On June 5, 2024, First Place for Youth CEO Thomas Lee sat down with four remarkable young adults—Sky Celine (she/her), NyAisha (she/her), Myh’Keith (he/him), and Tai (they/them)—to discuss their experiences in the Los Angeles County foster care system and the impact of First Place for Youth on their lives. This conversation, held in Los Angeles, provided a raw and insightful look into the challenges and triumphs faced by foster youth as they transition into adulthood. 

The Need for Change in the Foster Care System 

Thomas Lee opened the discussion by asking the participants what changes they would like to see in the foster care system. Tai noted that the “foster care system should take the time to thoroughly check if someone is fit to be a foster parent” to avoid situations where youth are placed with neglectful or abusive adults. Sky Celine emphasized the importance of meeting foster families before placement, stating, “I wish that they would allow us to meet the people that we’re going with before placing us with them. Oftentimes, they just place us with these people and we don’t know who they are. That’s very scary when you’re coming from traumatizing situations.” NyAisha pointed out that youth voices often go unheard, stressing “listening to the youth. Often our voices aren’t heard. We’ll speak and we’ll speak and we’ll speak and they’re not listening to us.”  Myh’Keith called for greater awareness of available resources for both foster youth and their families. 

The Trauma of Foster Care 

The conversation took a poignant turn when Thomas Lee mentioned a comparison he had heard between the trauma of foster care and incarceration. Sky Celine shared her personal experience, describing “when I was put into foster care, it felt like I was already coming from a traumatizing situation. And it felt like when I went into these group homes and foster homes, it felt like I was basically like, even more in trouble but for speaking up, you know, it’s like I’m getting out of my home, like, and hope that I’ll get help and hope that I’ll be seen. And I didn’t get that help.”  

Challenges at 18 

As the discussion progressed, the focus shifted to the challenges faced by 18-year-olds transitioning out of foster care. Tai highlighted that, like most 18-year-olds, foster youth leaving the system are still figuring out their place in life as they enter adulthood. NyAisha spoke about foster youth “dealing with all that trauma as well as having to navigate life and be successful is really hard and sometimes we don’t have the support system that can really help us.” Sky Celine and NyAisha both highlighted the struggle for stability, with Sky recounting “Two weeks before I turned 18, my social worker was going on vacation…I was homeless and I had to couch surf.”  

The Role of First Place for Youth 

The participants unanimously agreed on the significant positive impact of First Place for Youth. Myh’Keith credited the organization with providing housing stability, stating “First Place providing me with housing stability greatly improved my performance in Community College, and greatly improved my hope in myself in believing that I will be able to transfer to a four year colleges of my dreams.” NyAisha and Sky Celine echoed these sentiments, with NyAisha emphasizing “once I was able to get stability through First Place for Youth, it really made a huge difference in my grades and in my mental health.”  

Creating a Sense of Home 

Thomas Lee asked the youth how they had created their own sense of home since joining First Place for Youth. NyAisha spoke about “peace…I wanted to just be able to just say that this is mine and I can do whatever I want and not have any interruptions or have anyone bothering me, just be able to breathe.” Myh’Keith redefined home as “a support system and those who enrich me and not necessarily a location.”  Tai shared “A home to me should feel like a place of comfort. It should also be just a place of  stability…you’re able to decorate your room the way that you wanted and just it’s supposed to be a place where you can just be you.”  

The Importance of Support Systems 

The conversation highlighted the critical role of support systems in the success of foster youth. Sky Celine shared how her support network provided constant encouragement, stating “If I didn’t have my career coach, my youth advocate, and my social worker telling me, ‘You got this. You can keep doing it, just keep going. You’re gonna figure it out. You’re gonna struggle for a little bit, but it will get easier!’ I don’t think you know I would be as successful as I am right now.” Tai emphasized the importance of learning life skills through the program, sharing “we might come into this program, we might not know how to do certain things. We might not know how to do laundry or cook or clean, or how to maintain an apartment. You come into this the First Place program and you learn all of those things.”  

Messages of Hope 

Thomas Lee concluded the discussion by asking the participants what gives them hope. NyAisha found hope in “Success. And peace. I want to be happy. I’m going to achieve that, I’m going to be able to be successful.” Myh’Keith focused on “Setting my eyes on a bright future a bright goal and having my support system around me to help me get that goal.” Tai drew hope from “seeing humanity come together in time of need…there are people who still genuinely care.”  

Advice for 18-Year-Olds Leaving Foster Care 

The youth offered heartfelt advice to their younger selves and others about to leave foster care. NyAisha reassured them “it only took me 3 years. When I was in it, I thought it was going to be forever, thought it was going to be like infinity, that it was just gonna constantly hurt me and constantly be something that’s going to be weighed down on my shoulders and I was never ever going to be successful or ever have mental clarity. But it only took me 3 years to finally be able to say I know what peace is like.” Sky Celine emphasized “it does get better, and it did get better. Iron sharpens iron, and you’re going to have to go through those hard times to get better, to get smarter, to become the person you are.” Myh’Keith advocated for “take advantage of like the mental health services that are available. The fruits that therapy bear can be very very helpful regarding you reaching your goals.” Tai highlighted “appreciate the little things…it makes a huge difference in like your life and your mental health.”  

Making More Possible for Older Foster Youth 

The conversation between Thomas Lee and these inspiring young adults shed light on the profound challenges faced by foster youth and the transformative impact of supportive programs like First Place for Youth. At the end of the conversation, Tai said “I really think First Place for Youth saved my life.”  

Their stories of resilience and hope serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of listening to and supporting foster youth as they navigate their paths to adulthood. 

Listen to the extended audio-only version of the interview here: https://youtu.be/-l5lRHq6PDM

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