Jillian Clark-Duteil, age 20, Arizona’s Child Welfare system.
Jillian entered care at the age of 15 and experienced kinship/relative care. She was placed with a good family friend where she and her sibling got to maintain their connection. Throughout her experience in foster care, Jillian and her sister were forced to have visitations and court hearings with bio family but wasn’t wanting reunification. They were advocating for adoption which took three years before they were finally able to be adopted. Now Jillian is happy to say she is in a loving home with her family.
Currently, Jillian is involved in a Youth Leadership Board with the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones, writing poetry, and capturing the beauty of nature through the lens of a camera.
She plans to continue her education by attaining her bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University. Her longtime goal is to become an English teacher and study in her off time.
Jillian is a kind-hearted individual who only wants to share her happiness with others by sharing her story of resilience.
