Crystal Williams is a former foster child who graduated from Emory with a B.A. in Creative writing and Theater.

Crystal is speaking with On the Story on Wednesday, March 5 about the Georgia Assembly’s efforts to reform the child welfare system and keep more of the state's most vulnerable children safe.

She wrote the poem below about what it was like to be a foster child.

Youth Voices

I am the voice of the youth

Here me out

I am not

A case number in a file

Piled High

While lies arise

All eyes on me.

I cry, you see the surface me.

Complete with all the flaws and stereotypes.

Don’t believe the hype.

Wipe all of that away and see the me beneath

‘Cause I’m trying to be unique

To reach my potential peak!

It’s essential

Seek to speak life into me

So that I can be

All that I can be like I’m in the Army.

But don’t forget to arm me

With the weapons that I need

To seek the lead

And be successful in this fight

Called life.

‘Cause the battle’s my mind.

To redefine my mental.

And my credentials don’t exactly qualify me

To be labeled as essential to society.

But you can help me

Change me

Raise me up!

Cause this phase is up

Yeah, I was a foster child, so what!

At some point I must grow up.

And show up at graduation where I wear the cap and gown.

While others nap, I’m crowned the QUEEN to my Destiny!

Defying the critics

Outlasting the misfits.

And not falling victim to statistics.

Realizing, I’m rising.

Despising failure, no compromising.

I’m realizing it’s time to re-form

Depart from the norm

And join forces

Create space, change cultures

Spawned by youth voices.

Crystal L. Williams

Copyright © 2010 by the author.