Hannah Vargas
She/Her/Hers
19 Years Old
California Foster Care System
Hannah is from Los Angeles, California and first entered the state’s foster care system at age 6 for about one year under kinship placement. She was reunified with her mother at age seven, yet re-entered the system at age 16 where she stood in temporary kinship placement for a few months before transitioning to kin-guardianship under her sister’s care.
Despite the hardships faced throughout her childhood and adolescence, she was able to excel in school and moved on to attend the University of California, Berkeley where she is currently earning her undergraduate degree in Media Studies with a minor in Public Policy. Her lived experience in the system, along with her involvement with California Youth Connection, has encouraged her to continue her advocacy with and for other system-involved youth. Once she completes her undergraduate degree, she aims to establish a career in either the media industry (with a focus on policy-related issues) or in the world of nonprofit organizations, which would allow her to continue her journey of advocacy for under-served communities.
