My name is Amairani Gonzalez, but I go by Amy to make things easier for everyone. I’m excited to work as a Youth Ambassador and would like the chance to help future/current foster kids as well with providing resources for foster parents. I entered the system at the age of 5 until I aged out. As a child I had to grow up faster than expected due to the circumstances and it’s made me a better person. Although I wasn’t given the best cards in life I would like to help guide foster youth to a better future.

Communication is such a major key with foster youth and foster parents. I’ll admit I was fortunate enough to have a foster mom who I call mom to this day, we built a relationship of trust and communication. I want to help foster youth build a form of relationship with whom they trust and are able to communicate.

Growing up in the system, I had to realize that this journey wasn’t going to be easy. With very little resources and foster parents only  interested in the financial benefits, this was a battle I had to fight for myself. It’s heart breaking to see foster youth fall into the same situation they were put in and not given the chance to grow. We might be broken, but it does not mean we can’t be helped.