When I posed the question “what was on your wall” did you think I was referring to your Facebook wall? Well, I’m not. I need you to think further back into your history.
I have been a New Edition fan since 1983. My bedroom wall was FULL of New Edition posters, pictures, and articles – in all honesty it looked more like wall paper. Did you have posters on your bedroom wall when you were a teenager? Were the walls in your bedroom an expression of your hobbies, celebrity crushes, activities, and dreams? Gazing at the faces of those five talented teenage boys brought me happiness. I swapped old pictures for new ones and moved things around to make perfect lines and squares. New Edition photos covered my walls for many, many years.
If you’re reading and wondering why I’m taking you down memory lane, there is a point and a purpose — New Edition photos covered my walls for many, many years. I did not have to take down the posters because I knew I wasn’t going anywhere – I was safe and secure in my home. I did not have to worry about being forced to move out because I turned 18, or move on short notice, or group home rules that prohibited me from putting posters on the wall, or if I would end up with a roommate who didn’t like the same musical artists as I did.
My wish for every teen in foster care awaiting a forever is that they receive their own bedroom wall in a home filled with love and stability. Because the group is still touring together thirty years later, Home Again is the perfect New Edition song for this blog post.
Since you’re already visiting, why don’t you take a few moments to check out the blog post Every Youth In Foster Care Deserves What I Had?
Nicki Sanders, MSW, Chief Visionary Officer
The Teen Toolbox provides youth portfolio development and civic engagement and academic enrichment opportunities to help teens set goals for life after high school and create a road map to reach those goals through its PACKAGED FOR SUCCESS™ Programs.