If You See Them - by Vicki Sokolik (Hardcover)

About the Book

"An exploration of the crisis of homeless youth--told through the stories of a woman on the frontlines and the kids themselves."--

Book Synopsis

A moving exploration of the crisis of homeless youth--told through the inspiring stories of a woman on the frontlines and the kids themselves.

They hide in plain sight. They survive on free school breakfasts and lunches, join school sports teams in order to shower, sleep on friends' couches, in parks, or on the streets. Their official designation is "unaccompanied homeless youth"--they are not "runaways" breaking free from strict parenting; these are kids seeking safety. They have escaped abusive parents, have been abandoned, or have never had a home to begin with.

When Vicki Sokolik's son brought home a classmate who was living on her own and was dropping out of school to support herself, Vicki stepped in to help. As she learned more about the invisible population of young people navigating life alone, she discovered the countless ways they are overlooked and impeded by the system. She founded a nonprofit and worked to change legislation in her home state of Florida to give these kids agency over their lives.

If You See Them wakes us up to the issue of youth homelessness in America, through Sokolik's own story of advocacy and through the voices of the kids themselves. Her grassroots action demonstrates the world-shifting power of compassion, acceptance, belonging, and self-determination, and the capacity each of us has to change our communities for the better.

Review Quotes

"Clear-eyed and moving . . . Its essential and inspiring message is about how even the worst problems, once seen, can be solved."--Tampa Bay Times

"An inspiring and instructive read for anyone who wants to help but feels too powerless to start."--Oprah Daily

"A gently urgent call to arms, a plea for attention and a good read altogether."--Philadephia Tribune

"We can't all emulate Sokolik, but her example should motivate us not only to see these folks, but to help them if we can."--Minneapolis Star Tribune

"A compelling call to action about a practically invisible population."--Booklist

"Moving . . . A timely and truly inspiring memoir."--Kirkus

"Helping traumatized teenagers with no homes or functional parents is hard, complicated work, but Vicki Sokolik won't take no for an answer. Her zealous, sometimes maddening, but ultimately heroic persistence turns out to be just what it takes to overcome the defenses of her young clients and push them, struggling, into a better life. This is a book for anyone who knows how tricky it can be to help."--Larissa MacFarquhar, author of Strangers Drowning: Impossible Idealism, Drastic Choices, and the Urge to Help

"These unforgettable, deeply moving, all-too-true stories amount to an urgent call to action."--Robert Kolker, author of Hidden Valley Road

In this deeply compassionate book, Vicki Sokolik gives homeless youth a chance to be seen and heard--and gives readers ample reason to take action."--Anya Kamenetz, author of The Stolen Year

"Vicki Sokolik gives a voice and hope to young people who otherwise don't have one. As a former unhoused youth myself, I am grateful for her tireless advocacy. The book inspires readers to take notice and take action for those less fortunate."--Ashley Rhodes-Courter, author of the New York Times bestseller Three Little Words

"Invisible to society, unaccompanied homeless youth surround us. This emotional narrative compels us to confront the enormous challenges facing young people who must survive without any caring adult in their lives. It is a call to action for other communities to replicate the Starting Right, Now model, inspired by one woman's tireless activism and unwavering belief in the good that resides in all of us."--Pam Iorio, former mayor of Tampa

"If You See Them compels us to examine how we fail to support the most vulnerable youth. It inspires us to look beyond preconceived notions of homelessness and help our youth succeed by 'seeing them, ' demonstrating compassion, but also looking deeper to see what 'happened' to them. In the end, it proves that there is no such thing as a bad kid."--Thaddeus Bullard aka WWE Global Ambassador Titus O'Neil, author of There's No Such Thing as a Bad Kid

"Proof that the ordinary among us can do the extraordinary, Vicki Sokolik's If You See Them shines a floodlight on our most vulnerable children and compels us to action."--Mona Hanna-Attisha, author of What the Eyes Don't See

About the Author

Vicki Sokolik is the Founder and CEO of Starting Right, Now (SRN), a pioneering, comprehensive program in two counties of Florida that provides social and health services to unhoused students who are not living with a parent or guardian and are not safeguarded by foster care. Sokolik has co-authored and amended legislation to pass ten bills protecting unaccompanied youth statewide. In acknowledgment of her work, she has been recognized by Lightning Community Heroes, Bank of America's Neighborhood Builders Program, and the Humana Communities Benefit Award. In 2019 she was recognized as a CNN Hero, an AARP Purpose Prize Fellow, and became a recipient of the Foundation for Improvement of Justice' Paul H. Chapman Gold Medal. She has served on Florida's Independent Living Services Advisory Council and Council of Homeless Board. SRN is the first and only nonprofit to win the WEDU Be More Award twice for Nonprofit of the Year, in 2012 and 2018. Florida Blue awarded SRN the 2021 Sapphire Award. In 2022, The American Psychiatric Association Foundation honored SRN with the Award for Advancing Minority Mental Health, and the Junior League of Tampa Bay awarded Vicki its 1926 Legacy Award.