CHEYENNE COBB / ALWAYS USE YOUR STORY TO SHAPE YOUR JOURNEY TO A BETTER LIFE

"The system taught me resilience. Going through all the things I have gone through, especially at such a young age has shown me that I have overcome so much already. What more can't I surpass? My ability to not only break these challenges down, but to come out of them and THRIVE, is forever something that will speak volumes to my character."

Cheyenne Cobb shares #HerStory:

"My worst experience in the foster care system was probably being away from my siblings. Even if it's for a short period of time, not physically being there with them and having them was tough. Especially since they are all that I have.

One thing that I needed when I was emancipating was education on adult type things. Classes, seminars or meetings that teach you the ins and outs, dos and donts of renting an apartment, building credit, securing a job, cooking, managing finances, etc. Having that knowledge is vital for foster youth because a vast majority of the time we don't have parents who can help us teach us these things and guide us through it. These are things that we need to navigate 100% on our own and having some guidance is essential.

One piece of advice for those in the system now- No matter how bad your current situation or your past, never think that your future will be determined by this cycle. The resources for current and former foster youth, specifically pertaining to education, are plentiful. If there is one thing that kept me going, it was the goal I had of making it to college. Seek out those resources, apply for scholarships, find a mentor, and never give up. Always use your story to shape your journey to a better life."