So you are 18 now. What is a time for youth’s graduation, college preparation, ect. for a lot of youth is also a time for emancipation out of the foster care system for some youth. Exiting the foster care system can be very terrifying whether you had good or bad…

Charge it! I love my credit card. It’s like instant money! I can be flat broke one minute then realize I have 500+ dollars the next! AND THEY’RE ACCEPTED EVERYWHERE????!!! CHARGE IT! CHARGE IT! CHARGE IT! These were my 1st thoughts when I received that plastic personification of true beauty…

You know what I love more than money? Free money. You will not fully understand free money until you enter college, the place where education and debt are plentiful. When you get accepted into a college, they will send you a financial aid package and there’s a five- out-of-ten chance…

A Lesson In Forgiveness Forgiveness is the healer of all wounds. Yet still, I don’t forgive. Now, I don’t encourage having a nonforgiving mentality but being forgiving is just not in my nature. So to be honest, I can’t tell you what it feels or looks like to be forgiving or…

I’m so independent. I’ve been on my own since I was 14 so it comes very naturally. I’ve learned how to gain employment, find housing options, and budget money. I was taught at a young age that I had to become independent and never depend on anyone but myself. This…

My first job was as a youth counselor at East Oakland Boxing Association when I was 14. This job symbolized so much more than a paycheck. It was the start of my independence. No longer did I have to beg for money or food. No longer did I have to…

So you’re ready for a car, huh? Time to upgrade and leave behind the dependence on good old AC Transit (Aint Comin’ Transit) and other public transportation services. I completely understand and applaud your initiative. Cars are one of the first steps towards independence and, when used correctly, can save…