Children need real legal protection in court
Miami Herald: Children need real legal protection in court Posted on Fri, Dec. 28, 2012 “Remember, I love you always.” Isn’t that what we all
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.
Miami Herald: Children need real legal protection in court Posted on Fri, Dec. 28, 2012 “Remember, I love you always.” Isn’t that what we all
Written by Ashley “Moniece” Jackson Special to the Chronicle The pride I feel in my organization is overwhelming. Florida Youth SHINE (FYS) is a statewide,
Florida Courier, December 20, 2012 By Margie Menzel After two incidents of staffers charged with abusing teens at a juvenile lock-up in Milton – one
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Florida’s top child-welfare administrator visited children Wednesday at a troubled Miami Gardens nursing home that is under investigation over its treatment of medically fragile children
In an about-face, the state has begun a policy aimed at preventing foster kids from being shunted into nursing homes. BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER CMARBIN@MIAMIHERALD.COM
By Gloria Fletcher Special to The Sun Published: Monday, December 3, 2012 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 11:11 p.m. Ten
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Published: November 12, 2012 Updated 22 hours ago Marie with her mother, Doris Freyre. Family photo. By CAROL MARBIN MILLER — Miami Herald For 14 years, Doris
By Alexandra Zayas, Times Staff Writer In Print: Sunday, October 28, 2012 They shaved him bald that first morning in 2008, put him in an orange
BY KELLI KENNEDY ASSOCIATED PRESS MIAMI — When Angela Austin-Knight’s teenage son and daughter were placed in foster care in 2008, she was despondent and angry.
By KELLI KENNEDY Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — More than 3,300 children with disabilities are at risk of being pushed into adult nursing homes
Palm Beach Post By Post readers Submissions from Post readers ‘Rushed adoptions’ can create further trauma I am writing in response to the article “Officials
by Kathy Para, The JBA Pro Bono Committee Chairwoman Lawyers are known for living up to the phrase “carpe diem” because legal services often include
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.