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The youth-written stories in Represent give inspiration and information to teens in foster care while offering staff insight into those teens’ struggles.
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Note: These stories are from Represent and its sister publication, YCteen, which is written by New York City public high school students.
Layla and her friends use Google Slides to collaborate on their own Corona Diaries. They create a shared piece of art and boost each other’s spirits when they “meet” there. (full text)
Bored with self-isolating at home, Atl dressed up and headed to a 1920s-themed party on Zoom (full text)
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. (full text)
Salenna tries to become more popular via Facebook and Instagram but it ends up making her feel envious and lonely. Unplugging improves her life. (full text)
At 28, former Represent writer Natasha has tried all kinds of living situations. A cooperative group house suits her the best. (full text)
The author sees his father hit his mother. Instead of keeping quiet, he seeks help and talks to trusted friends and mentors. (full text)
The author feels isolated at school, partly because of abuse at home. She makes a friend and tells him ALMOST everything. She discovers he's held back some secrets too. (full text)
Daisy moves so many times in foster care that she stops saying goodbye or keeping in touch with people. When she finds a supportive family, she vows to better stay connected. (full text)
Jessica introduces the Identity issue by recounting her journey from creating personas like "tomboy" and "pretty girl" to looking inward for the qualities that make her her. (full text)
Carlos joins the popular group at school, but realizes he doesn't really like them when he sees them spreading rumors. (full text)
Donyaeh introduces the love issue with the story of his loyal best friend Rebecca, who he's known since they were both 4 years old. (full text)
The author suffers from the death of her grandmother, her mother's mental illness and withdrawal, and going into foster care. Isaac, first her friend, then her boyfriend, supports her, but she drives him away with her cutting. (full text)
Shateek and Amadou talk about their feelings and keep each other's secrets. They don't let a couple of fights destroy their friendship. (full text)
Asia spends half her paycheck on her friend's party. The friend swears she'll pay it back and never does; Asia gets new friends. (full text)
Lavell is comfortable being bisexual, but other people harass her. She finds acceptance in a program that helps her bond with other young adults facing similar challenges. (full text)
Christian's been bullied for years. He tries to fit in with a group of alternative kids who have Mohawks and piercings, but they don't treat him any better. Still his new look boosts his confidence. (full text)
Megan has always been an obsessive thinker and worrier, but when her anxiety threatens her friendships, she consults a psychologist and begins to understand her anxieties. (full text)
In junior high, Alice joins a clique of girls who make fun of others and eventually reject her. (full text)
When George, who is Chinese, moves to the Bronx, he is frequently taunted by black kids. But after a black youth befriends and defends him, George moves beyond his stereotypes. (full text)
When Aurora enters a foster home she expects her foster mother to cook for her, but soon finds out she's expected to make her own meals. The other girls in the home teach Aurora to cook, and in the process she forms friendships with women her age for the first time. (full text)
Omar feels ashamed that the "normal" kids have parents and he's in foster care, so he tries various ways to hide his group home identity. But when his friend Joseph finds out the truth and accepts him, Omar begins to accept himself. (full text)
Reflecting on the mistakes of his childhood friends, Ferentz is determined to do something more with his life. (full text)
Anaiss prefers being alone to being in a group. Although she struggles to make friends in a new school, she doesn’t compromise by joining a clique. She eventually finds a few classmates who she connects with. (full text)
While shooting hoops on the court, Toyloy witnesses his friend being bullied by an older boy. Instead of standing up for his friend and risk getting beaten up, the writer does nothing. Toyloy reflects on his behavior. (full text)
Salenna tries to become more popular via Facebook and Instagram but it ends up making her feel envious and lonely. Unplugging improves her life.
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Her unhappy parents who neglect her and social anxiety affect the writer and make it hard for her to make friends. She overcomes her shyness by implementing smart strategies. (full text)
Jose is even more shy when he moves from the Dominican Republic to New York City. Read on to discover how he feels so confident now, he can start a conversation with anyone. (full text)
Sabatine is enchanted by the wonders of life online, until Facebook takes over her life and her schoolwork starts to slip. (full text)
Moving every few years is hard but moving to different countries where people speak different languages is even harder. Ruiwen figures out how to make and maintain friendships whether she’s in Germany, China, or New York. (full text)
The writer’s new friend starts a false rumor that she wasn’t there for a mutual friend in need. The writer ends the rumors, and learns that some friendships aren’t worth keeping. (full text)
Austin wrestles with the pressure he gets from friends based on an Asian stereotype. "You're made to be good in math," they say. (full text)
The author feels isolated at school, partly because of abuse at home. She makes a friend and tells him ALMOST everything. She discovers he's held back some secrets too. (full text)
The author sees his father hit his mother. Instead of keeping quiet, he seeks help and talks to trusted friends and mentors. (full text)
When the writer arrives here from China, she quickly befriends a girl who she feels the need to protect. She learns that the relationship isn't reciprocal. (full text)
Wensley never had a lot of friends even before he moved here from his home country of Haiti. But now, his accent and his shyness make it more difficult to connect. (full text)
Margarita unintentionally offends a black classmate. After the two girls cool down and talk, they find friendship. (full text)
Meghan is the only white girl in Anita's junior high grade. When Anita, a black person, befriends Meghan, she learns about a culture she never experienced before. (full text)
Jimmy, who is Asian-American, becomes friends with a Puerto Rican classmate and they visit several of the city's Puerto Rican neighborhoods together. Jimmy learns to appreciate another culture and develops a new appreciation for his own Chinese background. (full text)
Daichka doesn't fit in with the other kids at school. She dedicates herself to reading books, and gets the support, acceptance, love, and understanding that she doesn't get from people. (full text)
When Caitlin's parents are fighting and on the verge of divorce, she finds refuge by staying with her friend Rosa's family. (full text)
The writer interviews two mental health experts on how to help a friend who is depressed. (full text)
Caitlin struggles to make meaningful friendships until she gets support from a school counselor and her mom. (full text)
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