Finding her voice as a writer | Hillsides

Finding her voice as a writer

How Hillsides helped transform a girl’s life  

Asia Johnson, 16, walks down the stairs of the apartment she shares with her adoptive father, holding a small wooden chest. The chest is overflowing with notebook pages and journals, the lid unable to close against the riot of paper.   

“This is everything I wrote while at Hillsides,” she smiled. 

Before entering Hillsides’ residential program in 2016, Asia didn’t care about writing. In fact, after experiencing nine different placements within three years, she didn’t care about much.

Placed in foster care at age 12, Asia had picked up behaviors such as lying and stealing as survival mechanisms. However, at Hillsides, she changed. “The staff helped me find myself,” she said. “They saw the good in me, gave me hope, and helped me get rid of my bad habits.”

They also guided her toward what would become her true passion: writing. “I started out keeping a journal,” she said. “It helped me capture how I was feeling and to understand myself more.” The staff encouraged her to keep expressing herself, and soon Asia was churning out poetry, songs, and short stories.

At Hillsides, Asia learned that a family friend who had helped raise her, Adrian Rodriguez, wanted to adopt her. In December 2017, Adrian became Asia’s legal guardian and Asia’s dream of becoming part of a family came true. “Now I don’t have to worry so much about myself because I have a father to worry about me,” she said.

Soon afterwards, Hillsides contacted Asia to tell her about a writing contest sponsored by Arts Matter, an arts education nonprofit. Asia submitted a poem, “Hello, Me,” and was honored as a finalist at a celebration at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. 

Asia next plans on writing her life story, so it looks like the chest acquired at Hillsides is about to get even fuller.

 

We provide home-based family care (formerly known as foster care) to help children and youth heal from the effects of trauma. Included in the home-based care are treatment and adoption services for children and youth ranging from newborn to 21 years old. >
Our centers offer numerous community-based programs and services that provide parenting classes, mental health support, and additional crucial resources for vulnerable children and families throughout Los Angeles County, including the San Gabriel Valley and Pasadena. >
We offer comprehensive family support and individual mental health treatment for children and adolescents, ages 6 to 17. This program includes a Residential Treatment Center (RTC), a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), as well as coordinated family and aftercare programming. >
Youth Moving On, with support from The Everychild Foundation, provides former foster youth affordable quality housing and numerous support services to help them become responsible, self-sufficient adults. >

Campus Map

940 Avenue 64, Pasadena, CA 91105 | (323) 254-2274  | Fax: (323) 254-0598
Compliance Hotline: (323) 254-2277 | compliance@hillsides.org
Copyright © 2019 Hillsides Organization. All Rights Reserved.