MANSFIELD — Brandon Hurt left Ohio for the first time in his life two weeks ago.
The 18-year-old was treated to a three-day trip to Washington D.C. for foster youth across the country, selected to participate in the Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Program.
The voyage was a complete surprise to Hurt. His independent living caseworker at Richland County Children Services, Jeraca Barnett, applied for the program on his behalf for — and kept him in the dark until the good news arrived.
Hurt was the only foster child from Richland County and one of only five from Ohio to take the trip.
What’s more, Hurt, who now lives on his own, was one of a select few who have aged out of the foster care system.
But, after hearing Hurt’s remarkable story, there’s no question why he was chosen for the honor.
Hurt was born in Bellevue, Ohio, but moved around a lot growing up. He lived in Mansfield for two year before, at age 14, he was put into the foster care system.
“It was originally just supposed to be (respite) care,” Hurt explained, so that his mother could work and take care of his three sisters. But a few weeks later, he found out that his mother had actually given up custody shortly after placing him in respite care and had left his sisters stay with their father before leaving the state.
Hurt’s years in his foster home were “long and hard,” as he put it. He lashed out at the situation.
“I was extremely violent, extremely aggressive, and territorial,” he admitted.
While Hurt is thankful for his foster mom, Jill Bradshaw, and said he needed her strict approach, Hurt also recalled how it was very difficult, at first, to not have much to do at home or in after-school activities. Hurt struggled to find an outlet for his stress and anger.
But his cousin, that he now lives with, introduced him to anime and drawing. This quickly became Hurt’s outlet.
Check out the anime music videos that Hurt makes here.
“It’s what helped me cope,” he said. Anime art remains a huge part of Hurt’s life.
On his trip to the nation’s capital, Hurt, along with 99 other foster kids from around the country, had the chance to talk with a number of congressmen in the White House. Among those politicians was former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, now the House Minority Leader. Hurt had the opportunity to ask her one question.
“I had asked her what she could do to help these foster kids express their story through any form of media, whether it be music, story-writing, or my way of art,” he said.
Nancy Pelosi’s response? She needed a moment to think.
“I had just stumped the most powerful woman in America,” Hurt said with a smile.
Even after Pelosi gave an answer, she wasn’t too direct, Hurt said. But as she was leaving she stopped to personally give Hurt her business card and told him to email her with any suggestions or concerns about foster care.
The rest of the trip was filled with historical sightseeing and a meeting with Congressman Bob Gibbs (R-7th Dist.)
But, the trip was also an opportunity to meet other kids from foster care.
“It was profound, meeting other foster kids that had either similar stories or stories that I could empathize with,” he said.
Hurt discussed how one of the most commonplace struggles for children in foster care is having their voices heard. He said sometimes kids get caseworkers that aren’t sensitive to the homes they are assigned.
Thankfully, though, Hurt’s story is not so dark. He still keeps in touch with his three sisters and their father, whom he loves dearly. Hurt’s own story is much more of a success. He aged out of the foster care system and has been successfully living with his cousin since November, assisted by the RCCS Independent Living program.
He is on his way to finishing up high school diploma through an online program.
Hurt plans on majoring in animation in college and conveniently ended up meeting an Ohio State recruiter on the plane ride over to D.C. They discussed OSU’s animation program. Hurt hopes to have a career where he can work in animation and possibly as a voice actor for animes.
“I want to help create something that kids would love just like how I loved some of the animes growing up,” he said.
