A Place Called Home: A Memoir

by David Ambroz

This memoir that "will take your breath away" chronicles a harrowing journey through homelessness and poverty in New York City, followed by a turbulent experience in foster care (Jeanette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle).

This powerful memoir exposes the harsh realities faced by countless children living in poverty and highlights Ambroz's extraordinary resilience and transformation. As young children, David and his siblings should have been focused on school, but instead they wandered the streets searching for shelter, food, and warmth while their mother struggled with mental illness. When David is placed into foster care, he initially sees it as a beacon of hope, only to find that it brings its own set of dangers. Shuffled between abusive homes and enduring the cruelty of those who rejected him for his emerging sexuality, David's experience paints a stark picture of systemic failure. Amid the turmoil, David found refuge and hope in libraries, schools, and the kindness of a few compassionate adults. His unyielding determination and resilience earned him a scholarship to Vassar College, marking the beginning of his escape from poverty. He later graduated from UCLA Law with a mission to reform laws impacting children in poverty.

A Place Called Home is a poignant journey from despair to hope. It is both a gripping personal story and a compelling call to action, urging readers to move beyond sympathy and advocate for meaningful change.

Audible Audio

Published September 13, 2022

About the author

David Ambroz is a national poverty and child welfare expert/advocate, Emmy nominated, Nautilus Book Award winner, and best-selling author. He was recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change. He currently serves as the Head of Community Engagement (West) for Amazon. Previously he led Corporate Social Responsibility for Walt Disney Television and served as the President of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission, where he has led the efforts to pass groundbreaking policy, including the Mobility 2035 Plan, Home Sharing Ordinance, Cannabis Regulation, Linkage Fee for affordable housing, Permanent Supportive Housing Ordinance, and the Hotel/Motel Conversion Ordnance for homeless housing. David also served as a California Child Welfare Councilmember and as a Commissioner with the ABA Commission on Youth at Risk, is formerly a contributing writer to Huffington Post, and helped author and advocate numerous laws and policies, including the extension of foster care to 21, Chafee Independence Act, efforts to protect LGBTQ foster youth, and policies to ensure access and success in higher education – including founding the Guardian Scholars in Los Angeles.

After growing up homeless and then in foster care, he graduated from Vassar College and later from UCLA School of Law. He is a foster dad, a member of the Television Academy, a Board Member of Equality California, and now lives in Los Angeles.