At United Friends of the Children, we get to witness powerful moments every day, but few are as inspiring as graduation day.

On May 31, we celebrated 30+ incredible foster youth as part of our Class of 2025. These young people have overcome enormous challenges, and thanks to the right support at the right time, they’re stepping into their futures with pride and purpose.

This kind of moment doesn’t happen by chance. It happens because a community shows up and says: You belong. You matter. We’re here for you.

One of those graduates, Khrizlina Esparza, shared her journey through the Scholars Program and announced that she’s heading to UCLA! Her presence and her courage captured everything this moment was about.

Special thanks to Tina McKinnor’s Office for providing custom certificates and to Anastasia Soare, whose sponsorship helped make this day unforgettable.