Since I’ve joined Green City Force my life has changed tremendously. I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life. I’ve had some ideas but I knew that they wouldn’t be possible. I was always told that I would be dead or in jail before the age of 21 if I kept living the life I was living, but here I am at age 22 with so much life and great opportunities ahead of me. My experience with GCF taught me not only to believe in myself but to fight for what I want and never give up. I never had a big support system but now I have more support than I could have ever asked for. The staff at GCF accepted me for who I was & didn’t try to change me, but instead showed me why I should want to change myself. I appreciate the opportunity that I was given to make a change, not only in my own life but in the lives of those around me as well. I’ve learned so much about my planet, things that I never knew before. I learned about sustainability, clean air, the water we drink, the foods we eat, and where we get it all from. I now have the knowledge to teach those in my community about how to not only preserve where they live but to love it. Knowing what I know now and being able to teach someone else is an amazing feeling and I’m so proud of myself. I honestly didn’t think I would of made it this far but I fought hard for what I wanted and in the end I defeated all odds against me. Not only do I see a change in myself but the people close to me and those around me see a change in me also. I never thought I could have a living wage job or even a career at such a young age until GCF. I see great things for myself in the near future. All thanks goes to those who kept pushing me and never gave up on me, my team leaders, Lawrence & Wesley. Not only were they mentors to me, but they were also like family. They pushed me to my limits and were always there to back me up when I needed a little help. Dealing with me is not easy but they showed patience and understanding; I now have both. Special thanks to Ms. Shepherd for creating this organization for people like me to gain valuable experience in order to get ahead in life.
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