Grace Gold
2+ years in New York’s Foster Care System
19 years old
She/her/hers
Grace is currently in foster care. She grew up in many little villages and is currently studying at Alfred University. At College Grace found herself becoming more interested in being a leader, being more involved with her community, and making a difference.
In 2020, Grace was awarded the Inclusion Icon award by her peers and colleagues at The Institute For Cultural Unity at Alfred University. She also played an active role in the women’s empowerment project at Art Force 5, where they worked with the National Football League in making the Women’s Empowerment Draft 2020 which aired on live television.
Connecting with other foster youth and being involved in the community is her motivation for becoming an All-Star. She loves making cards for people and getting creative with paper. One of her hobbies is watching painting restoration videos because of their soothing and fascinating nature. She hopes to create a non-profit organization that will help survivors of sexual violence. Her favorite comfort foods are ice cream, salt n vinegar chips, and oven-baked mac n cheese. When life gets overwhelming, Grace manages by breathing, stretching, and getting some sun. She celebrates the good times with friends, playing some video games, and laughing. Grace believes that the risks that are worth taking are the ones that inspire you and will lead you to success and growth.
Grace lives by the mentality that her trauma does not define her, that her success is due to her own effort, and that she has the power within herself to be happy and create the future she desires. Grace’s advice to a young person in foster care is “ Stay focused on one’s success, well-being, and self-love. Foster care can be a really traumatizing experience and it is easy to lose confidence, focus, and love for one’s self.”
