Foster Youth in Action

Restorative Sunday tomorrow @ 2:00 PST Register:https://us02web.zoom.us//tZ0tcuqsrzsuE9CH_4krMUWqYY4CUFbc9

Think of Us is hosting a virtual National Town Hall for Older Foster Youth on April 15, 2021. In this Town Hall, Hannah Bristol from the White House Office of Public Engagement will introduce our country's new Associate Commissioner of Children’s Bureau, Aysha E. Schomburg, J.D. We will discuss new funding support related to chafee and some of her initial priorities. Register below!!

https://youtu.be/qkyH-138ybo Support CYC members around the state in their #Funds4YOUth Campaign!! Watch, like, and share! Subscribe to @CalYouthConn on YouTube to stay tapped into the youth-led movement!

To our Trans family in foster care and everywhere - we see you and we love you, each and every day! As an organization fighting to change the foster care system, we continue to ask ourselves how we are showing up each day to create new systems that ALWAYS celebrate and affirm transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people in foster care and beyond. #TransDayOfVisibility

Foster Youth in Action unequivocally stands in solidarity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities - inside and outside of the foster care system. This year, there have been nearly 3,800 reports of hate incidents targeting Asians in the last year, 68% of victims were women. However, this did not just happen and this is not new. This current racial violence is directly linked to a history of State violence against Asian people , including the Chinese exclusio...n act, Internment camps, Colonization, and persistent discrimination against Asian sex workers. In our fight for radical change and freedom for all young people and their families - we recognize white supremacy and racial violence at the root of our connected fights and liberation for all.

Sharing from Movement for Family Power! FYIA will be there! This Wednesday, January 13th 10:00 PST - Child Welfare System vs. Civil Rights Violations. Register:https://us02web.zoom.us//register/WN_wk3wqtOATI6yBV52KUPBMA

During #L4C20, FYIA Members lifted up healing and anti-racism as critical pieces of organizing and central to building our movement in 2021. This February, we are honored to partner with Angela Quijada-Banks the founder of Soulful Liberation, best-selling author, transformational artist, and world-renowned activist for this 3-part introductory series addressing current symptoms of colonization of mind, body, and spirit as a part of our continued commitment to radical transformation. Priority will be given to members of local groups within the FYA Network with lived experience in foster care and those in allied-roles directly supporting foster youth-led organizing and advocacy. Register:https://bit.ly/2XeyKSy

Foster Youth in Action's Deputy Director keeping it very chill as we get ready for Leader for Change 2020!!! We cannot wait to see everyone this weekend! #L4C20

We are incredibly honored to be a part of Xchange For Change today with Xchange for Change and Baker McKenzie to lift up how groups in our network are fighting for LGBTQ+ rights across the country!!

#L4C Restorative Practice Workshop with Arthur Argomaniz and Jose Guiterrez!!! Over the last several months, Foster Youth in Action has had the honor of being in community with Arthur and Jose, holding circles and space with our Network Members. We are grateful they are a part of our #L4C20 family this year!!!

Tomorrow January 7th @ 1:00 EST! How Child Welfare Professionals Can Use the Black Foster Youth Handbook https://www.facebook.com/BlackFosterYouthHandbook

Tomorrow January 6th 2:00 PST!! Biden-Harris Listening Session with Current and Former Foster Youth. A conversation between members of the Biden-Harris Transition Team and current and former foster youth about their priorities for the incoming administration. Register here: https://thinkofus.typeform.com/to/QM450P7S... (Secure HIPPA Compliant Link for Minors in Foster Care)

#L4C20!! FYIA Members for 5+ years, we cannot wait to see SAYSO Inc. at #L4C20 this year!! SaySo, Strong Able Youth Speaking Out, is a statewide association of youth aged 14 to 24 who are or have been in the out-of-home care system that is based in North Carolina.

We're tuning in, Live Now! Foster Action Force is going live for roundtable discussion with the leaders from the Obama-Biden White House who oversaw foster care reform. They’ll talk about the work done by the Obama-Biden Administration to support Americans impacted by foster care, and what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will do for our community.

Getting super hyped for #L4C20's Digital Organizing Workshop with Dylan Cohen! Follow #L4C20 @FYAction on Instragram! Dylan Cohen (he/him) is an organizer and advocate with deep passion for Indigenous children's rights. Dylan has led two campaigns to strengthen child welfare through systems change - 25not21, and Fostering Change. His work uniquely brought young people, allies, media, and political leaders together to champion a new way forward for foster kids.

Check out Sixto M. Escalera-Cancel and Think of Us's Cash Grant Opportunity for up to $1000! This is a Cash Grant Application for Current and Former Foster 14 thru 29. The Cash Grants will verified and then sent through cash app, venmo, western union etc. Application DEADLINE- NOV 18, 2020 - Cash Grant will be awarded by December 1st, 2020.

"What would you say to the next generations of foster youth organizers and leaders for change?" Follow Leaders for Change 2020 on Instagram at @FYAction!! #L4C2020

Sunday Restorative Tomorrow! 2:00 PT| 3:00 MT| 4:00 CT| 5:00 ET Restorative Sundays are a space led by and with anyone with lived experience in foster care and other state systems. It is time to connect, share what's on our heart, and restore before the week ahead. ... Join:https://us02web.zoom.us//tZMpf-yorj4uGdWCGljJaxxlXAh4yHdLy

Last week the House passed a relief bill that included provisions from the Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act, HR 7947. This is the least we can do for youth in foster care who deserve our support and investment at all times, but certainly in a time national crisis. If you think young people in foster care deserve a response, please urge Senator McConnell (@senatemajldr) and Senator Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) to support HR 7947.

Jenny Pokempner, Senior Attorney at Juvenile Law Center added, The fact that these provisions were included in the updated bill is a testament to the advocacy of young people across the country."

Tuesday we're going LIVE on IG (@fyaction) September 29th @ 9:00 AM PT with Angela Quijada- Banks, self-published author of The Black Foster Youth Handbook!! Don't miss it!

It couldn’t be clearer: The carceral system as we know it is incapable of giving us transformative justice outcomes and efforts at reform have gotten us nowhere. [...] No Black woman should ever have to be a martyr for people who lack enough imagination to reimagine and remake our world. But here we are, with her name on our lips and tears in our eyes. We need to let ourselves dream ofand createa future that actually supports justice for all. That’s how we will ultimately save Black lives like Breonna’s. - Kenrya Rankin

Check out Barnabas Tsige, Core Organizer with Project Foster Power and FYA Member sharing why they are #rockingthevote and links to learn more and take action! #projectfosterpower

Today is National Voter Registration Day! Check out our friends at National Foster Youth Institute's #FOSTERYOUTHVOTECAMPAIGN to register and join the campaign! Voting Resources & Info: Register or Check Status: rockthevote.org Learn more candidates and issue: ballotready.org

ICYMI: FYA Members in Oregon - Oregon Foster Youth Connection (OFYC) are working hard to address racism in the foster care system, check out this article in The Imprint to read more about their legislative priority to remove racial bias in the foster care system this year! OFYC Members are also prioritizing understanding and healing from trauma and supporting young people 18-21 this year. Get to know them @ ofyc.org!

Researcher Kelley Fong spent months embedded with CPS investigators. She wrote about her main takeaway for The Imprint https://bit.ly/3chHX36

The Supporting Foster Youth & Families Through the Pandemic Act was introduced by Rep. Danny Davis (D- IL) and Rep. Jackie Walorski (R - IN) to provide support for young people in and leaving care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more and click link to sign petition: change.org/fosteryouth

Action Alert & Webinar The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has proposed a new rule that would allow federally-funded homeless shelters to discriminate against our trans family. We have exactly one week to submit public comment and tell HUD NO to this proposed rule before the deadline on Tuesday September 22nd. You can submit public comment at housingsaveslives.org ... And, register below for a learning session this Friday on the proposed rule, the impact on young people in and leaving foster care, and ways to take action!

SHARING OPPORTUNITY FROM Think of Us: "Are you a current and former foster youth ages 18 to 25? During your time in care, were you placed in congregate care and non-family placements like group homes, homes for pregnant and parenting teens, therapeutic residential facilities, or shelters? We are looking for participants in a research study to understand better about the experiences of youth in non-family placements. If you’re interested, please fill out a short survey with ...your availability for a 90-minute over a video or phone call in the coming weeks: https://forms.gle/R68hAopc2YBJTKtz6 If selected, we will follow up with you directly to set up an interview time. You will be compensated $150 for your time and participation, in addition to a $50 gift card for a meal of your choice. We plan to select folks who meet the research criteria on a first-come, first-served basis. We plan to select 36 interview participants."