I learned about David Ambroz’s memoir during a panel discussion presented by the Human Rights Campaign All Children All Families campaign and moderated by Ambroz himself. The panel focused on the needs of LGBTQIA+ youth in the child welfare system. Ambroz spent several years in foster care, and I was eager to read more about his experience and perspectives.

A PLACE CALLED HOME is a deeply emotional and moving reading experience. David and his brother and sister spent years living on the streets and in poverty. Hunger, fear, and uncertainty are constant companions. The youngest of the siblings, David was a self-appointed mediator, doing whatever he could to keep the family together and his mentally-ill mother stable. Until he reached an impossible breaking point and entered foster care.

David hopes foster care will be his salvation, but things don’t exactly work out that way. His story is a mix of tragedy and triumph and spurs him on to advocacy with the National Foster Youth Advisory Council. There are moments of deep heartbreak, and yet his spirit to never give up and to succeed is palpable on every page, giving A PLACE CALLED HOME an undeniable feeling of hope.