Jacob Carmi

Jacob Carmi is an independent political activist for the foster care and child serving environments. He has been advocating for policy and law change to better the child welfare system since 2008 and has worked professionally with the young adult homeless population since 2015. Jacob earned an Associates degree in Liberal Arts focusing highly on psychology, sociology, and child development. Jacob focuses his advocacy roles with many partner organizations, including, locally with InSight a youth leadership board, Achieving Maximum Potential Iowa’s Foster Care Youth Council, and nationally as a Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative Young Fellow based out of Baltimore, Maryland, a Board of Directors Member for Foster Youth in Action based out of Berkeley, California, and he was a 2015 Foster Club All-Star Intern. Jacob has had the opportunity to shadow a congress member to understand the federal environment better, he has also had the opportunity to meet many other child welfare advocates from all over the United States in multiple conferences that focused solely on the combined effort of advocacy in the Child Welfare System and the changes thought needed and possible courses of action both locally and nationally. Jacob in official capacity for the Department of Human Services of Iowa, was able to train social workers in the state on the steps needed for the child welfare system to best address youth in care that identify on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Jacob is currently working on identifying ways to ensure young people leaving group or congregate care facilities are being discharged to safe and livable environments. Jacob enjoys collaboration and working to make sure that the future of our nation, kids, have the ability to grow up safe, cared for, and valued. Jacob Carmi lives and works in Des Moines, Iowa.