June 2010 Face of a Foster Care Graduate – Capri Cruz
June 2, 2010
Our June feature comes to us from New York. She spent her childhood moving from one abusive home to another in the foster care system, 9 homes total. As is the case with many former foster care children, Capri had to learn life skills on her own and she had to learn how to LIVE life and that she did! Please welcome Capri…….
Name: Capri Cruz
State: New York
Occupation: Life Coach/Motivational Speaker/Author
Website: http://www.lifecoachcapri.com
My name is Capri and I spent my whole life in abusive homes to include about 9 different foster homes. At 19, I joined the US Navy and spent the next 17 years running from my life because I couldn’t get a hold of it. Basic things that other people could comprehend, I could not, like “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” or “learn to be happy”. Happy, how could I learn to be happy? I spent my whole life unhappy, what the heck were these people talking about? So I self-medicated with alcohol. Over the years I did attend college but I had no real direction in life. My brother always beat in my head to get out of the military and be my own person, but again, I had no clue how to do that. So one day I decided to write a book about my experiences in foster care called You Were Born to Reflect Greatness and guess what! At the age of 39, I finally realized what my life’s problem was. I lived in the same fear at 39 that I did when I was 13 being sexually abused by my grandfather, which was the same fear that was originally created by living with chemically dependent parents who left me in foster care to be physical and emotionally abused. Fear was my enemy. It had infiltrated my mind, spirit, my mouth and my muscles. Fear stopped me from understanding that my life had become what it did because of the choices I was making (and lack of positive choices I was making). I was an extra in my own life instead of the main character. But today, that is not so. I’ve raised a wonderful daughter, I am an author, I have my Masters degree in Professional Counseling, I’m a life coach (http://www.lifecoachcapri.com) – (see my free articles and special report), I’m retiring from the U.S. Navy, I own my own home, I have plans to create a national organization to advocate for foster children and a million more plans for my future like becoming a professor and completing my PhD but most of all, the one thing that makes me a success story is that I’ve finally learned how to heal myself and experience true joy. I am the happiest person I know in this world. I do not hold any grudges against the people that harmed me, I’ve learned to forgive so I can move on, I practice dumping all negative energy and only surround myself with positive people now to include my 2 best friends. I am a success story because I finally realized that I co-control my destiny with God. I do not have to live in my fears of yesterday and nothing; absolutely nothing in this world is out of my reach. If I believe in something with all my heart and I speak it into existence with my mouth, while taking action everyday to achieve it, I know I can do anything I want in this world. I am free and no one will ever hurt me again because I’ve learned to set boundaries to keep negative people out of my life and I’ve created standards for the people I let in my life! I know my God loves me and I am powerful. This is my definition of success!
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10 Responses to “June 2010 Face of a Foster Care Graduate – Capri Cruz”
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Congratulations on your success Capri! You are an inspiration.
Miss Capri, great accomplishments by truly a great person who has adapted and overcame much. Love and happiness can be learned even by those who have had a life of severe abuse and torture. There is hope even for people who were once called wards of the state.
Bravo Capri…….you have come a long way and have proven to yourself and the world that the past is just that “the past” and it has no holds on you. You are a an inspiration and I can tell you have a zest for life.. Congratulations to you and much success to you in the future also. I am very proud of you.
WOW! You have an amazing Journey and are an inspiration to us all! “Alright Ms. Capri!”
Bravo Capri…….you have come a long way and have proven to yourself and the world that the past is just that “the past” and it has no holds on you. You are a an inspiration and I can tell you have a zest for life.. Congratulations to you and much success to you in the future also. I am very proud of you.
Capri Cruz, I want to let you know you are an inspiration to all former foster children, myself included. Our lives parallel on many levels. Your philosophy of life is just about identical to mine. I find it wonderful that you had the courage to publish the details of your abuse. I’ll have to read it. How freeing this must be. I am an educator and am reluctant to reveal so much of myself in a book. It has crossed my mind on too many occasions to count. I am working on my courage to do it. I am also persuing a PhD. I wish you good luck with that, but we both know luck has nothing to do with it. Strength, courage, determination, and stable relationships has everthing to do with it.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Children's Rights. Children's Rights said: Just under the wire — June's foster care alum from @jcflamini's great Foster Care in America blog: http://is.gd/dag67 [...]
Capri,
You are another example of an amazing woman, one I would be honored to know or talk with. I was the June 2009 Graduate.
God is Good.
Love,
Lin
Founder,
Children Without a Voice USA
http://www.Childrenwithoutavoiceusa.org
Wow, so much love! Thank you all. We are all amazing in our own way, isn’t that true…so many don’t know that though. It’s our job to remind them. We all have different burdens to endure but support is out there. For me, I didn’t know where to look so that’s why I know I must reach out to help those that were just like me.
Tks again for all ur encouraging words…and Malinda, after my sexual abuse, I learned the power of forgiveness. Shortly after that, well a few yrs but….I learned that my story needs to be told to save others. This is why it’s so easy for me to reveal my secrets. No one can ever hurt me again because I have no shame and it’s all for the betterment of other children. Tell your story Malinda. Set yourself free.
PTL! Capri…I had no idea that you went through so much but I want you to know that I am too proud of you and Jazmine. Hugs and Kisses to you both and may God continue to bless you in all your endeavors.