Hear what life was like for Jaquia Wilson, the youngest of nine children, who went from growing up with a loving mother in the Bronx to aging out of foster care without a support system. Jaquia demonstrates resilience through a series of tragedies, resulting in her entering foster care as a teenager. With a little help from a caring social worker, Jaquia’s fighting spirit leads her to college and, now, advocacy work for youth in care.
Show Notes:
00:01:05 | Meet Jaquia Wilson as she shares stories from her childhood memories in Bronx, New York.
00:09:10 | “I didn’t know what to do,” says Jaquia, “I was 15 [years old] and my mom had just passed. My family had to figure out what to do with a 15-year-old that was expecting.”
00:10:54 | What is it like to be a pregnant teen? Hear from Jaquia as she describes the array of emotions she experienced.
00:13:00 | What happens when a teen like Jaquia enters the foster care system in North Carolina?
00:20:32 | Who were the people in Jaquia’s life during her teenage years in foster care? “It’s a little bit like a revolving door, I feel like,” says Jaquia.
00:26:13 | Jaquia shares where she drew strength to continue making steps towards independence and success after aging out of foster care.
00:28:01 | Life after foster care: At 17 years old, Jaquia heads to college, but runs into unforeseen roadblocks with housing that she was prepared for.
00:34:17 | Jaquia deep dives into her vision for foster care and shares what she wants youth in care to experience, and answers insight about what she aims to help create.
00:34:54 | Matt shares his final thoughts.
Resources:
What happens to kids who age out of foster care | House of Providence
North Carolina LINKS Program |NC DHHS
Jaquia Wilson, Webinar Host | The Unlearning of Child Welfare: Webinar Series
Written by Jaquia Wilson: Redefining "Child Welfare Expert" | Children’s Bureau Express
How the Child Welfare System Made Me Prioritize Education Over Myself | The Imprint
Support Services for Youth in Transition: Housing | Child Welfare Information Gateway
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