Above: Just like the beautiful sunset amidst a storm, Alice’s story is about finding beauty in the life you’re living no matter what. Photo by Alice Herrera. By Alice Herrera I had sweaty palms and shaky hands as I walked into the room. Read More
acceptance family gay lgbt life merced role models spotlight trans woman transgender(This post originally appeared on theknowfresno.org and represents a collection of youth voices from YouthWire and partner media groups throughout the state. Special thanks to The kNOw Youth Media Program Manager and Editor, Kody Stoebig.) Editor’s Note: May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Read More
coachella fresno May mental health mental health awareness month sacramento spotlight the know youth media youthwire(Photo courtesy of Aaliyah Lannerd) By We’Ced Youth Media We’Ced asked our youth reporters, coworkers, friends and family members about the special role maternal figures play in their lives. What we found is that no matter if you look like her, came from her or currently live with her, we all have a powerful connection with the women who help raise us and shape us. Read More
community family merced moms mother's day mothers parents role models spotlight voicewavesMy mom and her sisters grew stressed and depressed. They missed their dad a lot. We also began to struggle financially. We expected Grandpa to only be gone a year at the most, but it’s been almost seven years now. Since then, we’ve struggled to make enough money to send to support him and support ourselves. But despite the difficulties, we continue to help him as much as we can, hoping to bring him back to us.
broken families deportation grandpa. immigration mixed status families separated families spotlight undocumented immigrantsBecause of his circumstance, it was impossible for him to ‘pick himself up by the bootstraps’ and be ‘successful.’ But despite his incarceration, he has always been there for me, even if we only see each other through a window or speak on the phone during visits. This tall, quiet, soft spoken, funny man is the person I most admire. His piercing blue eyes that reflect the sadness in his soul from all the trauma he endured. My dad is my role model because he holds on to hope that we will be reunited one day. Because he is determined to love me when he was never loved. And because, even though he has been through so much, he is willing to help others.
children of incarcerated parents Criminal justice reform incarceration jail mass incarceration spotlight youthYou might think sports teams are just a group of random people working together towards a shared goal, like winning or accomplishing a task, but for those of us who are part of teams, we know they are more than that. It’s about the bond. The goal brings the group together, but it’s overcoming the obstacles along the way and forming a bond so special, it becomes nearly impossible to break.
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