Dinah A. / Resilience and Self-Discovery

Dinah has weathered the challenges of the foster care system with resilience and determination. Her journey, marked by moments of hope, challenges, and personal growth, paints a vivid picture of a young woman seeking connection and identity.

"Always hoping and praying when I'm going to have to go home with my family being treated with favoritism from the other kids,"

Dinah reflects on the challenges of feeling like an outsider in foster care. She grappled with judgment and embarrassment from the public because she endured teasing and a constant lack of privacy.

Dinah's experience in foster care is colored by the longing for family traditions during holidays. "Most of the time, I was always homesick, reminiscing, wishing that I was back with my family." However, as time progresses, she finds solace in the creation of new traditions within the foster care community, eventually growing accustomed to the idea of a surrogate family.

Throughout her educational journey, Dinah emphasizes the importance of knowledge and education.

"You can use that to help teach the others on what you have learned and they can grow to have a better life as well"

She sees education as a tool for personal growth, enabling individuals to build values, respect, and independence. Dinah's advice for someone in foster care is to "allow yourself to open up" and recognize that the foster care system is meant to help, not harm.

As Dinah shares her dreams for the future, she envisions herself in another business venture, exploring the realms of beauty products, clothing, and food. Her determination to create a better life for herself is evident, rooted in her desire to be the best mother and entrepreneur possible.

Looking back on her foster care experience, Dinah expresses pride in her accomplishments, particularly in graduating and acquiring various skills and certificates. She acknowledges the impact of supportive figures like social workers and counselors who helped her open up to the world and learn to love and respect herself.

Despite the challenges, Dinah envisions a future filled with happiness and financial stability, marked by her own business ventures. One piece of advice that she would give is to,

"Allow yourself to open up and to remember that Foster care system is here to help not harm… you got a whole life ahead of you and things can change for the better and grow into something more great and beautiful.”