Fifty Young Leaders Recognized for Advocacy in Foster Care

Fifty young leaders who grew up in foster care have been recognized with the 2026 Outstanding Young Leader Award from FosterClub, a national network advocating for the rights and well-being of young people in foster care. The award, which honors advocates from twenty-four states, was presented at a national ceremony on September 16.

Among the honorees is Kubra Mohammadi, age 22, who spent three years in foster care after coming to the United States from Afghanistan in 2021 following the Taliban's ban on girls attending school. Mohammadi founded the Delaram Foundation, which now provides education to more than 1,000 Afghan girls who have been shut out of classrooms. She has spoken at the United Nations and studies political science at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

In New Jersey, Tawanna Brown, age 23, has served as the inaugural Joseph R. Bankoff Young Adult Trustee on the Board of Trustees of the National CASA/GAL Association for Children. With five years of foster care experience, Brown has been a vocal advocate for the child welfare system since she was 15. She earned her degree from Seton Hall University in just three years and has helped develop New Jersey's landmark Siblings' Bill of Rights.

In Kansas, Tanner Herskowitz, age 20, spent five years in foster care before being adopted by trusted adults from his own community. Now, he serves with his local fire department and has earned an Ellis County Lifesaving Award. Herskowitz is a student at Fort Hays State University, studying criminal justice, and sits on the Kansas Youth Advisory Council, the state advisory board of young people with foster care experience.

The recipients of the 2026 Outstanding Young Leader Award are welcomed into FosterClub's national network of lived experience leaders, receiving access to additional training, opportunities for continued professional development, and support to champion their causes. FosterClub is the national network for young people in foster care, leading efforts to connect, educate, inspire, and represent children and youth in and from the system. The organization empowers young people to improve the lives of their peers through advocacy, system change, and direct service.