Diaspora- The dispersion of any people from their original homeland May is National Foster Care Month! (Hooray for being a foster kid) How often were you afraid to tell someone you were adopted, living in a group home, foster home, or even an independent living program? Do you still feel that way at times? I say that today should be the last day that you ever feel ashamed of the fact that you’re a foster child. There is a stigma that is perpetuated throughout society that builds a negative connotation towards foster care children. We have all heard the jokes, the down right rude slurs, derogatory remarks, and scornful judgments. The image we have imprinted in our brains of what a foster child is needs to be reinvented. However, we don’t have to change the hearts and the minds of others first, we need to work on ourselves. “We must become the change we want to see.” Ghandi - The sad truth of the matter is that we believe a lot of the stereotypes others say because we have heard them so much. You are anything you believe you are and that includes the stereotypes. So what I propose to do is stop believing them and become whatever you want. Look in the mirror, write it, scream it, even whisper it but somehow continue to tell yourself you are a foster child and there’s not a Damn thing wrong with it. Being a foster child is an identity you can assume with pride and dignity, but remember being a foster kid is not all you have to define yourself by. It is only one part of you, one aspect of the beautiful and down right amazing-ness that is crammed into the special creation that is YOU. Remember that May is Foster Care Month and being a foster kid isn’t a bad thing, in fact you should honor it. Change your perspective to what a foster kid is and make it an optimistic one. By doing so other people will also start to think how you think =D. Find an additional identity outside of being a foster child, I myself love acting and poetry, I guess you can call me a performer. So Benjamin Muhammad Jr. is a student, performer, poet, male, African American, blogger ;), son, brother, public speaker, advocate, and an adopted foster child and they are all great things that make me who I am. Everything happens for a reason, I SEE YOU (and you’re a fantastic person) With Unconditional love Benjamin P.s. You’re more than welcome to write or email me at [email protected]