We were born at home in a log cabin in the woods of Upstate New York on a piece of land our father called The Catholic Homesteading Movement. We did not attend public or private school, but were taught at home by our parents. We did not receive birth certificates, social security numbers or any education or training on how to survive in the world. We did not learn to drive or learn job skills. We were abused both emotionally and physically. When we finally got the courage to leave home, we found it close to impossible to prove who we were. We didn't have any documents or records of who we were, besides letters from wittnesses and baptismal records from the local Catholic Church. It took several years of fighting with New York Agencies to obtain  birth certificates and social security cards. During that time we lived with friends and were unable to work or drive. It felt like we did not exist. It felt as if we were not citizens of the United States. We were born here, but because our parents decided to hide our existence by not filing birth certificates we basically were not citizens. 

Imagine being born in the United States and having to fight for your right to live, work and go to school here.

Please sign this petition to help create legislation to stop parents from denying their children the basic right of having a birth certificate filed when they are born.