Life of a Bastard

A real account of Javier Soto’s journey of life in foster care. Javier was born in Spanish Harlem (1972) to a 16-year-old Puerto Rican mother and 24-year-old Black father during a period in America when this was considered taboo. Removed from his mother ‘s home along with his sisters due to a suspicious fire "allegedly" set by his mother, and with a father serving prison time, Javier and his two sisters enter foster care.


Their first stop is the Catholic Home Bureau. Survival at all cost becomes Javier’s mantra as he is moved from one home to the next and, along the way, he meets others that have similar backgrounds.


Soon, he outgrows foster homes and a chance to be adopted, and is placed in Children’s Village, and then Pleasantville Cottage School (a home for the “emotionally disturbed”).


What should be your normal teenage angst and growing pains? Like others, his angst is compiled with rage, self-loathing, depression, suicidal thoughts, and juvenile delinquency. Javier tells his story with honesty and brutality while he wonders “how it will end for him?”