5 Tips to Stay Connected with Your Heritage as a Foster Youth

Everyone has a unique story shaped by their culture and heritage. Before entering foster care, you might have expressed pride in your identity and culture in ways that feel different from now. When your life has taken a big turn, you may find it hard to connect with your heritage and cultural identity. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about losing touch with your culture as a foster youth because below are 5 easy ways to stay connected with your heritage!

1. Talk to Your Trusted Adults

Asking for help can be hard. However, you may be surprised by how many people will come to your side for help if you just take the time to ask for it. If you feel like you are lacking the resources or ability to connect with your heritage, then you should reach out to one of your most trusting adult supporters to talk to. Talking with your adult supporters can help you identify what's important in terms of your heritage and cultural identity and help connect you to what you may need.

2. Practice Cultural Traditions

Some people have difficulty expressing themselves when their heritage comes from more than one culture. If you identify with two or more cultures, then that means you have more to embrace! As a foster youth, one way you can connect with your culture is by practicing your culture's traditions, like attending a special festival or honoring a holiday by celebrating. You can also practice certain cultural customs like cooking or eating popular meals and wearing traditional outfits of your culture.

3. Learn More About Your or Other Cultures

Another way you can stay connected with your heritage while in foster care is by doing simple research and reading. There is no limit to how much you can learn about your cultural roots just by digging through books or online websites. You may also find other cultures that are similar to yours in your research that might make you feel prouder about where you come from!

4. Connect With Others in Your Culture

A simple way to interact with your heritage as a youth in foster care is by trying to bond or build connections with other people of your culture. Being around others who share the same culture as you can feel more in touch with your heritage because it can create some common ground and a safe space to express yourself. Try to talk with other foster youth you know about how they stay connected with their heritage for some tips. You can learn from others in your community through their experiences, and you can share yours with them!

5. Share Your Culture

The last tip you can use to try to stay connected with your heritage is to educate others and spread the knowledge you have about your culture’s roots and history. Your culture’s history shows the ‘where’s’ and ‘why’s’ of your heritage and sharing your connection with your culture can help keep it alive for the future. By sharing your experiences with the culture you identify with, you are advocating for it. By advocating, you can feel more rooted in your heritage!

To stay in touch with your culture’s roots, you must embrace being you. Don’t forget to be proud of who you are and where you come from. This will help you stay in touch with your heritage. Being a youth in foster care doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your connection with your heritage or self-identity. Use these 5 tips to help you stay connected with your heritage and the real you!

 

About the Author:
Alex was in foster care for seven years and when she aged out felt confident about being on her own because her caseworker helped prepare her.