Imprint Author

Jessica Castillo

Jessica Castillo is a former foster child with a lifetime of love for writing and speaking for those who - more often than not - go unheard. She was in foster care from 2009 to 2014, and adopted from 2014 to 2015. Through the pieces she puts out into the public, she hopes to help those involved in the life of a foster child to better understand them - even if it’s just a little bit - and to encourage foster children to be themselves and to love themselves.

3/16/2023

Pursuing Peace Instead of Packing Prisons

Children who are placed in prisons are being traumatized when they should be receiving rehabilitation and education, writes Jessica Castillo.

5/16/2022

Through Rose-Colored Lenses

Youth Voice Writing Contest essay winner Jessica Castillo writes about how safety can sometimes be with a foster youth's biological family.

4/13/2022

Fewer Adults are Willing to Care for Older Kids in Foster Care

Older kids are not defined by their age, so their age shouldn’t be a factor in deciding to care for them, writes Jessica Castillo.

4/7/2022

Should Birth Control Be Mandatory for Youth in Foster Care?

Decisions regarding foster youth’s bodies and their reproductive health should not be up to anyone but themselves, writes Jessica Castillo.

3/31/2022

Foster Parents Need to be Trained to be Loving and Welcoming to Youth of All Genders and Sexualities

Foster parents need to be trained to welcome youth of all genders and sexualities, says Youth Voice writer Jessica Castillo.

3/21/2022

Should Churches Be Involved With the Department of Child and Family Services?

There are pros and cons of child welfare systems partnering with churches, but if done right, it can be effective, writes Jessica Castillo.