Kayonda Branch
She/Her/Hers
Hello, hey everybody, I’m Kayonda Branch and I live in Brooklyn, NY. I attended SUNY Buffalo State for undergrad and will be attending John Jay in spring 2023 for grad school. I’m currently working as an advocate counselor for Good Shepherds Services. In the future, I want to open my own non-profit organization called the Yonda Project for youth who are Juvenile Justice and foster youth. I want to provide preventive services for these youth. I joined the CARES project because I was a former foster youth who needed to be shown the way of independent living. It is important for youth to be taught the necessities when they are transitioning because when youth leave care by time their adults don’t have the skills to be independent. They need support to transition to adulthood. When I’m not working you can find me working.
#CARES4Power
Follow us on Instagram to learn more about our work, the CARES Ambassadors, and the policies we are building to advance change for all transition age youth.
We know that children and youth do best when they are able to remain in their homes and communities. And when families do become known to the child welfare system, it is the system’s responsibility to partner with families in ways that promote autonomy and provide supports and resources that keep families together.
For LGBTQ+ youth and their families, this requires having a system, including staff, that engage youth and families with dignity and are affirming and responsive to their needs, as well as partnerships with a broader network of community-based supports that can meet families’ needs.
Check out our full statement on how Systems, policies, and communities play an important role in affirming LGBTQ+ young people in the foster care system on our blog. 🔗 in bio.
Young people want to be seen for their whole selves and deserve to feel encouraged, affirmed, and supported as they make their way in the world.
Join us TODAY from 2:30-3:45 PM ET for a panel discussion hosted by @chcidc to talk about opportunities to support and affirm #LGBTQ young people in foster care, featuring LA Ambassador @danie.rose_
Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/3VcAbA07m
Back with our #DITL series featuring Shoshana, one of the New York CARES Ambassadors. Here’s Shoshana`s busy day as a nursing student, taking selfies🤳at clinical, catching the sunrises🌅 and sunsets🌇, walking to the train🚇and more!
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#CARES #CARES4Power #NY #NYYouth #CARESAmbassador #Nursinglife
Check out #Atlanta CARES Ambassador Vlad speaking 🗣️ about how he feels about creating policies that help transition-age youth. “Something that I’ll say I enjoy a lot about being a CARES Ambassador is improving people’s lives and giving opportunities. Making policies that will help youth and people in need.”
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#CARES #fostercare #policy #youthpolicies #CARESAmbassador
Check out a #DITL with Atlanta Ambassador Tiffany as she grocery shops 🛒📝for the elderly people in the health care home 🏠where her grandma lives!
#CARES #CARES4Power #ATL #ATLYouth #CARESAmbassador
Here is our “Day in the Life of a CARES Ambassador” series featuring Levi, one of the ATL CARES Ambassadors. Here’s Levi babysitting a pup 🐶, going to the gym 🏋️, and taking a quick selfie 🤳 in college!
#CARES #CARES4Power #ATL #ATLYouth #CARESAmbassador
Check out CARES Ambassador Joseph Mariscal talking about some of the challenges with accessing benefits from state to state and what universal policies should be protected for transition aged youth. #CARES #fostercare #healthcare
#tbt to President Leonard Burton winning the high-five challenge at @ctrsocialpolicy’s 2023 Constituent Convening!
