NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A local teen is sharing her story of aging out of the foster care system. It's a responsibility she's taking very seriously, and her story's being shared in a way she never expected.

18-year-old Ella Bat-Ami prepared to speak in front of a room at Belmont University.

Ella was a teen when she entered the foster care system and said a lot of people don't understand what foster youth go through, transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Who can help navigate getting a job or finding a place to live?

"[It] is incredibly difficult when I didn't know if I had legal documents to prove I existed," Ella said. "The answer is, spoiler alert, I didn't. I didn't."

"I was just abruptly thrown, cold plunged into adulthood," Ella said, speaking to the crowd at Belmont. "If I

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