Dejah Demetrice Carlock is based in Little Rock, Arkansas, and is passionate about securing the future for young people impacted by foster care—especially during the transition into adulthood. She is committed to ensuring young people are not “aged out” and left to figure life out alone, but instead have clear next steps, stable support, and accountable adults, and systems walking with them into what comes next.

Believing that lived experience is expertise and that every young person deserves a real plan, not a cliff, Dejah channels her passion into action through the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI). As a 2026 delegate in NFYI’s Congressional Leadership Academy (CLA), she is focused on advancing policies and practices that strengthen transition supports—education and career pathways, housing stability, health care continuity, and consistent mentorship—so young people can move forward with stability and confidence.

Dejah’s commitment is also personal. She experienced foster care as a child and was supported through kinship care when her grandmother stepped in to care for her and her siblings. That stability shaped her belief that young people thrive when someone shows up consistently, follows through, and refuses to let them navigate life alone.

Outside of NFYI, Dejah spends her time raising her son, Kameron, and pursuing a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. She also supports the ALICE Youth Leadership Coalition, continuing to grow leadership rooted in service and follow-through.

Through the Congressional Leadership Academy, she aims to strengthen her skills in policy strategy, public speaking, and legislative advocacy and use them to build stronger, more reliable support for young people transitioning out of foster care.