Advocacy Work

Surviving youth homelessness and becoming a mom motivated me to try to create change. Becoming a physician, educator, and author gave me a voice to speak up for vulnerable populations.

I dream of a world where we solve homelessness and give everyone their best opportunities to survive, thrive, and create the world they need.

I'm passionate about helping young people, and would love to welcome all of you to donate, volunteer, or advocate to end youth homelessness - please consider your local organizations, and I can personally vouch for My Friend's Place, the program that helped me as a teen and continues to work with young people experiencing homelessness.

I also discovered through writing that I can advocate for young people with stories - and I will keep writing to help share about young people in crisis and hopefully build empathy amongst readers.

Surviving youth homelessness and becoming a mom motivated me to try to create change. Becoming a physician, educator, and author gave me a voice to speak up for vulnerable populations.

Please help support programs that are doing the work in your communities - and if you need a program to donate or volunteer at in the Los Angeles area, please consider My Friend's Place.

I know that the work they do matters. They helped me as a teen, and they continue to work with young people experiencing homelessness.

I've also found that writing is one of my advocacy strengths, and it's why I love writing YA. 

Or, as a colleague asked when I recently published Surfing On Dry Land, "Do you ever write anything that isn't political?"

Hmm. No, not really. As long as there are young people in crisis, I have stories I need to tell.