Strength in Love by Eric

Created January 2010; Vail/Edwards, CO

The recipient of a full-ride scholarship from the Colorado Guardian Scholars program, and a current college student, Eric explores his experiences with gang involvement, homelessness, and parental rejection as he traces his journey from one Thanksgiving to the next––from eating alone at Burger King to being part of a new family.

Tell us about yourself?
I am a college student at Mesa State College in Grand Junction CO. I am a very social person. I still have a problem trusting people after being let down a lot.

Why did you choose this story to tell?
I chose to do this story because it is the reason why I am who I am. People tell me that I am humble and nice. This video shows my reasons, and it shows that I lost everything. When you lose everything and find a chance your look on life really changes.

How have you changed as a result of making or telling this story?
After telling my story with CDS I felt like a monkey jumped off my back. I don't know exactly what it was, but everything felt... a little easier