The following message is from our Public Policy and Advocacy Director, Charles Smith, regarding our lead legislative agenda item for the 2026 legislative session. We remain committed to advocating for change, strengthening our partnerships, and standing in solidarity with young people. 

This legislative session, The Mockingbird Society advanced SB 5940 and HB 2455, our Extended Foster Care Housing Pilot proposal. While the bill did not advance this year, the campaign itself marked significant progress.

Our youth and young adult leaders engaged deeply in the policy process: analyzing bill language, meeting with legislators across party lines, delivering compelling testimony, and refining strategy in real time. The developmental impact of this experience cannot be overstated. Young advocates strengthened their civic literacy, policy fluency, and advocacy skills at a high level.

Notably, we adjusted our request from 200 vouchers last session to 50 this year, reflecting responsiveness to the state’s fiscal environment and a commitment to pragmatic partnership.

Although housing vouchers were not secured this session, bipartisan support expanded, legislative champions deepened, and the coalition strengthened. We are entering the next phase of this campaign more aligned and strategically positioned than ever.

This work is long-term systems change. And the leadership growth of our young people is one of its most powerful outcomes.

To our Young People,

We are so proud of you. This session was not just about a bill. It was about leadership. You read policy language. You asked hard questions. You met with legislators. You testified with courage and clarity. You showed up prepared and united.

Yes, we did not secure the 50 housing vouchers this year. But that does not define this campaign. From a learning standpoint, you are now policy fluent. From a strategy standpoint, we are sharper. From a coalition standpoint, we are stronger.

Last year we asked for 200 vouchers. This year we adjusted to 50 to reflect the budget climate. That shows maturity. That shows partnership. That shows growth.

You walked in lockstep with the Policy team, and together we elevated this issue across the state. The relationships you built and the credibility you earned will carry into next session.

There is more work ahead. And we are confident because you are leading. Young people deserve housing. We are not done. And together, we will get it done.

Dear Mockingbird Community,

With a full and tender heart, I’m writing to share that I will be stepping down as Executive Director of The Mockingbird Society at the end of June 2025. My family and I have made the decision to relocate to Mexico at the end of May, a deeply personal choice rooted in our desire to live more intentionally and in alignment with our values.

This decision has not been easy. Leading Mockingbird has been one of the most powerful, transformative chapters of my life. And while I will no longer be in this role, I will forever remain part of the movement we’ve built together.

When I stepped into this position in late 2022, I joined a community of youth, staff, board members, and partners who believed fiercely in justice, in equity, and in the power of lived experience to reshape systems. Together, we took that belief and built something deeper, what we often called Mockingbird 2.0.

In just two and a half years, we reimagined the foundation of the organization. We strengthened our infrastructure, clarified our strategy, and embedded racial equity and social justice into every layer of our work. We launched evaluation strategies that measure impact while honoring complexity. We elevated youth leadership, not only creating space for stories, but making room for strategy, decision-making, and bold systems change.

We leaned into joyful resistance, recognizing that systems don’t just shift through policy, but through collective imagination, healing, and authentic relationship. We returned to our roots as a movement, not just an organization. And in doing so, we found renewed clarity about who we are and what kind of world we are here to build.

None of this would have been possible without the people who make up this community, our donors, partners, supporters, and most especially, our young people and Mockingbird families. Your trust, your vision, and your relentless commitment to equity have made this a place where justice is not only a value, it is a daily practice.

As I prepare to step away, I do so knowing that Mockingbird is in an incredibly strong position. Our Director of Operations, Zivit Shechter-Nissim, will assume the newly reclassified role of Chief of Operations and take on interim executive responsibilities during the transition. Zivit has been at the heart of our transformation, anchoring our systems, supporting our people, and showing up with deep integrity every step of the way.

I also want to express my complete confidence in our senior leadership team, each of whom is already guiding their departments with skill, care, and vision. Together, this team will ensure our mission continues with the same momentum and purpose that has shaped us over the past several years.

Our Board of Directors has been a steadfast partner in this journey, leaning into bold questions, centering racial equity, and walking alongside us through change and growth. Their commitment to Mockingbird’s future is unwavering. The board has already begun preparing for a thoughtful, inclusive executive search process that reflects our values, our mission, and the vital leadership of young people with lived experience. I have complete trust in their ability to steward this transition with care, transparency, and purpose.

Although I won’t have time to meet with each of you individually before I leave, please know this: I carry immense gratitude for every person who has walked beside me in this work. You’ve helped build something extraordinary, and I will be cheering Mockingbird on, always.

With deep appreciation and unwavering belief in what comes next,

Natalie Lente
Executive Director
The Mockingbird Society

April 15, 2024 - Pictured: Mockingbird Family Constellation Members in Fukuoka

Hello everyone, I am Miho Awazu, Executive Director of the International Foster Care Alliance [IFCA], a non-profit organization with headquarter offices in both Japan and the United States.

IFCA's Mockingbird Family™ initiative began in 2018. Several foster parents and researchers traveled to Seattle from various parts of Japan for intensive training at the Mockingbird Society office. They brought what they learned from that training back to their home country and launched Mockingbird Family™ pilot projects in their respective regions.

By 2019, two constellations had officially launched in Sapporo (northern island) and three in Fukuoka (southern island) as a result of the pilot projects. During the two COVID-19 crisis years, foster parents at the regional hub and satellite homes and their host agencies continued to work together in creative ways to maintain their support network.

We held monthly national online meetings of the Mockingbird Family™,  and used these gatherings as consultation time with Dr. Miyako Shirakawa, a prominent child psychiatrist and trauma specialist in Japan, and IFCA's clinical director. Foster parents brought questions about children with challenging behavioral issues and each month we had lively discussions on a variety of topics. It was a Trauma Informed Care (TIC) based learning,  understanding children's behaviors through the lens of trauma.

Last month (March 2024), the Mockingbird Family Group of Fukuoka City led a new form of training in the city, drawing on the TIC learning to date. The first day of the two-day introductory training for professionals in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) was designed to include local foster parents and staff from child guidance centers and child protection facilities. This was the first time that foster parents and child welfare non-clinical staff shared their learning of TF-CBT with trainees with clinical background. 

This year, a new constellation of Mockingbird Family™ was launched in Tochigi Prefecture (main island), and the first monthly meeting was held this month. Tochigi Prefecture is already looking into offering TF-CBT training that foster parents can also participate in.

The following is a message from our Public Policy & Advocacy Director, Charles Smith

Dear Mockingbird Community,

I wanted to provide you with an update regarding Senate Bill 5082. Unfortunately, our bill did not pass and did not make it through the cutoff into the Ways and Means Committee.

We knew from the start of this legislative session that given the state’s significant $13 billion budget deficit, the successful passage of our bill would be an uphill battle. Despite this challenge, I want to emphasize that our strategy, advocacy efforts, and most importantly, the powerful and compelling testimonies shared by our Mockingbird Society young people positioned us well.

From the beginning, our goal was to hold the state accountable and ensure it upholds its obligation to provide safe, stable housing for young people in Extended Foster Care — youth who are, in fact, in the state’s care. Sadly, the state has continued to fall short in meeting these critical needs.

Throughout this process, we worked closely with our legislative champion, Senator Claire Wilson, who has been nothing short of incredible. Her unwavering dedication to this cause and her commitment to amplifying the voices and needs of young people have been remarkable.

Given the budget constraints, we were asked to make concessions in our bill. After thoughtful deliberation, we agreed to include subject to appropriations language specifically for young people in Extended Foster Care who were at risk of homelessness, while prioritizing those who were already experiencing homelessness. While not ideal, we believed this compromise maintained the integrity of our efforts by ensuring support for young people facing the greatest housing instability.

For those unfamiliar, "subject to appropriations" means that funding for these services would be contingent on the availability of resources within the state budget. In other words, even though the language would establish these supports in law, they would only be implemented if funds were available — adding an additional layer of uncertainty for the young people who desperately need stable housing.

However, we were later asked to make additional cuts that would have significantly undermined the bill’s intent. Further reductions — particularly limiting support to those already experiencing homelessness — would have severely weakened the bill and compromised its core purpose. After careful consideration and conversations with our policy team, legal partners, community stakeholders, and young people, we made the difficult but necessary decision to stand firm and not concede further. We could not risk losing the very heart of what this bill sought to achieve.

While this outcome is disappointing, our commitment to ensuring young people in Extended Foster Care receive the housing stability they deserve has not wavered. We remain steadfast in our efforts and will continue to explore every opportunity to push this work forward.

One thing is certain — and this was echoed by Senator Claire Wilson — "Senate Bill 5082 was the right bill with the right intent, and Mockingbird Society and its young people should be proud of their efforts and advocacy. Stay in this fight and bring this bill forward again in 2026."

I assure you, we will bring this bill back in 2026. This is not the end — it is part of the journey toward ensuring young people in Extended Foster Care receive the housing stability they deserve.

Thank you for your unwavering dedication and commitment.

Dear Friends of Mockingbird,

What a whirlwind of activity since I arrived at The Mockingbird Society a few months ago! The staff, youth and young adults we support, the Mockingbird foster families, our founder Jim Theofelis, the funders and donors, our wide breadth of community partner organizations, and our board have all been stalwart guides to me, ensuring that I prioritize my learning in these early months to lead with decisions rooted in the heart of Mockingbird’s rich history.  For all of you, I am incredibly grateful.

Dear Mockingbird Community,

I write today in my capacity as Vice President, and Interim President, of the Board of Directors for The Mockingbird Society. It is a distinct honor to serve on this board, for these last 4 years, and to be tasked as one of the caretakers of this incredible organization. 

To our youth and young adult advocates:

At The Mockingbird Society, we understand that moments of national change bring both profound challenges and opportunities to reimagine what is possible. This year, the convergence of Inauguration Day with Martin Luther King Jr. Day compels us to reflect deeply on Dr. King’s enduring legacy of justice, equity, and transformative action. It serves as a poignant reminder of the progress we’ve made—and the urgent work that still lies ahead.

In his inaugural speech, President Trump outlined initiatives—including efforts to restructure public education, enforce a binary understanding of gender, limit social programs, and impose stricter immigration policies—that threaten to deepen inequities and disproportionately harm marginalized communities. These policies are intertwined with systemic racism, and will only perpetuate existing disparities in housing, education, and justice. Youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth—who are overrepresented in foster care and disproportionately impacted by homelessness—bear an especially heavy burden under these proposals.

Despite these challenges, we firmly believe that transformation is possible. It begins with embracing our shared humanity, nurturing relationships, and taking purposeful action. At The Mockingbird Society, we remain steadfast in our commitment to cultivating systems of care that uplift the diversity, resilience, and creativity of all young people, while centering racial equity in every aspect of our advocacy and actions.

Our commitments to you are unwavering:

• Advocating for inclusive policies that celebrate and affirm every identity, because justice begins with belonging.
• Fighting for equitable access to education, housing, and services, with a focus on addressing the barriers disproportionately faced by youth of color and other marginalized groups.
• Amplifying your voices, knowing that the solutions to the challenges we face already exist within the communities we serve.

Small, intentional actions have the power to create ripples of systemic transformation. In moments like these, it is critical to create spaces of healing, support, and community—places where care, courage, and connection can flourish. These spaces form the foundation of meaningful change.

You are seen. You are valued. You are heard. The strength of our community lies in its diversity and the powerful stories, dreams, and contributions of its youth. Together, we will honor Dr. King’s legacy by building a future where every young person—especially those from historically marginalized communities—can thrive authentically, safely, and fully.

Transformation begins with each of us. By centering racial equity, belonging, and justice, we can—and will—create a world where dignity, opportunity, and hope are not just ideals but lived realities for all youth.

In Community,

Natalie Lente, Executive Director of The Mockingbird Society