The Radical Imagination Fellowship
Building the Next Generation of Leaders
The Radical Imagination Fellowship is a 6-month program that empowers former foster youth and Transition Age Youth (FY/TAY) through training, policy research, and storytelling to develop community-rooted solutions for youth in LA County and beyond.
About the Fellowship
The inaugural Radical Imagination Fellowship, supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, is dedicated to reimagining a future for youth impacted by foster care in LA County and beyond. From April through September 2025, the Children’s Defense Fund California (CDF-CA) Education Equity team partnered with seven emerging leaders aged 18 to 25 to build advocacy skills across policy, podcast production, movement building, and event design.
Through four group projects centered on CDF Freedom Schools®, story mapping, podcast production, and the Child Watch convening, these young changemakers used their voices, ideas, and creativity to make a positive impact on the landscape of foster and transition-age youth advocacy.
Florencia Valenzuela, Student, UCLA
“I hope accessibility barriers will continuously be removed for the betterment of supporting transitional-age foster youth. Difficulty accessing resources and receiving support should not be the reality for young people who don’t have the privilege of receiving traditional familial support.”
Clarissa Pena, Advocate, Social Impact Consultant & Researcher
Clarissa specializes in Youth Advocacy, Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and intersecting systems. With a strong background in leadership development and youth advocacy, Clarissa has established a proven track record of driving policy initiatives and empowering youth-led advocacy efforts.
The Children’s Defense Fund-California Education Equity Team Leading the Fellowship
Policy Associate, Ryan Bell, CDF-CA
Ryan Bell is a policy associate with CDF-CA’s Education Equity team. His experience spans across a number of years within the education and non-profit sector. This includes educating through CDF-CA Freedom Schools, community organizing with Los Angeles based non-profit Community Coalition, and collaborating with community members on advocacy initiatives. His current work with Children’s Defense Fund is dedicated to addressing child poverty, child well-being, community development, and education equity.
Learn about CDF-CA’s Education Equity Work
CDF-CA’s Education Equity Director and Radical Imagination Fellowship Program Manager, Yasmine-Imani McMorrin
Yasmine-Imani McMorrin is an attorney, equity advocate, and mom. McMorrin is proud to have served with Children’s Defense Fund-California as director of Education Equity since 2022. McMorrin is the program manager of the Inaugural Radical Imagination Fellows Program. She is honored to work alongside brilliant young minds to imagine (and co-create) a world where all young people, especially former foster youth and transition-age youth can thrive.
Learn about CDF-CA’s Education Equity WorkWhat We’ve Been Up To
The fellowship curriculum drew from CDF Movement Building Leadership and Advocacy Training program materials, timely developments across federal, state, county, and local levels, and CDF history. Areas of work included:
Leadership Development
Podcast Production and Stakeholder Engagement
Collective Storytelling and Storymapping
CDF Freedom Schools® Engagement and Movement Building
Public Policy and Coalition Building
Community Engagement and Programming
Child Watch L.A., September 2025
Child Watch is one of CDF-CA’s signature annual events, dedicated to lifting youth voices, leadership, and vision for systems change. Each year, the event brings together community leaders, advocates, and young people with lived experience in foster care to reimagine the systems that shape their lives. The 2025 Child Watch event was created, led, and emceed by the Radical Imagination Fellows. The Fellows designed the event theme, curated discussions, and shared their policy priorities and creative projects with an audience of peers, policymakers, and partners.
Speakers included Dr. Charity Chandler-Cole, LaJuannah Hills, and Martine Singer, who joined the Fellows in conversations about reimagining child welfare and education systems rooted in dignity, healing, and hope.
Watch the keynote speech featuring Dr. Charity Chandler-Cole below. Learn more about Child Watch by clicking here.
CDF-CA Freedom Schools®
CDF Freedom Schools® provides summer and after-school enrichment through a research-based, multicultural program model that supports K–12 scholars and their families through five essential components: high-quality academic and character-building enrichment; parent and family involvement; civic engagement and social action; intergenerational servant leadership development; and nutrition, health, and mental health.
During the summer of 2025, the Radical Imagination Fellows participated in Freedom Schools activities across Los Angeles, including the National Day of Social Action (NDSA), which brought together more than 150 youth and adults around the theme, “Public Education is a Public Good.” Fellows also helped curate the Gallery Walk, showcasing scholars’ artwork and their visions of an ideal education system.
Bridging L.A: A Radical Imagination Production (Coming Soon!)
Bridging L.A. is a podcast produced by Children’s Defense Fund, featuring real stories, real challenges, and real solutions from foster and transitional youth across Los Angeles. Stay tuned for the release of our first episode!
Telling Stories of Change: Radical Imagination Fellows Storytelling & Storymapping Workshop
The Radical Imagination Fellowship’s Story Map Project is a powerful initiative that fosters profound self-discovery and empowerment. Through guided reflection on their educational journeys, participants gain invaluable insights into their past, present, and future selves.
Get Email and Updates from CDF-CA
Sign up for updates about how we work to fight for California Children and ways you can help.