Donald Fields spent 20 years in New York's foster care system

Donald has been in numerous foster care facilities from the age of 3 weeks old, including group homes, foster homes and other facilities. He is passionate about improving the system, and feels that “it is up to us to change and improve the things we see wrong… [and] the experiences we shared… can unify our cause and in turn make the foster care system a better one.”

Donald volunteers with children and youth and serves as a role model, with messages of the importance of achieving an education and that their lives are greater than what they see now and their potential and possibilities are greater than their circumstances. He is active with first Corinthian Baptist Church in feeding the homeless and the community. He has also worked with the boys and girls club of America, and an organization called partners for change, which involved spending time with kids during the holidays who didn't have families. He is also involved in toastmasters and has played basketball for almost 10 years for the AAU circuit, in high school, and in some collegiate experience.

He currently works as a college aid, and he plans to focus his career on helping underprivileged and inner city children and youths attain the necessary and vital resources to compete in a global and local economy, and give them the ability to realize and actualize their dreams. He is also passionate about education equality for all children and adults. He feels that his educational success is for the advancement of every kid in foster care, and he provide hope for a child that may have lost faith in a system that has repeatedly failed them. “If they could look at me and somehow see a way they can succeed then I have done my service to humanity.”

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2015 Outstanding Young Leaders
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