As National Foster Care Month comes to a close, Fostering Youth Indepence (FYI) in Santa Clarita has recognized an individual who has embraced the FYI community.
Santa Clarita’s FYI group has chosen to spotlight Gabriel, an individual who’s endured the adversity that comes along with leaving the foster care system and faced a plethora of challenges that led him to the program, with an intention to provide and support for his family members.
“Gabriel is a shining example of a resilient young adult who has overcome great obstacles on his journey to independence,” read a statement from FYI officials. “Although reluctant to trust FYI at first, Gabriel has embraced the support his Ally and the FYI community have to offer.”
FYI exists to provide the support and resources youth need to change their trajectory and achieve their potential, according to FYI in Santa Clarita.
“Life hasn’t been easy for me and I think that’s true for all of us who have been in foster care,” said Gabriel in a FYI zoom event. “I’ve endured a very dark childhood. I’ve been raped, defiled, humiliated, abandoned, manipulated, homeless and there were times where I wanted and actually tried to kill myself.”
After being released from a 72-hour suicide watch following a suicide attempt, Gabriel’s two younger siblings pleaded with him to never attempt suicide again because “I was all they had left.”
From that day forward, Gabriel dedicated his life to providing for his siblings. He gained custody of them, bought an apartment, got a job, all while simultaneously balancing a school schedule, according to Gabriel.
After dedicating his life to providing for his family, his circumstances led him to the FYI program through the College of the Canyons (COC), where the community stepped forward to provide for him.
“It was a weird experience coming here in the beginning because I had just come from a whole life of not trusting anybody, being lied to and looked over,” Gabriel said. It was challenging to let Gina and my ally Dave into my life. I didn’t understand why they were trying so hard. I never saw my own self worth. I took a whole year to push them away, but they kept coming.”
Since immersing himself in the FYI community, Gabriel has excelled in his return to school as a business marketing major and received a job in the screenwriting field, something he never thought he could do, according to Gabriel.
“I proved to myself what (FYI) had already seen in me,” Gabriel said.
When children age out of foster care without family support, they are significantly more likely to endure homelessness, unemployment, crisis pregnancy, incarceration, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and trafficking.
“FYI has given me so much more than support…” Gabriel said. “I was lost. I was gone. I was at a point in life where I didn’t think it would matter if I was here or not, so I’m very, truly grateful for everyone who has helped me and I thank everyone supporting this program. You’ve truly changed my life.”
To learn more about FYI and how to help, click here.
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