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Justin Taylor – Jacksonville, FL

Justin is a former foster youth from Jacksonville who was placed in care at age 12 and aged out with a lot of questions and no answers or support.

A short while later Justin found Florida Youth SHINE and became one of the original members of the Jacksonville chapter.  Through his involvement with FYS and Florida’s Children First, Justin found his passion for politics and a deep routed desire to change the system that raised him. He strongly advocated for such issues as Rights to Records, Allowing Youth in Court, and the Independent Living Program.

Justin is an advocate, husband and the proud father of an adorable two year old son – Brayden. He is currently a small business owner in Fernandina providing printing and direct mail services and is also a paid political consultant working on various Republican campaigns in Northeast Florida. Directly in line with his love of politics, in 2010 Justin ran for a Port Authority position in Fernandina.  Unfortunately, he was not elected, but still remains active in his community.

 

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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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