YES! Conference Connects Foster Youth with Resources, Each Other

Middle and high school students from across Kern County gathered Friday for a day of support, connection, and finding their voice at the 11th annual Youth Empowering Success (YES!) Conference at Bakersfield College. Each year, the conference brings together homeless and foster youth, educators, caregivers, and community partners for workshops, discussions, and activities centered on helping them succeed in school and beyond.

Youth Empowering Success (YES!) is a school-based organization that supports current and former foster youth by helping them build life and leadership skills and connect with supportive adults. A network of middle and high school chapters spread across Kern County provides students with safe spaces and opportunities to thrive.

The day opened with a keynote address from Gennessa Fisher, a peer support specialist with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools’ Dream Center who previously experienced foster care and homelessness herself. Fisher shared her personal journey and spoke about the healing power of vulnerability and connection.

“You never lose that part of you that experienced something hard,” Fisher said. “When I get to speak to youth like this, it makes my homeless heart happy. It feels like healing.”

Throughout the conference, students had opportunities to hear from speakers, participate in workshops, and engage in conversations designed to amplify their voices. One session led by community activist and nonprofit leader Jovon Dangerfield encouraged students to use their voices.

“Speak up. I want to hear you, because your voice matters,” he repeated during his session.

For the second year, a youth panel featuring three students provided caregivers and supporters with firsthand insight into the challenges foster youth face and how adults can better support them.

Resource tables from organizations, including the Dream Center, Bakersfield College, and Job Corps, connected students with information about college, careers, and personal growth opportunities.

The event also featured a “Zen Den,” a quiet space where students could step away if they felt overwhelmed. The area allowed participants to decompress, reflect, and return to the conference when they felt ready.

For Fisher, the most meaningful moments of the day come from the connections made with the youth themselves. Many times, she hears leaders talk about homeless and foster youth like statistics, but she says they are so much more than a number. She hopes students left the conference with a stronger sense of confidence in themselves and a connection with the supportive adults around them.

“As somebody who went through the system, I felt like it was me versus the world, when really, it’s us together versus the problem,” Fisher said. “I want these youth to see just how strong they are and how these adults want to partner with them.”

The YES! Conference featured a resource table with information for foster youth and their adult supporters.

Centerpieces for the YES! Conference were made by the Bakersfield High School FFA (middle), while students and adults were encouraged to share their experiences with each other with anonymous notes (left and right).