Cheronda is a one-of-a-kind. I met her at a photo session with foster kids called the Heart Gallery. It's something I've been doing for about 5 years now. The Foster Care System has a program where photographers make portraits of kids in the system in order to help them get recognized and adopted. Cheronda has worked her way up to her current position (don't ask me for the title, I forgot). She grew up mainly with family, her grandmother mostly, then was placed into the foster care system as a teen. Her determination helped her get out of the system at age 17, which is rare, where she attended college, pursuing her education. Of the many people I've met in my life, Cheronda has to be one of the most energetic, loving, positive, and geniune people I know. Her heart is definitely for the kids she's around. Her love for people comes through in all of her actions. I am amazed at the person she's become, given the circumstances she endured growing up. Her dedication to her job, working for CPS (state run organization), puts her at work at odd hours during the day. One day it may be early morning, and the next she's pulling an all-nighter, but she does it with enthusiasm like it’s her first day on the job. When most people in this country are pursuing jobs that have high salaries (chasing the dollar), Cheronda is making a difference in the lives of people that have no home; people that are abandoned, neglected, and left to fend for themselves. She loves these kids, and does her best to help them make connections. These connections are, what she says, "are the most important thing people can do for a kid in the system". These connections help these kids develop into responsible citizens. They give these kids hope. They make a difference in the lives of these foster kids. If I could ask one person to speak to young adults (about direction and adversity), I'd want it to be Cheronda. She gets it. She's an overcomer, and is willing to share her secrets with anyone willing to listen. Cheronda is the perfect example of how adversity, when handled with the right attitude, can help you develop your character and help you become the best you can be. This is Cheronda Tillman, and she is surviving the system, and helping others through it. You can learn more about Cheronda in her interview.
some of her cherished childhood memories
an image from her memory book
Cheronda knows what it’s like to be alone, and need help
The beautiful woman she’s turned into today, a smile that lights up any room she enters
The one image that speaks volumes about being in the foster care system
The windows of her soul
Capturing her personality, one image just couldn’t do it.