Hi, my name is Julian Aviles. I am a former youth in care who strives to use my experiences to pave a better future for the youth of the future. Everyone has a story to share, and I hope to set the stage where resources may be limited now, but they don’t have to be.
Being in foster care, I resided in a group home. I faced many conflicts emotionally and physically, some big and some small. My experiences ultimately left me feeling drained and lesser of myself. I felt like I was not given any resources or opportunities until I was given an opportunity to get interviewed for supportive housing. Getting accepted was one of the best feelings of my life. I felt like my future was looking bright and that there was a form of freedom up ahead where I could let the pain of my past go and smile going forward. Moving into my supportive housing unit was tough at first, but I eventually gained a sense of security and happiness, something I did not feel throughout my group home experiences.
I believe every foster youth deserves this opportunity to have privacy, independence, and comfort. Although every foster youth isn’t fortunate enough to receive housing due to the overwhelmingly high demand, fighting to add a cost-of-living adjustment to the housing subsidy would give more funds to foster youth in need and benefit many young people transitioning out of foster care.