Izzy Moncada
24 Years Old
They/Them
California Foster Care System
Izzy Moncada entered the system at the age of 5 months and aged out at 21 years of age, currently waiting for permanent placement. Izzy is very involved in advocacy work, and identifies as being a part of the LGBTQ+, Latinx, and Foster Youth Alumni communities. Currently they attend school at College of the Redwoods. Izzy is studying psychology and social work. Their educational goals are to maintain their minor in psychology and major in social work. Izzy would like to get their master’s and even further their education if life takes them there.
Izzy enjoys skateboarding, hiking, and walking. They love all forms of art and music. Izzy learned how to play percussion in middle school, mainly the xylophone. Izzy also loves to dye their hair. For their free time, they like meditation, skating, writing, reading and advocating for policy reform.
Izzy has volunteered since the age of 11. They were able to do over 1000 hours of volunteer work while in high school. Now they are involved in 4 internships, they are participating in an internship with FosterClub and Opportunity Youth Collaborative. The other internships are Creative Futures Collective and California Homeless Youth Project. Izzy is a call-to-action speaker for the DCFS office of Equity of LGBTQ+ and Race. They also participate as a board member for a Mental Health Youth Board named Cayen through Mental Health California. They have done multiple internships that have helped them learn and grow in their work such as being an intern for Rise, other LGBTQ+ centers, and The California Department of Social Services.
Izzy has been in the system for 21 years. They were in 16 placements, which included, foster homes, group homes, supervised independent living placements, and transitional housing. They have 4 siblings, and are in contact with three of them, on and off. Izzy aged out of the system at 21 after being in an internship at the California Department of Social Services, and not being able to get paid because of a paperwork delay. They went homeless at 21. Izzy has now been homeless for 3 years and still awaiting permanency. They would like to build policy reform and continue to help change the system.
