I stood on my porch, waving goodbye to my two youngest children. Massive tears drops were rolling down my flushed cheeks, indescribable knots swelling in my stomach and throat. I was literally choking on the pain of my daughters having to go live with their father in Utah I sat solemnly on the top step of my porch, head hung low, aimlessly picking at the peeling white paint, when it struck me. “What am I going to do with myself and my time?!” “Who am I, if I’m not a mom?!” These debilitating thoughts, screaming though my head, like dozens of high performance race cars at a track. Round and round they circled. Louder and louder they got. “How did this happen?!” How can a system designed to protect children do this kind of damage, cause this kind of trauma?!” I have been a mother since I was a child myself. I brought my 1st child into this world when I was a senior in High School and since that day I have welcomed five others. They were my only priority. Being their mom was my only identity. Yet there was nothing I could do to protect my family from the travesties committed by Child Protective Services. I was merely a pawn in their game, and my children the prizes to be won. Based solely on the (false) and unproven allegations I was no longer going to be able to raise my children “It will be fine, once I have representation and CPS conducts their investigation, they will see that the allegations are completely false and drop the case” Those naive thoughts, and the foolish belief that the justice system would work as it’s intended to, left me baffled when CPS concluded their haphazard investigation, and told me that I had two options, to let my girls move to Utah voluntarily, or to fight it and have them removed from my home and placed in foster care until I could be proven innocent. That very momemt will fuel the next chapter in my life. I'm going to become an attorney. I deeply and whole heartedly believe in seeking justice, and to me there is nothing more vile, and more unjust than trampling on one’s constitutional rights. This assault on my rights as a parent, and a U.S. Citizen, was the spark to light that fire in my soul. The flames bursting out, burning and begging to be the blaze that can’t be ignored. To be the light for those who are lost in the dark. To be the molten heat that turns injustice to ash. I WILL fight to have changes made to the system, I WILL do whatever I can to save other families from going through what I did. I WILL reach out a helping hand, and empathetic ear to others. Regardless of their ability to pay. And I WILL devote my career to seeking equality and justice. I know there are many others who face injustice. Most of them dont have the voice and resources to fight. I want to be their voice for them, I want to dedicate the rest of my life to fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves. I don’t want to practice law for notoriety or wealth. I want to offer some justice in an often not just world. Thank you.

I stood on my porch, waving goodbye to my two youngest children. Massive tears drops were rolling down my flushed cheeks, indescribable knots swelling in my stomach and throat. I was literally choking on the pain of my daughters having to go live with their father in Utah I sat solemnly on the top step of my porch, head hung low, aimlessly picking at the peeling white paint, when it struck me. “What am I going to do with myself and my time?!” “Who am I, if I’m not a mom?!” These debilitating thoughts, screaming though my head, like dozens of high performance race cars at a track. Round and round they circled. Louder and louder they got. “How did this happen?!” How can a system designed to protect children do this kind of damage, cause this kind of trauma?!” I have been a mother since I was a child myself. I brought my 1st child into this world when I was a senior in High School and since that day I have welcomed five others. They were my only priority. Being their mom was my only identity. Yet there was nothing I could do to protect my family from the travesties committed by Child Protective Services. I was merely a pawn in their game, and my children the prizes to be won. Based solely on the (false) and unproven allegations I was no longer going to be able to raise my children “It will be fine, once I have representation and CPS conducts their investigation, they will see that the allegations are completely false and drop the case” Those naive thoughts, and the foolish belief that the justice system would work as it’s intended to, left me baffled when CPS concluded their haphazard investigation, and told me that I had two options, to let my girls move to Utah voluntarily, or to fight it and have them removed from my home and placed in foster care until I could be proven innocent. That very momemt will fuel the next chapter in my life. I'm going to become an attorney. I deeply and whole heartedly believe in seeking justice, and to me there is nothing more vile, and more unjust than trampling on one’s constitutional rights. This assault on my rights as a parent, and a U.S. Citizen, was the spark to light that fire in my soul. The flames bursting out, burning and begging to be the blaze that can’t be ignored. To be the light for those who are lost in the dark. To be the molten heat that turns injustice to ash. I WILL fight to have changes made to the system, I WILL do whatever I can to save other families from going through what I did. I WILL reach out a helping hand, and empathetic ear to others. Regardless of their ability to pay. And I WILL devote my career to seeking equality and justice. I know there are many others who face injustice. Most of them dont have the voice and resources to fight. I want to be their voice for them, I want to dedicate the rest of my life to fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves. I don’t want to practice law for notoriety or wealth. I want to offer some justice in an often not just world. Thank you.