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Andrea Moore – In Memoriam (9.3.19)

It is with great sadness that Florida’s Children First announces the death of Andrea Moore, former Executive Director from 2005 through 2009.  Andrea was an attorney with a passion for championing child advocacy issues, and she will be greatly missed.

After studying to become a social worker, Andrea’s experience becoming a foster parent and an adoptive parent, highlighted the many flaws in the child welfare system and this fueled her passion for the law, and to help fix a broken system for the vulnerable children caught up in it through no fault of their own.

Andrea’s work led to the establishment of several critically important programs and protocols in Broward County and statewide. But perhaps her biggest legacy is her efforts to establish the Florida Youth SHINE program.  She recognized the need to give youth a voice in their own lives as well as to improve the child-caring systems.  Andrea oversaw the creation of Florida Youth SHINE in 2005, with current and former youth who have experienced the child welfare system.  With her insight, this initial group of young advocates became the foundation for the amazing youth advocacy organization that has now grown to 14 statewide Chapters and over 300 youth.  Florida Youth SHINE is a living legacy to Andrea’s memory.

 

 

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Alexia Nechayev

FYS Events & Meeting Chair
(Palm Beach/Miami)

Alexia Nechayev, from Miami, Florida, is a dedicated advocate for youth with lived experience in foster care and with homelessness. After being placed in foster care as a teenager, Alexia experienced firsthand the stigma surrounding the system, as well as the challenges of navigating a system that didn’t provide support for her to advocate for herself. This experience motivated her to create change, ensuring that other youth in care have the tools and resources she lacked.

She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Florida International University, and upon graduation worked as a Hope Navigator with the Department of Children and Families which allowed her to assist clients through individualized care plans, further deepening her commitment to improving the lives of marginalized youth. Alexia is now applying to law schools with the goal of advancing her advocacy work through a legal career. As the Events and Meetings Chair for Florida Youth SHINE (FYS), she creates opportunities for foster and homeless youth to collaborate and push for meaningful change. She is also an active member of the Policy and Initiative Team for Florida Youth SHINE, where she helps create and shape policies that directly impact youth in foster care. One of her proudest accomplishments is helping to develop the Foster Care Bill of Rights, a law that she feels would have made a difference during her own time in care.

In addition to her work with FYS, Alexia serves on the Board of Directors for the parent organization of FYS, Florida’s Children First. In this role, she contributes to strategic decision-making while advocating for the rights and welfare of children statewide.

Every year, she travels to the state capitol to advocate for bills she and her peers have helped shape, including key pieces of legislation that benefit foster and homeless youth. However her advocacy extends beyond her state, as she represents Florida Youth SHINE at national conferences such as the National Leaders 4 Change Conference.

Through her internship with the National Foster Youth Institute, Alexia continues to refine her advocacy skills, preparing for a future where she can contribute meaningfully to both policymaking and the legal system. Guided by the belief that “the blue sky is always there,” she remains committed to ensuring that every youth in foster care has the power and support to advocate for themselves.

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