After attending a two-day conference on the importance of investing in marginalized youth, I learned that my foster brother was killed after struggling to survive on the streets of New Haven. The irony of the timing was not lost on me. As a former foster youth who has born witness to the failures of the foster care system, I was inspired to write a call of action to the citizens of Connecticut to encourage them to reexamine how they invest in our state’s most vulnerable children.

“When children are discharged from the foster care system, it is the community’s responsibility to ensure that these fledging adults are given opportunities to succeed in all domains. Whether it’s providing career opportunities or being a mentor, the citizenry must be held accountable to assist these youths as they transition into adulthood. I wish I could say that our society was willing to take on that mission.”

Read the entire article in the Hartford Courant here.