Behind every foster care statistic is a life like mine – and a future worth investment

Publisher’s note: In this timely op-ed, Fawn Robinson shares her experience entering foster care as an infant, being adopted through the protections of the Indian Child Welfare Act and working multiple jobs through college. She makes the case for investing directly in foster youth through California’s HOPE Accounts Program, which provides eligible youth with $3,000 in unrestricted trust funds to support housing, education, and long-term stability. 

Every May during National Foster Care Awareness Month, we are asked to recognize and honor the resilience and fortitude of youth in foster care. And there is so much to recognize.

Across the United States there have been millions, both past and present, impacted by the foster care system. California alone has 38,000 to 60,000 youth annually in foster care. Behind every number is a life shaped by uncertainty, transition and most often loss.

Across the country, the data tells a painful story of youth in the foster care system defined by their circumstances instead of their potential.

Only a small percentage of youth impacted by the foster care system go on to complete college. Many face homelessness, unemployment or involvement with the justice system within just a few years of turning 18.

Imagine stepping into adulthood without the safety of savings, without a family to call when things fall apart, without the certainty of where you’ll sleep next month. That is the reality for far too many youth aging out of foster care. Yet from these same young people we see brilliance, resourcefulness, intelligence, determination and work ethic. We need — and they deserve -—programs that actually invest in young people’s ability to thrive.

When I entered the foster care system, I was 5 months old. One of my brothers was placed with me, and through our adoption we gained nine more siblings. The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 ensured I was raised by my family, my aunt and uncle who became my mom and dad; it meant I could stay connected to my culture, my community and my identity. That beginning was shaped by love and by loss. I carry pride in my journey, but also the weight of knowing how rare and good my outcome was. Sometimes I think about how different my life could have been without being surrounded by these connections.

Now I serve as a board member of the HOPE Accounts Program.  Championed by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, the HOPE Accounts program is a commitment to the future of young people who have experienced 18-months or more in the foster care system or lost a parent to COVID-19. It provides $3,000 in an invested trust account for each eligible youth. This is unrestricted money that can be accessed starting at age 18 and available anytime until age 27.

About 56,000 young people stand to benefit in California, and applications have just opened, with the first account funds due to be released this summer.

For most system-impacted youth, financial stability is one of the biggest barriers when transitioning into adulthood. I worked two, sometimes three jobs while going to college, holding on tightly to the life I was trying to build.

Programs such as HOPE Accounts are more than a matter of policy; they’re lifelines. HOPE is built on trust; it acknowledges that young people who have navigated foster care, instability, and uncertainty are capable and know exactly what they need — whether it’s rent, tuition, job training, or savings.

I’ve had the privilege of serving on the Youth Panel of Experts that helped shape this program.  When I sit in those rooms, I’m not just thinking as a professional. I’m thinking about the younger versions of myself. The seven-year-old shaking a judge’s hand after my adoption. The 17-year-old trying to navigate senior year and college applications. The young adult working and studying late into the night, worried about bills and deadlines; wondering how long I could keep going.

People fought for me, believed in me and that made all the difference. Today, there are people working to make sure young people impacted by these systems not only have a seat at the table but a voice in these programs meant to support them.

This Foster Care Awareness Month, recognition isn’t enough. We need action, and you can help.

Help a young person enroll in the HOPE program. Partner with organizations that serve foster youth. Support policies that invest in real, tangible futures. Behind every statistic is a real person; someone capable, determined and resilient. For the young people that qualify for these programs, I’m so excited to see how they use these resources to build a new, brighter future on their own terms.

HOPE Accounts Youth Board member Fawn Robinson is a tribal member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria and a proud Mountain Maidu, Northern Paiute, Washoe, Pit River and Hopi advocate. Robinson is the first Indigenous youth to serve on a California youth board, bringing her deep community roots, powerful voice, and unwavering commitment to Indigenous rights and youth empowerment. Fawn also contributes to the Susanville Indian Rancheria Indian Child Welfare Act Committee, helping protect the sacred connections between Native children, families, and tribes. Fawn is a graduate of Lassen Community College.

About Fawn Robinson
Foster advocate Fawn Robinson is a youth board member for the California Hope, Opportunity, Perseverance, and Empowerment (HOPE) for Children Trust Account Program and an advocate for Indigenous youth and foster care reform.