Fed set to crack down on human-trafficking hotspots
August 23, 2011 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — She was a runaway who traveled from Hawaii to work the Super Bowl in Miami. Her job: having
We believe that all children have the right to food, clothing, housing, education, medical care, property and personal privacy.
Florida’s laws, policies and practices respect, prioritize and protect children and youth impacted by the child welfare, juvenile justice, and disability systems.
August 23, 2011 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — She was a runaway who traveled from Hawaii to work the Super Bowl in Miami. Her job: having
August 22, 2011 MIAMI — Deb and Doug Carlsons’ adopted sons have trashed bedrooms, stolen credit cards and threatened to kill them, one drew a
August 18, 2011 Just six weeks after Florida began drug testing welfare applicants, WFTV uncovered numbers, which show that the program is already costing Central
August 15, 2011 Ft. Lauderdale lawyer’s pro bono effort helps former foster child recover $400k. “They took his money; they put it in CDs, then
School is just around the corner and our learning curve is at an all time high. Florida’s Children First and Florida Youth SHINE have been
July 26, 2011 During the past five years, the state of Florida has reduced by more than a third the number of kids in its
July 26, 2011 When 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson died after a beating at a notorious Florida boot camp for wayward youth, the state’s public records
Manny Oliver, 24, was given a 2004 KIA Spectra Manny Oliver, 24, is all smiles as he looks over is new car Saturday. Oliver… (Mark
July 20, 2011 No need to empanel a grand jury to investigate the last few hours of Eric Perez, who was left to die in
July 19, 2011 TAMPA, Fla. — A former New York foster child swindled out of more than $400,000 in insurance money by his foster parents
June 30, 2011|By Kate Santich, Orlando Sentinel A new state law requiring all welfare applicants to be drug-tested goes into effect today — even as
June 15, 2011 Welfare applicants who fail a new mandatory drug test might not only lose their claim to government assistance — they may also
June 13, 2011 Talenfeld helped involve him in a group called Florida Youth SHINE, which the lawyer had played a role in launching. Composed of
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.