WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: Lifting Each Other Up & Changing the Narratives
By Katherine Jones Foster Focus Contributor
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER are words we hear often from those with lived experience in care, many who are diligently working to reform our foster care system. There are so many wonderful current and former foster youth doing amazing things for our community. Then there are those who remain silent while quietly observing and gaining confidence in learning they are not alone by listening to those who are willing to speak of their experiences in care (and it’s okay to be silent), there are those who work behind the scenes (like me) doing what they can to help current and former foster youth and organizations that are doing the work to effect change and make a difference in the lives of those affected by their experiences (and that’s okay, too), and then there are those like the woman I am highlighting, who put themselves wholly out into the world to bring awareness to the public about the important issues our community faces. Before I speak of her, I would like to thank the editor of this magazine for giving me this opportunity to lift up this member of our community. CHERYL WILLIAMS’ STORY
Nearly to the day Cheryl turned 17, her father dragged her out of the house to the trash, telling her she was trash and wasn’t allowed back inside. This was not the first abuse she suffered at his hands as a child. The neighbors witnessed this horror and called the police, who took her to Child Protection Services, where she waited overnight to be placed. Her time in care included living in two states and seven placements, one being a juvenile detention center because they had no place for her. Two of the foster homes did not work out because the foster mothers were using her for child labor and their sons sexually harassed her. She aged out at age 18. Having been separated
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from her sibling, who was also in care, Cheryl endured abuse from adults who should have protected her that no child should ever endure.
Cheryl began her transition into adulthood by applying for FAFSA and, even with only her GED, received a full scholarship at University of Montevallo in Alabama and lived on campus in order not to become homeless. From there she went to Kansas State University where she majored in Early Childhood Education and, despite facing health and other challenges, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Studies and Human Services in 2011 at the age of 27. She continues studying at Harvard Division of Continuing Education.
In addition to her academic credits, other credits and/or awards include: Mrs. Lonestar State in 2022, Mrs. Southwest USA Ambassador 2022 with the USA Ambassador Pageant (a public speaking pageant and for women to showcase the good they are doing in the world. Cheryl’s platform was reforming foster care and fostering self-eSTEAM), Executive Producer/Talent, Certified Professional Life Coach and World’s Top Model South 2023 (New York Fashion Week at Model, Runway & Print) and from the White House, she received the Lifetime Presidential Service Award in 2022 & 2023 for her charity work. CHERYL’S ADVOCACY WORK
Cheryl’s advocacy work requires her to tell her uncomfortable story publicly and, as many of us may have experienced ourselves, braves being stigmatized by a society (or even family members) who truly do not understand what it is like to have experienced care and may not understand (or even believe) the circum-