You may remember Kelly & Kevin, our Match of the Year from 2016. Kevin has spent the last year in a detention facility for undocumented youth in Texas. Kelly visited Kevin, for the first time in over a year and a half! Here are Kelly's thoughts on the reunion;
I am happy to say the visits went very smoothly- I was able to see Kevin both days, a contact visit (meaning we got to hug and sit with each other instead of talking on the phone with a window
between us). He is healthy and in incredibly good spirits, given the circumstances - it was a real trip to see
how much he's grown in the last 1.5 years. He's taller than me now (which he was quick to point out!!).
I am so proud of how Kevin has adapted
to his circumstances. He is using this time to learn about other people's cultures (there are detainees from all over - Albania, China, Senegal, you name it). He taught me what he's learned about Islam, about foreign currency, even sign language, as he has a deaf friend at the detention center! The first thing he taught me to sign is "I'm a boss," which, if you know Kevin... of course he would...
For many young people, receiving your own gift at graduation, or having a roomful of people clap for you, may seem mundane, but for many participants in Learn and Earn, these are moments to cherish. As one participant reflects "This graduation was special because I was surrounded by people who care about me" ...
