My name is Jennifer Myers, and I am passionate about creating safe and supportive spaces for current and former foster youth. My goal is to one day open several drop-in centers with transitional housing, where young people can access mental health services, job and skills training, mentorship, child care, and support with college or trade school. I want to help ensure that foster youth have the resources they need to achieve stability and self-sufficiency before the age of 25.

My journey in this work comes from my own lived experience. From birth, I was connected to the child welfare system, starting in kinship care and later entering foster care at age 10. Over the years, I lived in more than 25 foster and group homes, while also watching my siblings navigate the system from birth. These challenges shaped my commitment to making change for others.

I earned my GED at East Beverly High School and studied at Los Angeles Southwest College, where I am continuing my path toward an AA in Sociology. Since 2019, I’ve served as a Youth Advocate and Consultant on the Homeless Youth Forum of Los Angeles and have worked with boards like LA Emissary, LARHEP, and NFYI. Through this work, I’ve received several awards for my advocacy to end homelessness and poverty.

Advocacy is more than a role for me—it’s my mission. I use my story to influence policy, uplift my peers, and build opportunities for young people to thrive.