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Christopher H wants to be a lawyer, and maybe even a judge one day. If the following is any indication, he’s got the mind for it:
“If I only spoke English (which I do), why would my ob send me to, say, France to handle something? I’ve never been there, I do not speak French, and in all honesty I know very little about the country. I would hope they would rethink their selection and choose someone else; otherwise not very much is going to get done. It is the same with foster care.” He goes on, “The best people to help change something are those who have experienced it themselves.”
It’s a powerful argument—and Christopher doesn’t just plan on making the case, he plans on living it. He feels that foster care alumni who emerged from the system “successful” owe it to other alums to offer help, encouragement and hope. “Nothing is more motivating than seeing someone just like you do something you didn’t think you could.” Not only does Christopher H want to be a success story, he wants to share the tale. After starting in care at the age of 3, then being adopted at 7, only to be returned to foster care at 14, Christopher could be forgiven for questioning what he did to deserve a life of hard knocks, but that’s not how he sees it.
“Successful living as an independent is based on sticking to your goals, and having those goals in the first place.” It’s been a difficult ride, but he thanks his background for his optimism and says “I’m a twenty-one year old college student, working three jobs and going to school full time, with a car, a life, goals and dreams—and SUCCESS!”
That sounds like an airtight case right there.