Trey H.

Pronouns: He/His

Trey, who has been a member of OFYC since 2017, learned about the organization through his peers in the Independent Living Program. “Once I was educated on what OFYC is and what they do, I didn’t hesitate to contact someone to see about joining,” he recalls.

He went on to say that, “OFYC has given me many opportunities. I’ve been able to share my opinions and ideas with masses of people. Because of OFYC, I’ve gotten to do things I only hoped of doing when I was younger, like having a direct impact on the system in Oregon. Because of them, I’ve been able to meet with state representatives and, not to mention, the governor! 

In the time that Trey has been a part of OFYC, he has been able to participate in a number of Action Opportunities within the program. He has attended the bi-annual Policy Conference in 2018,  participated in the Advocacy Convening Conference and the Advocacy Day at the Capitol 2019, and has had the opportunity to meet with state representatives. Additionally, he got the chance to travel to California in November of 2018 where he attended the Leaders for Change (L4C) Conference, and got to meet and work with foster youth from all over the country, as well as some from Canada.

When asked about his feelings toward OFYC, Trey responded that, “What I love about OFYC is that the cause is good and genuine. We believe that not just Oregon foster youth, but all foster youth around the world deserve to be happy and treated with care. I’ve also learned a lot about myself as a person and as a leader. I used to think that I didn’t have it in me to speak in front of a lot of people, but I’ve had many opportunities to do so, so I ended up proving myself wrong.

Outside of OFYC, Trey does photography and graphic design when he’s not working at his job at Starbucks. Some other hobbies of his include writing poetry and song lyrics. Trey is also currently a student at Portland Community College, where he’d like to work toward a degree in either Photography or Graphic Design.

“With whatever I do end up achieving,” he says, “I just want to make a positive impact. Helping others is what I live for.”

You can also check out Trey’s photography on Instagram, @ripcityphotos

Caytlyn W.

Pronouns: she/her

Caytlyn, who has been an active member of OFYC for a little over a year now, first heard about the program from her caseworker. Although she was a little unsure about joining at first, she attended her first event, the DREAM conference in 2017, and has been in love with the organization ever since.

“I honestly love the people and what they have to offer,” Caytlyn says about OFYC. “I also love how, even if we all had different experiences, we are still close and have fun.”

Since becoming a member, Caytlyn has had the opportunity to work on trying to get the age range extended for the Independent Living Program (ILP), as well as helping to obtain funding for the ILP. She’s also helped with interviewing a candidate for the Child Welfare Director position, and was part of a group called Foster Homes of Healing, which worked to help make legislators more aware of how culturally diverse foster homes should be.

OFYC has had a big impact on Caytlyn’s life as well. “OFYC has helped me come out of my shell and made me who I am today,” she reflects. “It has opened so many doors for me, and I love talking about OFYC to people who are not aware of what’s going on, or to those who are just curious.”

Caytlyn also stated that OFYC has taught her a lot about standing up and speaking out. “I’ve learned that, even though I am a single person, one voice is strong, but multiple voices are powerful. I’ve learned that, even though I’m a shy person, I have a strong drive to help others who don’t know how to say they need help.”

Outside of OFYC, Caytlyn goes to school and works part-time. She also helps with the Foster Parent Training down in Lincoln County, attends  ILP conferences, and spends time with her family. Her plan is to continue to be a part of OFYC until she is 25, after which she still hopes to be involved in any way she can.

Viktoria R.

Pronouns: she/her

Viktoria first heard about OFYC when she was still part of the Independent Living Program back in 2015. She decided to join because of OFYC’s mission, as well as the values the program holds. She believes that OFYC is a really good avenue for creating changes in the foster care system.

Since joining OFYC, Viktoria has taken part in quite a few Action Opportunities. She’s gotten to help set up the bi-annual Policy Conference, which was also the first function she attended as a member. She has participated in numerous speaking events with colleges and universities, was part of the Systems of Care Advisory Committee, served as a co-chair and a member for the Oregon Trauma Advocacy Coalition, and was part of the leadership team for Trauma Informed Oregon. 

When asked what she loves most about OFYC, Viktoria replied that, “they actually make changes,” referring to OFYC’s part in the Foster Bill of Rights, as well as the Sibling Bill of Rights. She goes on to say that, “I like that they connect youth with people who are going to help them later on in life. They also help youth build confidence to share their story, and set youth up to be successful.”

Viktoria also feels that OFYC has had a large impact on her life, saying, “they set me up to be confident and relate to people really well in a professional setting, and the connections I’ve made with other OFYC members are very special. It’s a very supportive and caring community, and they made me feel better as a person and what I’ve experienced, and gave me a lot of coping mechanisms as well.”

“I’ve learned that I’m a stronger person than I thought I was,” she continues. “I’ve learned that it’s okay to enjoy life, to reach out to people, and that anyone can be a leader. It doesn’t take a special person, just a person with drive. OFYC taught me how to focus and do things that are about more than just myself.”

Outside of OFYC, some of Viktoria’s hobbies include biking, running, hiking, cooking, baking, and volunteering on farms. She also works full-time in a doctor’s office, where she runs the medical-legal department. She is hoping to go back to school in the Fall of 2019 and study law. 

Maddy L.

Pronouns: she/her

Maddy joined OFYC in 2018 after learning about the program through the Portland State Advisory Board she was working with at the time. Originally, she was only going to attend the bi-annual Policy Conference happening that Summer, but, after learning more about OFYC, she decided she wanted to become a member instead.

 Since joining OFYC, Maddy has been able to help plan the bi-annual Policy Conference, attend the January Convening Conference, as well as travel to Washington D.C., joining the American Institute of Research as a researcher on how youth make decisions, and has conducted caseworker trainings.

“I love the community and opportunities OFYC has given me,” Maddy says. “It has empowered me beyond words and given me a new sense of what it means to be a former foster youth. If it wasn’t for OFYC, being a former foster youth would be something I was still embarrassed about, which I know now I have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Maddy goes on to say that, “OFYC has really helped me grow as a leader. I never would have thought I’d have the courage or ability to speak in front of legislators or senators. OFYC gave me the tools I needed to become a better leader and speaker, and be able to talk to anyone.”

In the fall of 2019, Maddy will be attending school at Georgetown University as a freshman, where she wants to major in government, and minor in social justice and peace studies. She hopes to eventually write policies, and continue her passion for improving the lives of foster youth.

I decided to join OFYC to become an advocate for foster youth, and to hopefully help current and future foster youth while they’re in care. My neighbor started telling me about OFYC and what the organization does, and I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of this. 

My first experience as a member of OFYC was attending the 2019 Advocacy Convening Conference back in January. I was also voted into the Legislative Action team, which gave me and 4 other members of OFYC the amazing opportunity to write multiple testimonies, and testify at the capitol. The five of us got the chance to be lobbyists for the 2019 Legislative Session, and were given the chance to speak to multiple legislators and representatives discussing our Independent Living Program bill, and support other bills. 

What I love about being an OFYC member is being able to use my voice to help current and future foster youth while they go through their trials and tribulations in the system. Also, to help the system itself change for the better. That way, current foster youth can have a smooth exit out, and aren’t being thrown around from placement to placement, like I was. 

OFYC has impacted my life by helping me discover new passions, as well as using my voice to be able to write testimonies and testify in front of multiple people. Being an OFYC member has also helped me build a bigger support network, along with building new friendships that I hope will last a very long time. Since joining OFYC, I have learned more about speaking up for myself and others around me, and I am not ashamed of being a foster youth anymore. I am confident in talking about my experiences and how I ended up in care.

Outside of OFYC I love playing sports, and I am also a photographer, and always taking opportunities to get that perfect shot. Currently, I am working on going back to college at PCC to get my Associate’s Degree in sign language, as well as finishing my general studies. Then, I’d like to transfer to WOU to get my double Bachelor’s in teaching and in sign language. I have always loved working with kids and young adults, and hope to take my own experiences and help future generations master this thing we call life.