Win for at-risk kids (Letter to the Editor)
Win for at-risk kids Sometimes, doing the right thing at the right time requires unwavering commitment and unsung leadership. In what can be called
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.
Win for at-risk kids Sometimes, doing the right thing at the right time requires unwavering commitment and unsung leadership. In what can be called
The Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program is currently seeking volunteer advocates to be a voice for abused, neglected or abandoned children whose cases are in
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – On his first day as interim secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families, Mike Carroll directed his deputies to create
Bryan Osceola was one of the 477 children whose stories were told in the Miami Herald’s Innocents Lost series. The 11-month-old died after he was left
Just days after the Miami Herald reported that the Department of Children and Families had shut down the the flow of information about a string
Florida legislators approved a major overhaul of the state’s child protection laws Friday and sent the governor a bill that requires the troubled Department of
Florida’s child welfare agency is reneging on its pledge to be more open about child death records. In the wake of one of the deadliest
Florida legislators on Friday approved a major overhaul of the state’s child protection laws and sent to the governor a measure that requires the troubled
The Legislature passed a sweeping bill aimed at overhauling the child-welfare system Friday and is planning to devote tens of millions of dollars to hiring
Given the agency’s track record, the obstructionist behavior of the Florida Department of Children & Families is outrageous. Faced with the undeniable results of a
Codi Crowley, a 17-year-old in foster care, may soon be able to drive herself to high school medical courses at Traviss Career Center in Lakeland.
In the wake of one of the deadliest eras in the history of Florida child welfare, administrators pledged to be more open, even suggesting the
In the time it takes you to pour your morning coffee, another child will be brutalized by abuse or neglect. Most likely, from the hands
The last thing Florida’s troubled Department of Children and Families needed was its third change in leadership in less than a year. That said, Gov.
For many years, while my parents were drinking and using and dealing drugs, I was all my three siblings had. Due to overuse of methamphetamines,
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.