Based in San Francisco, CA

Zemaye Jacobs (she/her/queen) is dedicated to centering current and former foster youth voices. To be a catalyst of change, Zemaye has been diligently advocating on behalf of current and former foster youth in the Bay Area. Sharing her lived experience as a transitional age youth to motivate community programs to do more in order to have positive outcomes on the youth they are serving. By actively uplifting the stories of her community she continues to inspire, elevate, and bring awareness to the unique challenges foster youth face. Zemaye currently serves as an Youth Representative for Box.org to lend her lives experience as a former foster youth to aid in the global impact Box has. Zemaye previously served on Larkin Street Youth services youth advisory board as Co-chair, where she centered the clients of Larkin Street Youth services. Throughout all her service Zemaye has been a trailblazer that is passionately vocal about foster youth needs. Zemaye double majored in Communication and Africana Studies at San Francisco State University. During her time at San Francisco State, she served as a Guardian Scholars Ambassador and served as the first Vice President of Social Justice and Equity for Associated Students. She wants to continue her work uplifting the stories that inspire, transform, and reimagine how our society views foster youth.

Based in San Francisco, CA

Hello, my name is Samantha! I’ve been part of various social justice organizations in the past and done a lot of outreaching, advocating, educating others and much more. I think it’s very important to have a voice as speaking up can change the lives of others. This is why I decided to join the PAFY cohort.

Based in Twin Cities MN

I have 7 years of experience as a consultant, facilitator and trainer around queer/trans black and brown youth empowerment, solutions and strategies for ending/preventing homelessness. I use my personal experience as my guide to help inform change in local systems to help enrich my communities. I am passionate about being heard, and helping other people like me feel heard. I am passionate about freely expressing myself. My favorite way of channeling my expression is through my art and my clothing which often cross into each other because I am a designer. I've been an artist my whole life and have been sewing for 10 years. I hope to be able to connect to myself and the world around me through the combination of my love for the arts, passion for activism, and the magic of storytelling.

Based in Memphis, TN

Andrea Olvera is the Chairperson of the Memphis Youth Action Board, and has been with CAFTH since February 2022. Through her role at CAFTH, Andrea works to maintain a thriving Youth Action Board and utilizes her unique perspectives to advise on countless topics concerning our youth homelessness system. Andrea is passionate about advocacy, activism, and uplifting marginalized voices. Through the lens of a queer latinx immigrant, Andrea directly engages with YYA with lived expertise and is actively working to bridge cultural gaps in our homelessness system. Andrea is continuously seeking opportunities to inform conversations regarding youth homelessness.

Based in Peoria, IL

Sincere Williams is a PrEP and HIV Navigator at Peoria City/County Health Department. Outside of work, he is a community organizer rooted in social justice, his focus ranging from youth in care to advancing equity in underserved communities. When he isn’t organizing, he’s managing a political, or general, campaign. He's indulging in these passions while taking a break from college, but plans to soon return and attend law school after completing his bachelors in political science. Also, he is an experienced performer who loves to sing!

Based in Las Vegas, NV

Jacq Tate is a research coordinator at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Public Health. They focus on developing new ways to empower LGBTQIA2+ voices in research related to Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's, and housing needs. Jacq's goal is to open up their own non-profit that helps queer youth learn how to regulate emotion, navigate medical care, and utilize skills/hobbies to provide financial stability.

Based in Houston, Texas

Charmet Findley helps to advocate for and bring awareness to the many challenges faced by dual status youth with the help of his past lived experiences. As a youth, Charmet experienced many ups and downs in life and his goal is to enlighten youth and be a voice for them as he believes they are our future.

Based in San Francisco, CA

I am currently a Program Specialist at the San Francisco Community Health Center, where I facilitate a TAY (transitional aged youth 12-29) Drop-In space.

We are an LGBTQ and people of color health organization that believes EVERYONE deserves to be healthy and needs access to the highest quality health care.

We foster resilience, strength, connection, health, and wellness for all communities.

To us, healthcare will always be grounded in social justice.

At our weekly Drop-In, we host discussions on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, substance use, & queer-centered sex education.

To stay updated on future Health Equity events & updates, follow us on Instagram @project_pilot_sf ​& @proudlyagainsttobacco.

Based in Tucson, AZ

Keona Rose is a lived experience youth that wants to share her voice for activism all over the country. She pursues her activism hands-on and wants to help her community adapt to a transparent, casual approach to ending youth homeless in her community. She has found many community partners such as: Youth Collaboratory's Youth Catalyst Team, Young United Parents YAB, PSY PAFY, TPCH DEI & CEEI, and is currently the Co-Chair of the TPCH YAC. Her vision is to help "outspoken" youth find their way into activism by creating more equitably paying youth action boards in her community, so the youth voice can be included in the decision-making process everywhere!

Based in Salt Lake City

Bridget Raymundo Hsieh (she/he/zie) is a first generation American from a biracial background. Some of zer writing pieces are published under Youth of Utah Advocacy Coalition and the International Visitors Leadership Program. After a year interning with the Salt Lake Community College Open Education Resources Department, zie remains closely involved with accessible education initiatives like the Regional Leadership of Open Education.

Based in Alaska

Abby is thrilled to join PSY's Youth Empowerment Initiative as an advocate for sustainable and equitable Housing First practices informed by lived experience. She lives and works on Dena'ina and Sugpiaq lands as a navigator for HUD's Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project and believes that housing is healthcare and a human right.

Based in Tallahassee, FL

Mónica, originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is driven by a passion for community-based initiatives and frameworks of anti-oppression. She joined the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence (FCASV) in 2021 where she serves as the Prevention Specialist. In this capacity, Mónica helps manage and support sexual violence prevention initiatives across the state of Florida.

Mónica is a 2021 graduate of Florida State University and earned a B.S. in International Affairs with a concentration in Public Administration. She has interned with the International Rescue Committee as a Casework Intern, providing advocacy and essential services to the refugee population in Tallahassee, Florida, and with the Tallahassee/Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls as a Research Intern.