Years in care: 6
Danno Mannino is a 23-yr-old white, low-income, genderfluid, bisexual, and polyamorous-identified social justice advocate with a mental illness. Danno uses the gender-neutral pronouns they/them/theirs. They reside in Southern Oregon, where as a child they experienced foster care, temporary legal guardianship, and two unsuccessful attempts at reunification with a birth parent - all while separated from their older sibling. They moved out at 17 years old without legal emancipation or help from a transitional living program. Danno did not graduate high school and instead acquired a General Education Degree.
Danno's experience includes being on the peer-elected legislative action committee of Oregon Foster Youth Connection which helped pass HB 2216 the Sibling Bill of Rights for Foster Youth in Oregon in 2017. Danno spent time with the youth this bill affects as a camp counselor at Camp to Belong Oregon, which reunites siblings separated in care for activities together. Danno was an All-Star intern at FosterClub for session A of 2017. They will continue foster-related work as a representative of OFYC at Foster Youth In Action's Leaders For Change Conference 2017, and as a guest panelist for the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform's LGBTQ Certificate Program 2017. Danno is currently a youth-adviser of the Quality Improvement Center for LGBTQ2S youth in care. They are excited for the opportunity to be a part of the important work of the National Foster Youth & Alumni Policy Council.