A Story from Our Founder

I Figured It Out

I was 16 years old when I found out I was pregnant. I was about to become a teen parent before I even knew what that would mean.

I still remember walking into Planned Parenthood with my friend Sarah to take a pregnancy test. I was already fairly certain I was pregnant, but seeing the result made it real. I was scared, overwhelmed, and unsure of what would come next.

At the time, I did not know exactly how I was going to make it through my pregnancy, let alone parenthood. I just knew I had to keep moving forward, for myself and for the baby I was carrying.

Eventually, I shared the news with my family. Circumstances led me to leave home, and for a period of time I lived with my boyfriend's family. Along the way, I became emancipated, enrolled in college, and worked to build a future for myself and my child, balancing school with caring for my baby.

Like many young parents, I relied on support systems to help me navigate pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. I received prenatal and postpartum healthcare, educational assistance, childcare support, and other community resources. There were people and programs that helped me when I needed it most, and I am deeply grateful for every one of them.

But as I reflect on that chapter of my life, I realize something.

Many systems tracked whether I received services. They documented appointments, enrollments, referrals, and outcomes. Yet no one ever came back years later and asked:

"Alex, did you figure it out?"

The answer is yes.

I figured it out.

I earned college degrees, including a doctoral degree. I built a career dedicated to serving families and strengthening communities. I became a homeowner, and then a homeowner again. Most importantly, I built a life that I am proud of.

I share this story because behind every statistic is a person. Behind every teen pregnancy is a young parent with dreams. Behind every referral is a family. Behind every program participant is a future that is still being written.

Young parents are often defined by risk factors. We are counted, categorized, and too often underestimated. But a pregnancy at 16 is not the end of a story. It is the beginning of a family.

Too often, we measure success by the number of people served. But I believe the more important question is:

Did the support help create the opportunity for a family to thrive?

For me, it did.

Today, my work is driven by a simple belief: every family, including young parents, deserves access to support, opportunity, and hope during pregnancy, after birth, and beyond. Sometimes all it takes is one resource, one caring professional, one program, or one person who believes in you.

I am grateful for those who believed in me.

And if anyone ever wonders how my story turned out, I want them to know:

I figured it out. And now I am committed to helping other young parents and families do the same. 💙

— Dr. Alex Addo-Boateng