After less than a year as executive director, the head of the Minnesota youth-led nonprofit group Foster Advocates has left her position, announcing the departure in a heartfelt post on social media.
Nikki Beasley, a former foster youth who has a master’s degree in counseling and psychotherapy and more than a dozen years’ experience working with homeless youth, said the decision to leave in March was difficult.
“I’ve debated for three weeks on how to share that I am no longer the Executive Director at Foster Advocates, but it remains on my heart so I wanted to share,” she wrote. “One year ago I was so excited about the opportunity, received a lot of support and celebration/congratulations from many of you that are reading this. I did not think that one year later I would be sharing that I was no longer with the organization.”
Following Beasley’s resignation, Foster Advocates appointed two interim co-executive directors, Ariana Guerra and Elena Leomi, launching “an internal process to evaluate the organization’s current leadership structure.”
The group’s board chair, Ed Morales, said in an emailed statement that “Foster Advocates is grateful for Nikki’s contribution over the past year, as well as her time as a board member.” Morales added that his board “remains confident in the Foster Advocates team and their ability to continue to move forward meaningful work that impacts Fosters in Minnesota.”
In its sixth year, Foster Advocates plays a leading role in advocacy work for young people growing up in Minnesota’s child welfare system, and has championed numerous successful causes. Following its persistent lobbying efforts, last year Gov. Tim Walz created the state’s first-ever ombudsperson for foster youth and has since named Misty Coonce to the post. The group has also pushed successfully for Fostering Independence Grants, which removes virtually all financial barriers to college for many foster youth under 27. Last month, Foster Advocates members urged the state Legislature to increase the popular program’s budget, which has been strained due to high demand.
Beasley joined Foster Advocates in June of last year, taking over from Hoang Murphy, a former foster youth and high school teacher who founded the organization. Murphy is now the president of People Serving People, the state’s largest shelter serving families. He also serves on the board of Fostering Media Connections, The Imprint’s parent organization.
Foster Advocates marshals the forces of youth with lived experience, to raise awareness and advocate for their needs. They testify before lawmakers and conduct public education campaigns, share research on social media, and collaborate with community members and other nonprofit organizations.
During Beasley’s tenure, the group hosted multiple listening sessions with foster youth across the state to learn more about their unmet needs. Beasley, who spent eight years as a child in foster care, joined a team of advocates who traveled to the state Capitol to fight for greater access to college grants.
A few months after she became executive director in June, Beasley sat down with The Imprint to discuss her goals for the new job. Beasley said she hoped to improve access to stable housing for foster youth, and to help prepare them for undergraduate and post-graduate college degrees and careers. She also sought to help improve health and wellness — from mental health care to substance use issues — and to better support young people to safely express their gender identities.
She called foster youth her “favorite group of people.”
Beasley’s career over 20 years has involved working with youth who’ve experienced family conflict, homelessness and sex trafficking. Prior to coming to Foster Advocates, she directed services for women impacted by domestic violence, helping them find jobs and navigate legal and housing challenges. She also spent 13 years at The Bridge for Youth homeless shelter and the St. Paul YWCA, which focuses on empowering women and eliminating racism.
Beasley declined an interview request Friday about the specific reasons for her departure, and pointed instead to her previous statement on LinkedIn. In it, she described the message as “not a post for sympathy or to illicit [sic] anything other than an opportunity for me to share what I know for sure.” The post continued:
“What I know for sure, is that I have 25 years of experience being a leader. What I know for sure is that I have a lot to offer as a leader. What I know for sure is that while not perfect, I am always open to feedback and see opportunities for growth,” Beasley said. “What I know for sure is that I am a Foster, a strong woman, a Black woman, a mother, a daughter, a sister. What I know for sure is that I have worth. Oh how quickly I was beginning to forget all of that, but as I have reflected, I am remembering — actually honoring that I won’t be defined by the past, rather I will reflect, learn, pivot and move forward.”
