Author David Ambroz (A Place Called Home): “I Think Of No As A Request for More Information”

Dennis connects via Zoom with author David Ambroz to discuss his memoir A Place Called Home, which David describes as “Forrest Gump meets Hillbilly Elegy with a heavy dose of Precious.” It documents his childhood, growing up homeless on the streets of New York City, struggling to survive with his mentally ill mother and two older siblings, then takes him through multiple group homes and foster families as a teenager, as well as a life-changing year abroad in Spain when he’s 17. He survives it all, goes onto college and eventually becomes an accomplished professional, working in community outreach for companies like Disney and Amazon, and advocating for better treatment for homeless and Foster kids all along the way. He talks about the emotional crisis he experienced a few years back which prompted him to finally put his story down on paper and how being perceived as gay early on made his foster experience even harder. Other topics include: his favorite memory of working on Hilary Clinton’s first senate campaign, going twenty plus years without crying, becoming a foster father himself, the magic of queer Mickey Mouse ears, and what all of us can do to be part of the solution. www.davidambroz.com