Diamond Richardson I 24 years old I She/Her/Hers
10 years in Oregon’s foster care system
Living in Portland, Oregon, Diamond loves to crochet, read, explore the Oregon coast, and try new activities with her children. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting new places in town. It might surprise you to know she was an outdoor school counselor in high school.
Diamond has 10 years of experience in foster care in Oregon. Her interest in this type of work began after receiving Christmas presents from a nonprofit organization called Howard’s Heart. They invited her because they wanted to hear the voices of young people in care. Since her and her sister's voices were never heard while they were in care, this opportunity stood out to her.
At age 14, her first advocacy experience was with Project Lemonade, where she enjoyed a full shopping experience picking out her own clothes. This sparked her interest in a career helping others.
Later, she interned and worked at Project Lemonade. As a Peer Navigator, she hopes to provide resources and help youth become their best selves, offering the kind of connection she would have appreciated during her time in care.
Diamond is currently attending Portland Community College, studying Family & Human Services. Before working at FosterClub, she gained valuable experience at Project Lemonade, a nonprofit serving youth in care with clothes, accessories, and school supplies.
There, she helped youth shop for their own clothing styles and connected with them. She is also proud of facilitating the Teen Voices event with Howard’s Heart youth advisory board, where they listened to the needs of youth and fostered a sense of community and connection among them.
