Growing up in the foster care system is a tumultuous experience, often marked by constant upheaval, uncertainty, and a search for belonging. For Freedom Shearer, these challenges were all too familiar. Now 15, Freedom reflects on a childhood that felt more like a series of jarring scene changes in a film, each new foster home representing a new chapter of dislocation, anxiety, and emotional turbulence.
“Foster care sucks,” Freedom bluntly states. It’s a stark and powerful opening to a story that sheds light on the harsh realities faced by many children in the system. Moving from one home to another, often with little notice, leaves little room to get comfortable or feel secure. “You can’t get comfortable in one place,” Freedom continues, “When you do, they snatch you away and move you somewhere else.” This constant shuffling, the overwhelming need to adapt to unfamiliar places and people, left Freedom feeling disconnected, scared, and forced to put on a show to survive.
Freedom’s earliest memories in foster care are fragmented, almost dreamlike. She recall being placed with a family around the age of two or three—a family that was not kind. “They would always yell at me for no reason,” Freedom remembers. This early experience of hostility was only tempered by the kindness of the family’s daughters, but even that was fleeting. Without warning, the scene changed, and Freedom was in another house, with no memory of how they got there.
The next home brought a few more fragments of memory—a dog, several animals, and a birthday gift—a sparkly pink and purple bag that brought a moment of joy amidst the uncertainty. But again, the scene changed, ushering in a new house, new people, and the overwhelming feelings of stress, sadness, and anxiety that had become all too familiar. Therapy sessions came and went, but the underlying sense of instability remained. “I still have a strange feeling that I’m going to have another dream scene change and end up in another house again,” Freedom admits.
Despite these experiences, Freedom is determined not to let the past define her. Her aspiration is to be in the spotlight, not as a performer putting on a show out of necessity, but as an inspiration to others who have faced similar challenges. Freedom wants to reach out to other children in Utah’s foster care system, to let them know they are not alone, and that they can overcome the hardships they face. “I wish to achieve inspiring multiple people in Utah foster care that they are not alone and they can overcome their challenges even if it seems impossible,” Freedom says. She want others to know that despite feeling different, weird, or unimportant, there is always a place for them in the world.
Freedom’s message is clear: “Everyone deserves someone.” She encourage others to pursue what they love, to find people who will support them, and to never feel left out or alone. It’s a message born from a deep sense of understanding, forged in the fires of personal experience.
While Freedom acknowledges the difficulties she’s faced, she also recognize the importance of proving others wrong and defying expectations. Whether it was taking on an AP class just to show she could, or working with mentors like Doctor Evan Brown and Tunisha Brown of IMPACT Magazine, who helped solidify her passion for storytelling and making a difference in the world, Freedom’s journey is one of resilience.
Racism and discrimination have also played a role in Freedom’s story. Being a Black child adopted by a white family came with its own set of challenges. “Lots of people judged me because my parents were white,” Freedom explains. The constant questioning—whether her mom was really her mom, whether her siblings were just friends—only added to the feeling of not belonging.
Freedom’s story is a powerful reminder of the resilience of children in foster care and the importance of understanding and support from those around them. As Freedom continues to navigate her journey, her voice serves as a beacon of hope for others who are still searching for their place in the world. “Mental health is a big issue—and that is ok,” Freedom concludes. “More people need to be more understanding.” And with that understanding, perhaps fewer children will have to face the world feeling as if they are constantly on the move, never able to truly settle in one place.
Photographer: Vidzual Media
