Foster Club-- Lily was taken from her parents’ home when she was 12. Upon her inception into the foster care system,, Lily was placed in five different foster homes until she aged out at 18. However, Lily expresses that her experience have helped mold her into a motivated and accomplished voice intent on represented all youth in care.

Lily has been named one of Glamour Magazine’s top ten college women for not only her efforts in advocating for youth in care, but also her other life accomplishments. Lily has interned for the Orphan Foundation America, volunteered for AmeriCorps, written nationally recognized articles, was an active member of California Youth Connection, has been a tutor and mentor, a member of student government while at both Berkeley and Yale, and has helped more adequately train child welfare professionals.

Photo: Courtesy of CWLA

“As a passionate child advocate I organized a group of former youth in care in the Orphan Foundation of America Intern America Program and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) to put together amendments for Senator Dodd’s office to review. Members of our group met with his and Senator Edward Kennedy’s staff on our proposals. These proposals included provisions that would require states to allow every child to have an attorney and provisions that would require states to track foster youth outcomes in the years after emancipation. The bill is yet to be authorized but we have had continual correspondence from Dodd’s office signaling that when it is authorized, it may contain one or more of our amendments.”

When Lily was 20, she became a foster parent to her younger autistic brother until a more suitable living arrangement was sought for him. Lily enjoys writing and presenting poetry as she is a member of the World Performance Poetry Group. She also plays rugby on the Yale Women’s team. She’s a remarkable young woman and a role model for all youth!

Courtesy of the Foster Club.
Original article: FosterClub.com : Lily Eagle Dorman-Colby

LINK: http://www.fosterclub.com/_states/connecticut/young-leaders/lily-eagle-dorman-colby