USF student turns foster care struggles into a story of hope
Former foster child and now college student from Illinois turned his personal struggles into an opportunity to help others.
Devin Paladino, now a public relations and advertising student at USF, spent years in the foster care system. There, he faced obstacles that many would find overwhelming.
But the 20-year-old chose to use those challenges as a source of strength—writing books that speak to kids in similar situations.
Paladino said there are “hundreds and thousands” of kids in the foster care system, and the reality is that more than half end up “dead, in jail or homeless.”
“So I felt like this is a story that can really bring awareness to the foster care system,” he said.
The idea to write a book came after a professor at the Hillsborough Community College read Paladino’s personal essay and was immensely impressed.
Paladino then sat at his desk at home for three months during the COVID-19 pandemic to work on his autobiography.
He worked with multiple editors and eventually published his book “My Testimony” in 2020.
“We all felt like it would be good to share my story and some of the trials I went through with other people so I can inspire them and make them feel like they are not alone,” he said.
Growing up, Paladino enjoyed reading inspirational stories. He said they helped him “stay on the right track.”
He said he wanted to “put his story into literature” for kids and young adults.
“We all go through things in life, and I thought these characters could identify with people reading it and show them there is a way out for what they’re going through,” he said.
Paladino has been around the world, including Ghana, where he donated his book to a school library, helping children with their education and expanding their opportunities.
“In Africa, they have a lot of struggles in their school system, and they’re not as privileged as we are here,” he said.
He donated over 50 books to the local school library and is working on writing even more books for the students there.
Paladino is not only sharing his journey—but actively working to give children everywhere the hope and resources they deserve.
“Your current situation doesn’t have to dictate or stop you from what you’re trying to achieve,” he said.
Credits:
Anchors: Carter Timmons and Clara Rokita Garcia
Reporters: Tatyana Purifoy and Ayla Yebba
Producer: Ricardo Cuomo
Asst. Producer: Debora Gruenberg
Camera: Gracie Campbell
Audio: Abigail Saxe
Technical Director: Sam Poulin
Teleprompter: Karli Kibbee
Editor: Paula Sanchez Ruiz
Graduate Assistant: Grace Ficara
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Stephanie Anderson