Regina Calcaterra spent time in foster care, and in 1980, emanicipated herself at the age of 14. In her book, “Etched in Sand,” Calcaterra describes her chlidhood of abuse and neglect and advocates for adoption, not aging out of foster care.
In an interview with Caroline Linton for Women in the World, Calcaterra shares,
Now we’re going to fast-forward thirtysomething years later, and they’re doing the exact same thing. What they’re doing is for kids who are aging out of foster care, they try to teach them how to live independently on their own at the age of 18 or 21. It’s because kids are pushed out of care at 18 or 21 based on what state they’re in or based on what it is they’re doing. In some states, if a foster youth will go to vocational training or college, they’ll keep them in foster care until they’re 21, but then they still cut them off when they’re 21. All that means is that from 18 to 21, they’re still getting the Medicaid card and they’re still getting a couple hundred dollars a month to pay their rent and that’s it.
Etched in Sand is Calcaterra’s memoir of her story as a child living with abuse, only to find themselves in a foster care system that was unable to meet their needs.
To view a video about Calcaterra’s memoir, click here.
Calcaterra currently serves as Executive Director of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption in New York. She is also a board member of You Gotta Believe, an organization based in New York that advocates for moving children and youth in foster care into adoptive homes.