My life has been a series of temporary inconveniences, which were blessings disguised as problems. Before I tell you more about where I am going, I’d like to paint a picture of endless possibilities. Through my story, I want you to feel empowered by what I’ve been through and where I’m going. By the end of this speech, I hope you know that you too can achieve your goals.

I am a product of the Bay Area foster care system, which often fails to help its youth overcome the challenges of inadequate family support. A dysfunctional family environment makes it hard for a child to become a mature adult. My favorite writer, Dr. Maya Angelou, spoke of having many rainbows in her clouds—people who acted as her sunshine during life’s storms. My first rainbow was my amazing older sister, Lonisha Armstrong, who acted as my caregiver throughout my life. Our relationship was once dysfunctional, but now I see she was doing her best to protect me. Lonisha, I wouldn’t be here without you. I love you, and I’ll be your sister for life.

My second rainbow was my 9th grade English teacher, Margo Rudd. When I acted out in her class, she called my biological mother, who responded, “Don’t call me about Tiara’s behavior anymore; just call the police on her!” Ms. Rudd relayed this conversation to me and said, “I’ll never call your mother again.” She told my other teachers to send me to her if they had problems with me, and they did, including the principal. Ms. Rudd gave me special attention, took me to museums and art galleries, and had lunch with me weekly. She noticed my prolific writing abilities and nurtured them, giving me culture, history, and a craft for writing.

My third rainbow was my fourth social worker, Elizabeth Phillips, who helped me break past the family barriers that plagued my life. She introduced God and the value of education into my life, presenting possibilities I never thought I’d have. Elizabeth Phillips was the first Christian I encountered who was not a hypocrite; she brought God into my life on a level no one ever had. When I met Phillips at sixteen, I planned to attend the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in L.A., but I had no plan of action. Unexpectedly, I had to drop out of high school three months before graduation. Phillips enrolled me in the best community college in our area, Diablo Valley College (DVC). I commuted four hours daily on public transportation from my group home, using that time to study, annotate, and practice public speaking. I committed to being absolutely excellent for Phillips.

While in foster care, I was blessed with my fourth rainbow, MJ (known to me as Lesha). She protected me from the physical abuse I faced before she arrived. Blood wouldn’t make us any closer; she became my sister and a rainbow of sunshine in my life.

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