California

During Alexis Obinna’s time in California’s foster care system, volunteering at church was fun and better than staying at home. During college, Alexis was able to grow and learn more about groups and organizations that available to youth in foster care. Each year, Alexis helps run an annual event called... Read more

Alexandria Maldonado has been in the foster care system since the age of 14 in the state of California. Alexandria created the Foster Care Awareness Month for the city of Commerce and Irvine. While working on double majors at UCI, Alexandria still finds time to volunteer for Together We Rise,... Read more

Alejandro Torres was placed into the foster care system in California during his junior year of high school and subsequently experienced six different placements during his time in the system. He currently attends college full time at Mt. San Antonio and works part-time with foster students on campus. Alejandro has... Read more

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

Years in care: 7 Louie Gasper is a Young Adult Consultant with the Capacity Building Center for States and a 2021 Journalism Institute Fellow with POLITICO. He has earned certifications in Citizen Politics from the Harvard Kennedy School and obtained a certificate in Digital Marketing from the Gies Business School... Read more

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

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

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

Melissa has dedicated her life and career to empowering foster youth. Years of instability growing up in foster care and bouncing from home to home sparked her passion to reform the child welfare system. After ‘aging out’ of the system, Melissa started collaborating with advocacy groups to empower and lift... Read more

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