“We’re Not Survivors, We’re Thrivers”: A Former Foster Youth’s Story
Today, over 20,000 foster children and youth are in the custody of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), making it challenging for facilities and state agencies to care for them thoughtfully.
May is recognized as Foster Care Awareness Month to help raise awareness of foster youth and their stories while acknowledging all the advocates who stand alongside children and youth in foster care.
This means the work of advocates like attorneys, policymakers, caseworkers, social workers, mentors, or foster parents has a tremendous impact and lays the groundwork for foster youth to live fruitful lives.
TRLA supports foster youth in the state.
One of the many ways TRLA empowers current and former foster youth is through our Texas Foster Youth Justice Project (TFYJP), whose primary focus is eliminating barriers to independence for people with experience in foster care across the state.
With their help, people with experience in foster care don’t have to fight their legal battles alone— TFYJP can help with several issues, including returning to extended foster care, name changes or corrections, obtaining identity documents, or accessing transitional and other public benefits.
“As advocates for current and former foster youth, we believe there is power in standing with them to face the many seemingly insurmountable challenges they face. We work alongside them [foster youth] to remove obstacles to a safe and stable future and remain in their corner as long as they need us to,” says Attorney Sarah Worthington, and Director of TFYJP.
Outside of legal representation, TFYJP is helping close the resource barrier for foster youth by providing many resources on their website, including a guide for foster youth “aging out” of foster care and how to transition into this new chapter of independence.
As we continue empowering foster youth to build a life that brings them fulfillment, we recognize that no two stories are the same and that the foster care experience varies. While some find a sense of belonging in spite of their experience, not as a result of it – many others will continue to struggle and hope to survive.
Today, we share the story of Kayla Muzquiz, a former TRLA client who, against all odds, is creating a life powered by her advocacy. She spent many years in foster care, and during her time in placement, she experienced firsthand the negligence that’s all too common for foster youth and the biases as a young Latina in predominantly religious and affluent facilities.
A former foster youth uses her voice to ignite change.
In 2008, Kayla found herself in a Facebook group with other survivors having endured similar situations. The conversations in the chat focused on creating spaces for young people to share their experiences and learn ways to help each other grow.
Since then, Kayla has been a vocal member and would often share her lived-in experience about the various facilities she was placed in, the abuse, and the lack of care. In 2020, this caught the eyes of many, including celebrity Paris Hilton, who at a young age was placed in a similar facility by her parents, and her experience was dreadful.
Shortly after, Paris Hilton would publicly speak about the abuse she experienced in a facility in Utah during her “This is Paris” documentary. This would then prompt her to embark on a journey toward advocacy and social change for youth experiencing abuse under the state’s or facility's care.
Paris Hilton and her legislative team would invite Kayla and other youth to take part in introducing life-changing legislation to Congress.
Photo credit: Kayla Muzquiz, photograph taken by Maria Recio, Austin American-Statesman
Heading to Washington, D.C., to speak with Congress and raise awareness of the mistreatment of youth placed in facilities.
On April 27th, 2023, the bipartisan Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act was introduced to Congress. The legislation serves as a “watchdog” and provides more oversight over institutional youth treatment facilities to prevent intuitional child abuse.
The legislation was sponsored by Texas’ U.S. Senator John Cornyn, Alabama’s U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, and Representatives Ro Khanna, California, and Earl “Buddy” Carter, Georgia.
Kayla spoke in front of the members of Congress and the media during the press conference and recounted her experience as a survivor to prevent this from happening to others.
“These facilities are businesses. They are more worried about filling beds with heads than actually helping families,” said Kayla.
Kayla's advocacy for foster youth continues.
This is just the tip of the iceberg for her; she is resilient in nature, and as an advocate since day one, she has enjoyed being a resource to recently aged-out foster youth. With her new passion for advocacy, she’s gathered other former foster youth across state borders from Texas and North Carolina to Alabama and New Jersey to activate change at the local level.
In a recent conversation with Kayla, she shared her advice to other foster youth: “You can’t pour from an empty glass; you need to take care of yourself when no one else will…Don’t stop connecting, don’t stop reaching out, and don’t be afraid to ask for help,” she says wholeheartedly.
* If you’re a current or former foster youth or an advocate for foster children with a legal issue, contact the TFYJP free and confidential hotline at 877-313-3688 or via email at info@fosteryouth.org.