By Tatum Heath, Peer Coach

As a former foster youth and a Peer Coach for foster youth and alumni, I think that Children’s Advocacy Week was so beneficial for the young adults because it has really lit a fire in the youth. It has driven them to become more involved in the policy side of their concerns. They want to speak to the legislators and they want to be heard. 

I was so honored to have been asked to give feedback on the comments from leaders of the Families & Children Committees. I felt so empowered and pumped to be taken seriously by people that I previously thought wouldn’t care what someone like me thought. I was glad to know that they do care what people like me think and they want to benefit us. 

I loved seeing how the Mock Legislative Committee Meeting gave them confidence and allowed the young adults to come out of their shells and express themselves. I was nervous initially because I had no idea what to expect out of CAW, as it was my first time, but as I watched the young adults blossom and settle in I really felt proud and at ease. I have a passion for change and I was so comfortable seeing others find their passions when they spoke. It was a great networking opportunity and gave everyone the chance to meet someone new and learn something they may have never had access to before. 

The most impactful thing for me was being able to research important topics affecting the youth today. Reading through the different statistics was truly grounding and a driving force. They not only educated myself and the young adults but they put reality into perspective for us and enabled us to be able to discuss and even communicate those facts to other people. They were really a huge reason for some of the young adults to ask about speaking to legislators. Seeing those statistics put power into the young adults hands and it was awe-inspiring. 

Talking with Representative Stalker was also a highlight of my experience. She was very knowledgeable and it was refreshing to see a legislator who really cares about the work she does. She was very educated and respectful of the young adults being the experts of their experiences. We as young adults need to be learning and watching the things that are going on around us. We need to be fighting for change and making our voices heard. 

We are the future and we need to create a better future.