Care Experienced Kiwis Fly tomorrow night! (because of your support!)
13 June 2022
Kia ora koutou,
I am so grateful to each and every one of you for your support in helping care experienced rangatahi (youth) fly to the USA tomorrow and join with other foster youth advocates, activists and members of congress who are working to improve foster care in the US. The Kiwi rangatahi will share their own experience in our country of 5 million and listen and learn from other youth who are making change throughout the US.
In addition to attending the National Foster Youth Institute's Shadow Day in Washington DC, our young people will also meet with Young Women's Freedom Center, California Youth Connection, the Foster Youth Commissioners of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Youth Uprising, Chaco Justice Center and the Actor's Gang.
We will also be hosted by an indigenous Mexican American who will cook us a pre-colonial meal and serve it at the Ocean, get in some shopping and because of specific donations, get to go to Disneyland!
We will share karakia and waiata, we will shadow members of US congress in DC and we have even thrown down a snack food challenge with US youth. What an adventure ahead of us.
All of this supported by your dollars, your messages of connection, hope and excitement. Ngā mihi from a grateful organizer. We are carrying all of you and your support with us.
Arohanui,
Jamie