On May 21st, 2024, Junely Merwin had the distinct honor of addressing the Class of 2024 as the commencement speaker. Junely, who earned her Master's degree in Higher Education, spoke to graduates receiving their Master's degrees, Doctoral degrees, and Credential Completers. She used this platform to shed light on the foster youth community, sharing her personal journey from being a teen mother in foster care to achieving her advanced degree. Additionally, she delivered an inspiring message to educators on the critical importance of Justice, Equity, and Inclusion (JEI). This occasion marked a powerful and defining moment in her life, one she will always cherish.

Junely Speech Begins: 47 minutes

Junely crosses stage: 1:16:45 minutes

In 2021, Junely Merwin continued to participate in the Foster Youth Internship (FYI) Program® run by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) a highly esteemed congressional internship for young adults who spent time in the foster care system. Junely and her cohort co-authored Building the Path Forward for Change in the Child Welfare System. In this report, Junely continued to focus on Strengthening Support and Services for Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Foster Care. She wrote a federal policy report and recommendations based on her personal experience and legislative knowledge to assist teen parents in foster care to access childcare and specialized resources to meet the needs of the young parent and child as they navigate the foster care system. She urged Congress to provide funding to implement a nationwide program similar to Los Angeles County’s Expectant and Parenting Youth (EPY) conference as developed by Public Counsel & Alliance for Children’s Rights. A cornerstone of the EPY conference program is that each PPY is assigned a teen parent resource specialist with knowledge of specialized services and resources that would help provide adequate support and services to PPY and their children so they can succeed.

Second, she urged the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to provide guidance to states on how they can meet the needs of pregnant and parenting youth in foster care; including trauma-informed care, parenting planning, and goal setting

Lastly, and importantly, she urged Congress to pass the Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act of 2021 which includes and prioritizes eligibility for PPY in foster care for subsidized childcare, to ensure that they have access to childcare in all states.

In 2020, Junely Merwin was selected to participate in the Foster Youth Internship (FYI) Program® run by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) which is a highly esteemed congressional internship for young adults who spent time in the foster care system. While participating in a congressional office summer internship, the FYI Program interns spend time researching policy issues affecting children and youth in the U.S. foster care system. Due to the pandemic, Junely and her cohort co-authored Seeing Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Creating Change for Vulnerable Children and Families. In this report, Junely wrote a federal policy report and recommendations based on her personal experience and legislative knowledge to assist teen parents in foster care impacted by COVID-19. She urged Congress to provide funding through Chafee or Title IV-B to support the basic needs of Pregnant and Parenting Youth in foster care such as baby items, childcare, and parenting support services, including home visiting services and access to nurse practitioners. Second, she urged the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to provide guidance to states on how they can meet the needs of pregnant and parenting youth in foster care.