A Place Called Home: A Memoir
Justin Miller Award Recipient
Lucy Walton
Justin Miller Award Category
Citizenship
Justin Miller Award Date
2024
Description
This powerful memoir exposes the harsh realities faced by countless children living in poverty and highlights Ambroz's extraordinary resilience and transformation. As young children, David and his siblings should have been focused on school, but instead they wandered the streets searching for shelter, food, and warmth while their mother struggled with mental illness. When David is placed into foster care, he initially sees it as a beacon of hope, only to find that it brings its own set of dangers. Shuffled between abusive homes and enduring the cruelty of those who rejected him for his emerging sexuality, David's experience paints a stark picture of systemic failure. Amid the turmoil, David found refuge and hope in libraries, schools, and the kindness of a few compassionate adults. His unyielding determination and resilience earned him a scholarship to Vassar College, marking the beginning of his escape from poverty. He later graduated from UCLA Law with a mission to reform laws impacting children in poverty.
A Place Called Home is a poignant journey from despair to hope. It is both a gripping personal story and a compelling call to action, urging readers to move beyond sympathy and advocate for meaningful change.
Publisher
Legacy Lit
Publication Date
2022
ISBN
9780306903540