At age 17, while most of her classmates were worried about SAT scores and prom, Jacqueline Rodero was sitting in a Miami courtroom being asked by Family Court Judge Scott Bernstein if she felt safe.
She had just been removed from her family home after years of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
She’d slept on friends’ couches, stayed briefly with relatives, and spent nights in a state Department of Children and Families office waiting to be placed. When the judge asked what she wanted, she didn’t ask for a new home or a clean slate.
“Listen, my main focus right now is to attend school,” she told Judge Bernstein. “My education is my priority.”
Today, Rodero, now 20, is a senior at Florida International University majoring in criminal justice and criminology with a specialization in child welfare and national security. She is a judicial intern at Unified Children’s Court, a participant in the Chuck D. Policy Institute’s Intelligence Fellowship and a law school hopeful. Just a few years ago, she says, she wasn’t even sure she would live to see adulthood.
A childhood defined by instability
Rodero admits to being physically, emotionally, and sexually abused by her parents from a young age. Her memories from elementary school are faint.
“Abuse for me started when I was about six,” she said. “Nothing was really done until I was 17.”
Rodero recalls constant moves across Miami, from Miami Gardens to Coral Way. There was bullying in school and she often missed class.
Teachers noticed the signs: dark circles under her eyes, swollen hands hidden under casts and a quiet, withdrawn student teachers repeatedly flagged for concern.
DCF reports began in eighth grade and escalated during high school, but for years, she said, “nothing changed.”
By early 2022, the situation had become impossible to ignore. After a series of crises involving law enforcement, counselors and hospital visits, Rodero was finally removed from her home. Her mother was later arrested.
“I knew if I didn’t leave, I was either going to end up dead because they were going to kill me, or I was going to kill myself,” she said.
Life in foster care
Rodero entered foster care in March 2022 and cycled through three placements in less than a year — first in Homestead, then Florida City, then along Biscayne Boulevard.
One home left her riding Metrorail from Douglas Road to Dadeland, taking two buses south and walking miles along busy roads to go attend the International Baccalaureate program at Coral Gables Senior High.
“When Judge Bernstein found out, he was not a happy duckling,” she said with a small laugh.
Despite the instability, she clung to school as the only constant in her life. She turned 18 while still in foster care on Feb. 25, 2023, and remained in her final placement through Florida’s Extended Foster Care program until she graduated that spring.
“Technically, you’re not in foster care anymore, but in Miami-Dade you still get support,” she said. “That made a huge difference.”
Building a new life at FIU
At FIU, Rodero has a full schedule. She is part of programs that aim to help students succeed in college despite their backgrounds, such as the Golden Scholars and Fostering Panther Pride, and works as a student assistant in the criminal justice department and participates in the FIU Law Pathway program for pre-law students. She interns at Unified Children’s Court, handling delinquency and dependency cases — the same legal system she once navigated under crisis.
When she first applied to college, her goals were much simpler.
“At first I was just thinking, ‘How do I survive the day-to-day?’ ” she said. “I thought maybe finance — something fast so I could work and make money because I’m on my own.”
Mentors and counselors pushed her toward a familiar, broader path.
“Why don’t you become an attorney? Later you can even be a judge,” they told her.
“With my situation and my story, I realized I could inspire other foster youth and show them there’s light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.
Life Changing Support
Through Citrus — the local agency that oversees foster placements and services — Rodero learned about the Out of Foster Foundation, a nonprofit that provides financial support and mentorship to young adults after they age out of care.
She reached out when she was accepted into the Chuck D. Policy Institute’s Intelligence Fellowship, a program with tracks in cybersecurity and intelligence analysis.
“That fellowship had an additional cost — $3,000,” she said. “If I didn’t have them to cover the cost, I was not going to be able to do the program, or at least I was going to have financial issues for that.”
The foundation covered the cost, allowing her to participate fully in mentorship, work-related trips and professional development events.
Impact on Others
At the Out of Foster Foundation’s Hope Under the Stars gala held at Trump National Doral on October 4th – the same night Rodero delivered an emotional speech about her journey – longtime South Florida journalist and former WPLG anchor Laurie Jennings stood in the audience listening. Jennings, who served as the event’s moderator and has spent years advocating for foster youth through Voices for Children, said meeting Rodero for the first time left a lasting impression.
“Jackie spoke beautifully,” Jennings said in an interview at the gala. “To think of an 18-year-old having no one in their life — absolutely no one — it’s devastating. My twin boys are 19 and call me 20 times a day. Seeing Jackie thrive after everything she’s endured… it’s gut-wrenching — and to see her succeeding and thriving is so wonderful.”
Jennings said Rodero’s presence on stage — confident, composed, and determined — highlighted both the urgency and the possibilities within the foster care system.
“You can tell that Out of Foster has made a huge, huge impact on her life,” she said. “And she found help through the courts too — her judge, the people who stood up for her. So many here in South Florida want to help foster youth. They just need to reach out and express the need.”
Looking ahead and giving back
Even with her progress, self-doubt lingers.
“It’s very surreal,” she said. “If you would have told me five years ago this is where I’d be now, I would not have believed you. I’m not going to say I’m not proud of myself, but I do struggle with that. I feel like I could be doing more.”
But she keeps going — not just for herself, but for the teens who will follow.
“I like to think I’m paving the way for it to be somewhat easier for whoever comes after me,” she said. “Even if they don’t want to do law, I want them to see there’s another way.”
To teens in foster care or about to age out, her advice is direct:
“It’s very scary — there are a lot of ‘what ifs’ and ‘what’s going to happen,’” she said. “But you’re also your own best advocate. Nobody knows you like yourself. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I need tutoring,’ or ‘I need help.’ If you went through foster care, you’re pretty strong already. Don’t give up on yourself. You’ll find your people, and you’ll find your way.”
