Index to Essays

Abuse and Neglect-
**Questions Without Answers, 3
**I Lost My Brother to Adoption, 30
**She'll Always Be My Mother, 34
**Finding A Father in the System, 64
**Why I'm Better off in Foster Care, 73
**Staying With the Hurt, 171
**My Family Secret, 180
**I Won't Abuse My Kids, 197

Adoption-
**My Foster Mother Is My Best Friend, 25
**I Lost My Brother to Adoption, 30
**Sista on the Run (From the Past), 68
**A Vacation from Mr. Hope, 206

AIDS and HIV-
**Questions Without Answers, 3
**How I Made Peace With The Past, 185
**Questions Without Answers, 3
**Six Months on the Run from the BCW, 9
**My Crew Was My Family, 39
**Facing the Problem, 190

Bereavement-
**How I Made Peace With The Past, 185

Biological Parents-
**Questions Without Answers, 3
**Six Months on the Run from the BCW, 9
**I Lost My Brother to Adoption, 30
**She'll Always Be My Mother, 34
**Sista on the Run (From the Past), 68
**Why I'm Better off in Foster Care, 73
**Is Stealing My Addiction?, 143
**My Family Secret, 174
**How I Made Peace With The Past, 185
**I Won't Abuse My Kids, 197
**A Vacation from Mr. Hope, 206

Conflict Resolution-
**Peer Pressure and Me, 97
**Phat Flows, Honey, and the Booms, 147
**From Fighter to Friend, 167

Dating-
**Why No One Knows I'm A Foster Child, 125
**Keeping It on the Down Low, 128
**What They Say Behind Our Backs, 131
**Kicked Out Because I Was Gay, 135
**My Friend Marisol, 139
**Phat Flows, Honey, and the Booms, 147
**My Family Secret, 174

Depression-
**Six Months on the Run from the BCW, 9
**A Three-Point Shooter, 107
**Facing the Problem, 190
**A Loner on the Group Home, 193

Drug Addiction-
**Questions Without Answers, 3
**My Crew Was My Family, 39
**Peer Pressure and Me, 97
**I Stealing My Addiction, 143
**Phat Flows, Honey, and the Booms, 147

Foster Parents-
**My Foster Mother Is My Best Friend, 25
**Sista on the Run (From the Past), 68
**Why No One Knows I'm A Foster Child, 125
**Kicked Out Because I Was Gay, 135
**Writing Taught Me About Myself, 204
**A Vacation from Mr. Hope, 206

Foster Homes-
**My Foster Mother Is My Best Friend, 25
**Sista on the Run (From the Past), 68
**Why No One Knows I'm A Foster Child, 125
**Kicked Out Because I Was Gay, 135
**Writing Taught Me About Myself, 204
**A Vacation from Mr. Hope, 206

Gays and Lesbians-
**Kicked Out Because I Was Gay, 135
**My Friend Marisol, 139

Group Homes-
**My Day in the Group Home, 61
**Finding a Father in the System, 64
**Why I'm Better Off in Foster Care, 73
**Can the Counselors Keep A Secret?, 76
**Making A New Family, 78
**Why Are You Doing This, Mr. Jones?, 83
**How I Became A Stronger Mother, 93
**Peer Pressure and Me, 97
**Kicked to the Curb at Twenty-one, 100
**My Group Home Scarpegoat, 105
**A Three-Point Shooter, 107
**How I Lived a Double Life, 128
**Keeping It on the Down Low, 128
**My Friend Marisol, 139
**Is Stealing My Addiction, 143
**From Fighter to Friend, 167
**My Family Secret, 174
**Therapy Changed My Life, 180
**A Loner in the Group Home, 193
**I Won't Abuse My Kids, 197

Group Home Staff-
**My Day in the Group Home, 61
**Finding a Father in the System, 64
**Why I'm Better Off in Foster Care, 73
**Can the Counselors Keep A Secret?, 76
**Making A New Family, 78
**Why Are You Doing This, Mr. Jones?, 83
**How I Became A Stronger Mother, 93
**Peer Pressure and Me, 97
**Kicked to the Curb at Twenty-one, 100
**My Group Home Scarpegoat, 105
**A Three-Point Shooter, 107
**How I Lived a Double Life, 128
**Keeping It on the Down Low, 128
**My Friend Marisol, 139
**Is Stealing My Addiction, 143
**From Fighter to Friend, 167
**My Family Secret, 174
**Therapy Changed My Life, 180
**A Loner in the Group Home, 193
**I Won't Abuse My Kids, 197

Independent Living-
**Kicked to the Curb at Twenty-one, 100

Peer Counseling/Group Therapy-
**Why I'm Better Off in Foster Care, 73
**How I Became A Stronger Mother, 93
**Staying with the Hunt, 171
**My Family Secret, 174

Peer Pressure-
**Six Months on the Run from the BCW, 9
**My Crew Was My Family, 39
**Peer Pressure and Me, 97
**My Group Home Scapegoat, 105
**Phat Flows, Honeys, and the Booms, 147
**From Fighter to Friend, 167

Peer Relations with-
**Six Months on the Run from the BCW, 9
**My Crew Was My Family, 39
**My Day in the Group Home, 61
**Making A New Family, 78
**How I Became A Stronger Mother, 93
**Peer Pressure and Me, 97
**My Group Home Scapegoat, 105
**A Three-Point Shooter, 107
**How I Lived A Double Life, 121
**Why No One Knows I'm A Foster Child, 125
**Keeping it on the Down Low, 128
**What They Say Behind Our Backs, 131
**My Friend Marisol, 139
**Phat Flows, Honeys, and the Booms, 147
**Who's the Real "Problem Child"?, 155
**From Fighter to Friend, 167
**Staying With the Hurt, 171
**My Family Secret, 174
**A Loner in the Group Home, 193
**I Won't Abuse My Kids, 197

Rape-
**Why Are You Doing This, Mr. Jones?, 83
**My Family Secret, 174

Runaways-
**Six Months on the Run from the BCW, 9
**My Crew Was My Family, 39
**Sista on the Run (From the Past), 68
**Therapy Changed My Life, 180

Sexual Abuse-
**She'll Always Be My Mother, 34
**Sista on the Run (From the Past), 68
**Why I'm Better Off in Foster Care, 73
**My Family Secret, 174
**Therapy Changed My Life, 180

Sexuality-
**Six Months on the Run from the BCW, 9
**Why Are You Doing This, Mr. Jones?, 83
**Kicked Out Because I Was Gay, 135
**My Friend Marisol, 139
**Phat Flows, Honeys, and the Booms, 147
**I'm the Mommy Now, 151
**My Family Secret, 174

Siblings, Relations with-
**Questions Without Answers, 3
**I Lost My Brother to Adoption, 30
**She'll Always Be My Mother, 34
**Finding A Father in the System, 64
**Why No One Knows I'm a Foster Child, 125
**Who's the Real "Problem Child"?, 155
**Therapy Changed My Life, 180
**How I Made Peace With the Past, 185
**A Vacation from Mr. Hope, 206

Social Workers-
**Six Months on the Run from the BCW, 9
**I Lost My Brother to Adoption, 30
**Why Are You Doing This, Mr. Jones?, 83
**Phat Flows, Honeys, and the Booms, 147
**How I Made Peace With the Past, 185

Stigma of Being A Foster Child-
**Sista on the Run (From the Past), 68
**Can the Counselors Keep A Secret?, 76
**How I Lived A Double Life, 121
**Why No One Knows I'm a Foster Child, 125
**Keeping it on the Down Low, 128
**What They Say Behind Our Backs, 131
**Kicked Out Because I Was Gay, 135
**Who's the Real "Problem Child"?, 155

Teenage Parents-
**Why Are You Doing This, Mr. Jones?, 83
**How I Became A Stronger Mother, 93
**I'm the Mommy Now, 151
**Staying With the Hurt, 171

Therapy-
**Is Stealing My Addiction?, 143
**My Family Secret, 174
**Therapy Changed My Life, 180
**I Won't Abuse MY Kids, 197

Writing as Therapy-
**I Won't Abuse My Kids, 197
**Writing Taught Me about Myself, 204