Lucero and Carmen's Story
A story from the Young Parents Stories
Lucero (she/her) and Carmen (she/her) have been there for each other since they were born. Having been in juvenile justice and the foster care system, the twin sisters have non-traditional pathways toward economic security and financial independence. Their contrasting experiences in the group home show how important it is to have supportive, trauma-informed adults at every touchpoint of a young person’s journey toward adulthood. The story is told from the perspective of Lucero and her daughter; it is a call to advocates and policymakers to improve young people’s access to supportive services in health, education, and housing.
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“Mommy, would you tell me a story?”
“We just read a book. Aren’t you tired?”
“I want YOU to tell me a story.”
“Okay. What kind of story?”
“Something about a girl who goes on a journey.”
“Time for bed, my love.”
“Mommy, would you tell me a story?”
“We just read a book. Aren’t you tired?”
“I want YOU to tell me a story.”
“Okay. What kind of story?”
“Something about a girl who goes on a journey.”
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lucy.
She had a magic spark that lit up the world. A smile that could warm the coldest winter day.
Everyone knew Lucy was special.
Lucy had a twin sister, Ramona, who was just as special.
They were as close as twins could be.
But they had very different paths.
One day, a mean person brought a darkness that hurt Lucy and Ramona.
The mean person took away their magic and left a big empty hole in each of the sister’s hearts.
People began to treat them differently. Their closest friends started to stay away from them.
They felt alone, like no one wanted them. This made them sad.
The sadness hurt too much. When that happens, sadness can turn into anger.
Without love and support, Lucy and Ramona started getting into trouble.
No one showed them how to heal.
They were doing things that other teens would do, but because of their past, the adults were always monitoring their every move.
In the adults’ eyes, the sisters were always doing something wrong.
They were punished for the smallest mistakes.
The adults told Lucy and Ramona that there was a place that could ‘correct’ their behaviors—so they took the sisters there.
“Well, sort of. It wasn’t a prison with bars—it was called a group home.
The sisters knew about group homes. They heard stories about abuse and neglect, and how the young people who lived in them weren’t really listened to.”
“Wait, like a prison?!”
“Well, sort of. It wasn’t a prison with bars—it was called a group home.”
“The sisters knew about group homes. They heard stories about abuse and neglect, and how the young people who lived in them weren’t really listened to.”
Even worse, Lucy and Ramona were separated and taken to two different group homes.
Their experiences were very different.
Ramona's group home was frantic and under-resourced. There were always fights, and the young people were isolated from the real world.
The adults did not have proper training to care for young people like Ramona. They did their best, but it wasn’t enough.
The lack of love and support made it harder for Ramona to find her magic and go on her journey.
On the other hand, Lucy's group home was different from most.
They showed Lucy that she was still a special person with a magic spark who could go on to do great things.
Because of that, she could feel something changing.
It was a small feeling. Like a little tickle.
She didn’t know it yet, but…
a little of her magic was starting to come back.
When it was time for Lucy to leave the group home, she didn’t want to leave the relationships she had built.
She felt supported there.
They taught her how to get an education and do great things.
She knew she didn’t need to be afraid anymore.
When Lucy went back to school, she had a new energy.
She took her regular classes and also went to night school.
She worked harder than she had ever worked before.
But even then, the adults in her school told her that her grades were not good enough for college.
They told her that she hadn't been good enough.
Lucy felt like
her dreams were fading.
But then she remembered…
There were people who believed in her.
Even more of her magic started to return.
She used it to do amazing things.
She graduated from high school.
She had a beautiful daughter.
And she started going to college.
Even though Lucy could see a bright future ahead, she had new fears, new challenges to face.
For young parents like Lucy, getting good grades was not the only priority.
Where will I live?
Who will take care of my daughter while I study?
How will I afford college? What about childcare?
Even with all the support she received, the time she spent in the group home didn’t prepare her for the outside world.
As Lucy’s magic grew, she used it to overcome many of her challenges.
In college, there were no childcare resources. They didn’t let her take her daughter to class either, but she stood up for herself and did it anyway.
She worked hard to find programs that could pay for college, and people who would help her find a place to live.
It's hard to find your way in life as a young person. But it's even harder when you have to do it without real support and the right resources.
What happens when young people leave foster care without any real guidance to complete their education and gain financial independence?
What happens when young parents are left alone to navigate adulthood and parenthood, while having to build their child’s future at the same time?
What happens to their children?
Young people in the foster care system have a steep climb toward economic security.
If they are going to succeed, they need supportive adults, holistic educational and financial support, access to health care, and a comprehensive system that prioritizes them and their families.
“Lucy helped Ramona find her magic, and together they used it to help other young people who had been hurt.
They wanted to make sure that others could get an education.
A safe place to live.
And even support raising their children.
Now, that is what Lucy does.
She works hard so that more and more young people know they have magic inside them.”
“Mommy, was that you?”
How You Can Help
To learn how you can begin to help other young parents like Lucero and Carmen, visit the Journey to Success campaign website.
Acknowledgment
Thank you, Lucero and Carmen, for graciously lending your time to share your story with us, and allowing us to take a peek at a slice of your life. Your experiences, insights, and suggestions have shaped and redefined the conversations around young parents, and we hope that this story continues to do so.
Thank you to the Annie E. Casey Foundation for funding this project, and to Journey to Success for being a partner.
Thank you to artist Tony Midi and to DALL·E for the creation of our illustrations. Lastly, thank you to those who was involved in the revision of this story and to those who helped make this story possible.
Suggested Citation
Natalie, P., Noyola, L., Noyola, C., Fishbein, J., Garrido, M., Sufrinko, N., LaBonte, K., & Cowsert, M. (2023). Young Parents Stories. Healthy Teen Network. https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/resources/young-parents-stories/lucero-carmen
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