The Anoka Siren

By: Jayme Weidell

Roy Juarez Jr. had to grow up rather quickly.  At the age of fourteen he was homeless.  He tried his best to make life all it could be for his nine-year-old sister and his two-year-old brother.

Roy grew up on the streets of San Antonio, Texas.  He went from home to home every night.  Some people would only let his little brother stay for one night.  One of Roy’s favorite sayings is “the mountain is something everybody has to climb; some might just get a higher start than others.”

Everybody has some type of issue they see in life.  Roy had an abusive dad that kept following his family every time they tried to hide.  When Roy finally found a place to live, it was with a pastor at a church.  The only condition was that he had to go back to high school and get his diploma in order to live there.  Roy did go back to high school in San Antonio, Texas, and he did receive his diploma.

While Roy was out on the streets his mom, whom he always loved no matter what, was living with the police officer that didn’t want any of the kids.

Today Roy is getting his words out there about being homeless.  His little brother is a junior and his mom is now married to the police officer.  The police officer finally grew up and accepted the kids.  Roy Juarez Jr. is going around the United States with a goal of inspiring 100,000 youth to dream, not give up on life, and to understand the value of higher education.

Karrie Schaaf is the Anoka-Hennepin District 11 homeless youth and families liaison who set up Roy Juarez Jr. to speak to schools in the district and to help get his words out there.