Jesus, 20 years old, CA | 21 DAYS WAITING

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Jesus is a creative and ambitious young man who has drawn from his experiences in foster care to fuel his dream of writing and helping people tell their stories. He entered foster care at 6 years old, after his immigrant mother was incarcerated while earning a living for Jesus and his siblings. His time in foster care was filled with loneliness and disconnection, which was very difficult for him and affected his long-term mental health. During his separation from his family, he learned to stay connected by writing letters to them, corresponding for years via the written word delivered through snail mail. This history of writing back and forth with his family inspired him to choose to major in journalism. He hopes to use the skills he learned to speak about his experience and the stories of others in foster care. He likes fashion, reading, skating, hanging out with his friends, and connecting with new people.

Jesus is taking a semester off from school to work and build his journalism portfolio. He has been applying for jobs on his phone and wants to use the knowledge he gained from his journalism classes to amplify the voices of the unheard. He is focusing on the history and culture of American minority groups that are often overlooked. Recently, he reunited with some family members and has developed a strong interest in reconnecting with his Latino roots. Having a reliable computer would greatly assist Jesus in his job search and career goals in journalism. He has chosen a MacBook because he is already familiar with the programs and operating system. He will be very happy to get this laptop!