California

Crystal Yanez

Years in care: 4 Crystal Yanez is from Los Angeles, California. Crystal's parents emigrated from Mexico to California for better opportunities. She overcame losing her parents due to gun violence, trauma and poverty. She went to care at 4 and was placed in kinship with her sister at 7 until... Read more

2017 All-Stars

Louis Gasper

California

Years in care: 7 Louie spent seven years in the California child welfare system. While in foster care, he was in over ten different foster homes, group homes, and spent time in the juvenile justice system. Throughout his foster care experience, advocacy has always been important. When he was thirteen... Read more

2017 All-Stars

Joscelynn Carbonell

California

Joscelynn Carbonell, better known as JoJo, is a 22 year old California native. After becoming a ward of the court at the age eight because of her mother’s inability to care for her, she spent 10 years in care. Currently she plans to graduate from a community college with an... Read more

2007 All-Stars

Christopher Andrade

California

In foster care 18 years, California. Chris is an emancipated foster youth from Southern California who entered the foster care system at the age of three months. He was in eight placements in eight years. Christopher has struggled with abuse, depression and acceptance while growing up. He currently attends California... Read more

2008 All-Stars

Marie Ary

California

Marie entered the foster care system at just three months of age. Since she entered the system, she has lived under the same roof with her foster mom. Marie just recently completed her undergraduate degree through Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., majoring in Computer Science Information Systems. Marie... Read more

2012 All-Stars

Melissa Gutierrez

California

Melissa has dedicated her life and career to empowering foster youth. One of her earliest memories is being woken up in the middle of the night at the age of 5, removed from her home and taken to Polinsky Children's Center. Anxiety over years of instability bouncing from foster home... Read more

2013 All-Stars

Council Member - Current

MelanieAnn Shafer

California

Melanie Schafer has been in relative care for the five years she was in the California Foster Care system. She is 22 years old and currently is on track to complete her AA in Psychology next Spring. From there she plans on transferring to San Diego State University to complete... Read more

2014 All-Stars

Alaysia Brown

California

2006 FosterClub All-Star CherRita Jones grew up in California. In foster care at 15 was separated from her five siblings. One month after she turned 18, CherRita was homeless, but with help from her Independent Living Program, determined to better her life. Today, she is a recent graduated of Cosumnes... Read more

2017 Outstanding Young Leaders

Laura Lomeli

California

Laura Lomeli spent 7 years in California's foster care system. At the age of 14, Laura Lomeli was placed in foster care and for the first time, felt safe. Two years later and against her pleas, she was reunified with her biological mother. Less than six months later, Laura's mother... Read more

2017 Outstanding Young Leaders

Luke Fox

California

Luke Fox spent 6 years in California's foster care system. Before he was adopted, Luke Fox was moved between receiving centers, Non-Related Extended Family Member placements, foster homes, his biological mother's house, and Supervised Independent Living Placements. His entry into care was the direct result of emotional, physical, and sexual... Read more

2017 Outstanding Young Leaders

California

Crystal Yanez

Louis Gasper

Joscelynn Carbonell

Christopher Andrade

Marie Ary

Melissa Gutierrez

MelanieAnn Shafer

Alaysia Brown

Laura Lomeli

Luke Fox

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