Japheth Kariuki defines himself as a visionary, a happy personality with an optimistic outlook on life. It’s not enough for the glass to be half-full. Even if the glass is empty, oh wow, look again, now the glass is full of air. (He’s just such a positive person.)

Before discovering his place in the advocacy world, he was born and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida. Growing up, Japheth survived two stints in Florida’s child welfare system due to an incarcerated mother and an absent father. By leveraging his experiences to inspire others, Japheth has grown into a powerful voice for youth, first as a motivational speaker at his former high school and now as an advocate in the child welfare community. A major achievement in his advocacy journey was his work with NFYI in the passage of H.R. 7947 Supporting Foster Youth and Their Families During The Pandemic Act, a coronavirus relief bill that appropriated $400 million in supplemental funding for foster youth. 

These days, Japheth continues to participate in advocacy, while raising a two year old son and working in the banking industry. When he wants to vibe, he listens to Kelvin Momo (his favorite DJ) or Gunna (his favorite rapper). To keep things in perspective, he is learning to value the art of viewing things realistically, genuinely living by the mantra that “you don’t have to worry about changing the whole world, you can simply make your little corner of the world a better place.” He also has a long-running fascination with the moon, which he plans to visit one day.