"One difficult challenge I had to face during my foster care experience was feeling invisible." Jessica, despite having been in foster care for most of her childhood with time in the juvenile justice system, has been able to overcome and is an outstanding young leader.

What defines Jessica as an outstanding young leader? Jessica currently serves on the youth council of the Alliance of Children's Rights. This organization provides free legal aid to youth currently navigating the system or who are navigating the world after having transitioned from the system without a support system. Through this, Jessica has been able to participate in the youth council documentary project through the University of Southern California. "We put our lives on film and told our stories to promote awareness about the issues we faced while in care and the issues we are currently overcoming as emancipated youth."

Perhaps the accomplishment she is most proud of is the fact that she is able to "Teach my son new things every day. There is always something new to teach and I feel blessed to have the power to enrich his life." Jessica also possesses supreme skill in the game of Mancala

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2009 Outstanding Young Leaders
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