This story goes for every child who has ever felt like they didn’t quite fit. For the ones whose words feel stuck, whose homes stretches far across oceans, and whose hearts are filled with questions. May you always remember that you are not alone. You are a beautiful quilt of strength, culture, and story. And you belong, just as you are.

Coming from Haiti, Layla was learning how to fit into a world that felt very different from the one she knew. 

At school, Layla sat in the second row by the window.
She liked the sunlight on her desk and how it kept her warm on cold mornings. She always knew the answers in class but hardly ever raised her hand.

During group activities, the other kids spoke freely.Layla wanted to join in… but her words felt like butterflies trapped in a jar, fluttering and afraid to come out.

At recess, she sat with her notebook and watched the playground.Some kids played tag, some traded snacks, and some kicked soccer balls across the grass.

Layla made up stories in her head and drew them with her favorite pink pen. One girl waved at Layla. Layla smiled shyly and waved back. But the girl turned around before Layla could say anything. 

Sometimes Layla wondered, “Is it my fault that I’m so quiet?”
She wished someone could understand how full her heart and mind really were. 

As she questioned herself, she also wondered 

“Is it because I don’t speak English that well?”

She knew what she wanted to say in her own language.

 But in English, the words didn’t always come out right.

That afternoon, Layla came home from school and, as usual, went straight to Mama’s bedroom to talk about her day. As she sat to talk to mama, Layla noticed the picture frame on her mama’s wall had been cracked.