Gray

From seven, she was a carer for her mother. Alongside practical responsibilities, she carried emotional demands that belonged to adults. At fifteen, seeing her mother in hospital left her frightened that she might die.

After years of caring, she felt that her work and its effects on her had gone unrecognised. When she tried to speak about her experience, she was dismissed as lazy and called “a fuckin liar” by her father.

She wishes people had seen a child who needed care herself, rather than expecting her to be a carer, therapist or someone who absorbed everyone else's anger. She wanted to be heard without having to prove that the responsibilities had hurt her.

Art and illustration help her process experiences and create joy. She is beginning to choose herself and make space for her own life. She wants people to see who she is becoming, alongside the girl who carried so much.