On Monday, January 12th, our EmberHope leadership team had the honor of hearing from Yusef Presley — a former EmberHope Youthville foster child, current foster parent, and powerful advocate for children and families across Kansas. His message was raw, honest, and deeply moving. It reminded us of not only what we do, but why we do it.
Presley began by sharing that he entered the foster care system at just five years old. At an age when most children’s worlds are small and centered on family, his world was suddenly upended. “I was so angry, and I was hurt. I was just taken from my mom, and I did not have the communication skills needed to tell them [the caseworkers and foster parents] that I was hurting. The way that I told them that I was hurting was by breaking things, fighting, being combative…”
Presley shared that his behaviors weren’t rooted in defiance but rather grief, fear, and loss. At five years old, all he knew was his mom and his sister. That was his entire world. When that world disappeared, so did his sense of safety and control. “Because you have to think about it, I am five years old and all I knew was mom and sister. I’m waking up, and I knew I had my sister if I needed something, she was across the hall… that was my little world. So when that was taken from me, that was chaotic. I was used to having at least a little bit of control of my life, and that was taken.”
Presley’s story is a powerful reminder that behavior is communication, especially for children who haven’t yet developed the words to explain their pain. “Overall, I would say to a caseworker, ‘Help them communicate.’”
Throughout his eight years in the foster care system, Presley moved through more than 100 foster homes before ultimately being adopted by his aunt. There were moments when he felt unheard and misunderstood. These are experiences many youth in care can relate to. “Oftentimes in my journey, there were times I felt like I wasn’t being heard. I wished my caseworker would have heard me out more.” And yet, with maturity and reflection, Presley also spoke of grace and understanding. He acknowledged the difficult decisions faced by caseworkers that can be difficult for children and youth to understand in the moment.
Presley also shared about the adults who did make a lasting difference in his life — people who showed up consistently, challenged him, and met him exactly where he was, including his social worker, Charles Guerrero. “Charles was there with me like three or four days a week after school… Charles would challenge me and help me get my homework done.”
Those relationships mattered. They changed trajectories.
Today, at 29 years old, Presley is living proof of what can happen when children are supported, believed in, and truly listened to. He is a Field Organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kansas, a recent graduate of Wichita State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership & Learning, and aspires to attend law school at the University of Kansas to pursue his dream of becoming a lawyer and leading meaningful child welfare reform.
Perhaps most powerfully, Presley has come full circle — now serving as a foster parent himself.
His message to our team was both grounding and energizing: “Start with one thing at a time… do what YOU can do, you yourself. Start with one kid at a time. All it takes is one kid. Know that there are more ‘Yusefs’ out there. You just have to find your Yusef and go from there.”
He also reminded us that change doesn’t happen all at once. Rather, real change unfolds one relationship at a time, one child at a time. “Learn as you go… These are kids too — the biggest thing for me is listening to the kids, because they want to be heard. Someone met me where I was at — the key point is to meet them where they’re at.”
Presley’s story revitalizes our mission and challenges us to keep listening, keep learning, and keep showing up. It reminds us that behind every case file is a child with a story, a voice, and incredible potential.
To learn more about Yusef Presley and to get a more in-depth look at his journey, we invite you to watch the video below:
