- I forget that I was a former foster child until, like,
I relive those memories and I'm like, oh wow,
you know, I do have an important story.
- My name is Shahid.
- My name is Chanda.
- I'm from Los Angeles, California,
specifically I'm from Compton.
- I was living in Clearwater, Florida.
- I entered the childcare system, like,
around 13 years old.
- I was in the foster care system at the age of 14.
- I remember the drive from Compton over the 405
to the San Fernando Valley
because that's where the group home was located.
- I was escorted out by two police officers
in my home-ec course.
I was put into a group home for two weeks.
- Like you could tell it wasn't, like, someone's home.
It wasn't intimate.
- Well, my group home was, it was pretty bad.
There was a lot of fights.
A lot of, like, kids stealing each other's clothes.
- I remember sitting down
while they were processing my paperwork.
This kid runs out of the room, like full raging,
angry, he's cursing and yelling at the staff.
So he takes the TV that's in front of me
and he throws it out of the window.
And it's like, 'F you, F you, F you, F you,"
takes his fist and socks it into wall.
And I was scared. I was really really scared.
- I was beating myself up
as to why my parents were, were separated.
Why I couldn't be with my family.
There was a lot of, like, self punishment.
- And he said to me,
'you're going to be in a gang of group homes. Just like me.'
- I couldn't forgive myself. Maybe I did something wrong.
- And I said, 'that's your story.
That's not going to be my story.
This is going to be my home.
And I'm going to make this what I want it to be.'
It was, um, it was, it was my moment.
And that moment set the tone...
sorry.
- When I first met Joanne, I was, I was confused.
- One thing I really loved about Antoinette
was she was very talkative,
and I'm kind of very talkative.
- I remember a time when Joanne hugged me
and she told me that everything was going to be okay.
- She really treated me like a regular person.
- I kind of shrugged her hug away from me,
and always kinda like, 'you don't,
you don't know what I'm going through.
You know, everything won't be okay.'
- She was always there whenever I needed her
in the emotional moments or moments of advice.
- Joanne instilled, like, love, support, trust,
which is something that I didn't really, um,
was involved in with my biological family.
- She helped me with food.
She still let me come to her house
and just be with their family and just, you know,
for Thanksgiving, for Christmas cause I was lonely.
She's one of the reasons that I'm still walking this earth.
- So it's been nine years since I've seen her in person.
- It's been like a few years
since I've actually seen her in person.
So here's a letter.
Are you serious?
- [Foster Mother] Chanda, hi baby.
- Hi. How are you?
- Hello!
- Antoinette!
- I wanted to write you a thank you letter.
- I was going to read you a letter,
but they're just words because you already know,
you've already been there.
We already in those moments.
- I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your love
and support for being an amazing foster mother.
- I would like to thank you
for being an amazing staff at CBH.
- I remember when I first met you,
you gave me the biggest hug.
- The memories are still found for me,
and I know they are for you too.
- You wanted me to have a life as a normal teenager.
So I took part in course, drama, the multicultural club,
and I remember you even had me take part in a tennis team.
- I want to thank you, Antoinette,
really being there for me.
- You had taught me the meaning of love, support, and trust.
- You had everything that I needed to know,
and you looked out for me and my brothers.
- Thank you for allowing me to visit my mom
during school nights, even though some days were harder.
I know those few years ended up being the most crucial
because we discovered that her heart was deteriorating
and she passed away not too long after.
- And I want to thank you for loving me.
I'm not sure if it was easy, but you did it.
- I'm finishing my master's at Purdue.
- [Foster Mother] Wow!
- Yeah! And I'll be graduating in August.
- And I know that you're amazing at what you do today
and I want to encourage you to continue the good work
and let God continue to guide you.
- I want to send you an invite.
- [Foster Mother] Go ahead! If I can make it there, I will.
- And thank you for being who you are.
- [Chanda] I just want you to know
that you hold a special place in my heart
and your good deeds will never be forgotten.