The youth-written stories in Represent give inspiration and information to teens in foster care while offering staff insight into those teens’ struggles.

Summer Writing Workshop Congrats to Zantia and Lisa Milone, MercyFirst (Staff Shout-Out) Editor Virginia Vitzthum receives LGBTQ & Ally Award

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Who to Tell The author is molested by her mom's boyfriend, and her mom disbelieves and yells at her. She tries to tell a friend, who brushes it aside. Finally, she tells another friend, who is supportive and kind. [more]	Choosing Predators Over Girls A man who lives in her foster home gives the author money and helps her break house rules. When she hears he impregnated a foster daughter before, she realizes he's been "grooming" her for a sexual relationship. [more]
Misogyny Is Everywhere, Even in Me Ria examines how social media, her family, friends, and other aspects of society has influenced her negative attitudes toward women, including herself. [more]	How Good Therapy Can Treat Trauma in a #MeToo World Two therapists who specialize in trauma talk about why youth might minimize what they've been through and how misogyny and racism lead adults to underestimate and even blame youth for abuse they experience. [more]
My Leggings Are Too Sexy; His Tank Top Isn’t Jeimmy questions the fairness of her school’s dress code after she’s punished for a violation. She notices that the schoolwide policy only seems to apply to girls. [more]	Gateways: Where Girls Get Themselves Back Gateways is a program for victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). Budy Garcia-Whitfield, LCSW, explains how she and other staff there help girls rediscover the best in themselves. [more]
A Better Man Than My Father The author is shocked to learn that his father has molested his sister -- and that their mother takes the father's side. The author has trouble mourning because of his father's contempt for emotion. [more]	If We Ran the World: A Roundtable About Patriarchy Three girls discuss being treated as sex objects, what consent to sex is, why girls and women don't report rapes, why men can't talk about their feelings, and what an oppression-free world would look like. [more]
Please Stop Saying I’m Trouble Grace has been labeled as “trouble” by men since she was 12. She writes about how this label implies girls are to blame for actions by impulsive men who lack self-control. [more]	Writing Saved My Life Writing and working with an editor helped Zaniyah understand her own anger, forgive herself, and take control of her life. [more] [LESSON PLAN]