Labeled - by Kenisha E Anthony (Paperback)

About the Book

Labeled captures a resilient voice. It's a coming of age experience that explores the interplay of the life of a black girl, foster care and social justice.

Book Synopsis

An abandoned child of drug-addicted parents and Florida's broken child-welfare system, Kenisha E. Anthony was left to wonder if anyone would ever want her. As a young girl, desperate for love and belonging, she bounced from one unstable home to the next, packing only resentment, abandonment, and heartbreak to take with her. Still, Kenisha found her way, ultimately breaking barriers and shattering statistics. Against advice to "just get a GED," she earned both an undergraduate and graduate degree with the aid of tuition exemption per Florida Statute 1009.25(1)(d), a resource for children aging out of foster care. As an advocate for change in the child welfare system, she found her voice in the presence of state legislators and earned a name as a dynamic professional and change-maker in the field of social work.

Kenisha shines a spotlight on life through the lens of a survivor with a vivid portrait of her journey from victim to victor, rising above hardships that could have easily left her defeated and destitute. This is a story of triumph, redemption, and the will to become more than just a Ward of the State. Teeming with vulnerability, candor, and wisdom, this unfiltered reflection of Kenisha's life is, fittingly, more than a memoir. It is a social awareness tool for anyone who's faced adversity, beat the odds, and refused to be labeled.

Review Quotes

"Kenisha Anthony delivers a well-crafted story of one person's life - REAL AND RAW - and character-building wisdom for all our lives. 'The smartest people are lifetime learners, ' she writes. Building upon pain, poignancy and progress, Kenisha teaches us all. -David Lawrence Jr., retired publisher of the Miami Herald and now chair of The Children's Movement of Florida

"Labeled, is an eye-opening and truth-telling work of art that delivers a systematic response to the foster care system. Kenisha Anthony reveals her truth and EMPOWERS others to live their best lives regardless of obstacles." -Suze Guillaume, author of Do It BIG

"Labeled is an EMOTIONAL tale of a young woman's transition as a traumatized caterpillar that evolved into a beautiful butterfly. Kenisha's debut is authentic and inspiring, and you will experience a range of emotions as you navigate her journey to FREEDOM." -Jerome Fulton Jr., founder of the Angel B. Wilson Foundation

"Kenisha shows the world of foster care through different lenses: the child, the adult who has aged out, and the social/case worker, while detailing the actions she's taken and continue to take to not only change her own outcome but that of other families with similar experiences. Labeled was a poignant read that didn't fail to EDUCATE AND INSPIRE." -Monique D. Mensah, editor of Mark your Mark Publishing