community and consistent connection contributed to my success.”
It’s one reason Laila is passionate about creating safe spaces and programming for vulnerable communities, including foster youth. She believes that support should extend beyond a young person’s immediate milestones, too. Laila wants to see greater investment in programs that help young people prepare for the transition out of care, including designated staff who can connect with foster youth before they age out. She also hopes organizations will look beyond statistics about education and career outcomes and continue asking how young people are doing months and years after those milestones.
“We need more investment and support into programs like these!”
Looking ahead, Laila hopes to increase investment and engagement in student programming, particularly in areas like academics and finances. She is building a future where she can help others access some of the tools and encouragement that have helped shape her own journey.
“I would not be where I am at without supportive adults in my life, and I am on the path to become a supportive adult for marginalized communities, too!”
Laila knows firsthand how meaningful it can be to have people who believe in you. She credits her college counselor, therapist, and grandmother for their “unconditional love, support, and constructive feedback” throughout her journey. She shares that this support helped her become the best version of herself.
Her encouragement to foster youth is:
“Against all odds, have hope. That alone has carried me through the most difficult situations in and out of foster care, and I hope it does for you too.”
Laila’s story is still being written. With a Bachelor’s degree behind her, a Master’s degree ahead of her, and a career rooted in helping others, she is turning the lessons of her own journey into a purpose, which is to help more young people see what’s possible for their futures.
Like Laila, you can use your voice to tell your story and help others understand the foster care experience. Share your story here.
