DCFYI

Dear DCFYI Family,

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all you for your support, and everything you have done and given me during my two years and five months serving as the Operations Coordinator with DCFYI. The conversations, support, passion, and dedication you have and shown for improving the lives of youth in care has been invaluable to me. I have learned so much while working alongside all of you, Susan, and every DCFYI teen. I hope and promise to remain a part of Family & Youth Initiative in another capacity as it continues to grow.

I have found great pleasure in creating programming leading to mentor and mentee matches, assisting teens find and secure employment and housing, connecting the teens to community resources, serving as a dedicated advocate, helping every interested adult through the mentor clearance process, attempting to remove barriers for DCFYI youth, and most importantly sending you all those many, many emails. We’ve collectively accomplished so much in my time here. Thank you! 

I remember the first time I discovered the job opening with DCFYI, and my very first event. I was overjoyed with the possibility of providing direct support to youth in care. As a former foster youth and woman of color, this position has meant so much to me. For the last two years I have felt an incredible feeling of belongingness and purpose. 

I would like to thank Susan for serving as a friend, teacher, and an admirable colleague. The passion and knowledge she possesses has given me so much insight, confidence, and courage. Thank you to all DCFYI volunteers, for trusting me wholeheartedly with programming, valuing my opinions, offering feedback, ensuring events are successful by showing up, transporting teens, remaining consistent, and going above and beyond for teens.

A teen once told me, “you are the most reasonable reason, Ms. Dominique, you taught me that.” This is a quote I will carry with me forever and not only because it provided me with the much needed reassurance that teens were in fact listening to me even when I was confident they were not, but also because with the support of an amazing group of enthusiastic, charismatic, passionate, and successful network of adults like yourselves, every DCFYI teen will know and always feel they are strong enough for anything that comes their way, they have the ability to make a difference, they have so much potential, and their life and future has meaning. 

I hope to see you all at events as this is not goodbye forever! I cannot thank you all enough. 

Sincerely, 
Dominique