Sydney is from Dallas, Texas and a graduate of TNOYS’ Young Adult Leadership Council. She is passionate about using her voice to spread awareness for youth and young adults struggling with their mental health. By sharing her lived experience, she aims to amplify youth voices by spreading education and knowledge to create systems-change. Her involvement… Read more »

Zahda Hodges currently resides in Austin, Texas. She is a graduate of TNOYS’ Young Adult Leadership Council and is currently pursuing a career in real estate. With her experience working in customer service and fast-paced environments, she prides herself in her work.   Zahda recently worked with TNOYS on a blog post about her experience with… Read more »

Diamond is from Houston, Texas, but currently resides in El Paso. She is a graduate of the Young Adult Leadership Council and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Texas at El Paso. Her goal is to attend law school and become a family attorney to support children and families. She… Read more »

Mikyra Bisby is a graduate of TNOYS’ Young Adult Leadership Council. She is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Social Work with the goal of helping those in need, especially youth in foster care. As an advocate for youth and young adults in foster care, she shares her story to create systems-change.  Mikyra recently worked with… Read more »

Sine die, on June 2, marked the close of the regular Texas legislative session. TNOYS is immensely grateful to the many members, youth and young adult partners, and other stakeholders who showed up with energy, expertise, and unwavering dedication during the 89th legislative session. As we reflect on the session’s wins and challenges, we’re excited… Read more »

Last month, TNOYS was excited to welcome youth, young adults, and professionals from across systems to our 42nd Annual Conference for Services to Youth and Families! Over 400 attendees joined us in Houston for a week packed with inspiring keynotes, workshops, and sessions that enthusiastically embraced this year’s theme of “Deep in the Heart of… Read more »

TNOYS’ Annual Conference is the event for youth , young adults, and the professionals who serve them to connect and grow!  For over four decades, this conference has brought together people who care about improving the youth-serving systems (child welfare, homelessness services, etc.) that impact young people’s lives. What’s more, TNOYS’ conference is unique because… Read more »

TNOYS, our members, and youth and young adult partners have been hard at work this legislative session advocating for our 16 policy and budget priorities. We’re proud to champion an agenda that was shaped by over 350 youth, young adults, and providers. Below are some highlights from our work towards systems-change: Leaders in TNOYS’ Network… Read more »

Texas is home to an estimated 500,000 “Opportunity Youth and Young Adults” (OYYA), defined as young people aged 16–26 who are neither enrolled in school nor employed. While many OYYA have experienced systems involvement, unstable living conditions, and trauma, their experiences with disconnection are far from uniform. Each OYYA has a unique story that speaks… Read more »

The 89th Texas Legislative Session kicks off in January, and TNOYS has been hard at work building a policy agenda that reflects the real needs and challenges that Texas youth, young adults (YYA), and the providers who serve them face every day. Throughout 2024, our team powered multiple initiatives to listen to and learn from… Read more »