FOR THE RECORD

They had records. They had reports. They had opinions.

But they never had the whole story. In these 30 pages this is my story.

At eight years old, other people began writing the story of my life. Social workers, foster parents, therapists, courts, and institutions all had something to say about who I was. Their words followed me from file to file, placement to placement, becoming a version of me that often felt more real to others than the truth.

For the Record: That's Not Who I Am is a memoir in verse that chronicles a journey through foster care, institutional placement, loss, survival, and the search for identity in a system that often speaks louder than the people living inside it.

Through poetry and personal reflection, A.D.A. Askeland challenges the labels, assumptions, and narratives imposed by others while reclaiming the right to tell her own story.

Raw, honest, and deeply personal, this first installment of the For the Record series is a testament to resilience, self-worth, and the power of finding your voice when the world has already decided who you are.

Because sometimes the bravest thing a person can say is:

That's not who I am.