It's Written Across My Face
There are wounds that heal
This is my story, in my own words. My name is Jackie Turner and I have overcome so much already in my young life.
A woman like me isn’t supposed to dream. I am suppose to be another statistic. I was born to a 17 year old mother who lived in the projects. By 8 months I was sold for 1,000 dollars for drugs. I was then given to a woman who locked me in closets beat me, and would occasionally starve me from the time I was 5 years old until I was 9. At the age of 9 I was abandoned, left on DYFS stairs for two hours with a garbage bag of clothes. By age 11 I moved in with my birth father who beat me every single day I lived with him. Living in that home was like having your worst nightmare as your reality. From age 11 to 16 I lived in my nightmare. By age 17 the state took me away from my birth father, and sent me far away from home. I moved from the East Coast to the West Coast, to start life once again. This time I lived with an aunt and uncle who quickly unraveled after my uncle was caught cheating. I ran to the streets, after the loss of family again, and the death of a young family member. I was searching for hope. I went to a program in the woods of Northern California, where I confronted my past. It was hard work to tear down the walls you’ve built to protect yourself and begin to live again, but I fought every step of the way and I did it.
By the time I was 23 I graduated from the program I was in, and I began working 4 jobs, and I put myself through community college. Before graduating with my AA, I was accepted as a presidential scholar at a private four year university for having a perfect GPA. I graduated from that program and received the highest honors for service to the world and Ministry. During my time at the university I became famous. While in college I decided to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. I began working with At Risk Youth and Families. I began giving abuse victims a voice. I fought for foster kids, I volunteered teaching youth Martial Arts. I also began writing about what it is like going through life as an orphan. One of my writings went viral when I spoke about being alone at the holidays. Orphans worldwide began speaking out, and abuse victims found their voice. I was a pioneer, of showing my scars, and revealing what happens in the dark. I became a hero, unlikely from the silence and abuse I had known.
In 2015 a movie went out on my life story called My One Christmas Wish telling my tail of triumph over adversity. Today I fight for homeless single mothers and their children who have been abused, aged out of the system, and are all alone. I work full time giving them a voice. I am an author for adoption.com, a world wide adoption resource to over 4 million readers worldwide. I also am a voice for the voiceless, publicly speaking out for those still fighting to be heard.
From where I have come from, I am an unlikely hero. However that is what I have become. With your help I can learn and do more for those who need someone who will step in and say you are not alone. I will help fight for you.
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