To protect the privacy of those involved, the names of the youth and family members in this story have been changed.

This story is based on the experiences and reflections of Youth Connections Advocate Daisy Licona.

When Youth Connections Advocate Daisy Licona began working with Jordan, she learned that he had previously declined adoption. But that did not mean he wasn't interested in having family in his life. Jordan valued his relationships with his siblings and wanted opportunities to reconnect with people from his past.

For Daisy, understanding what Jordan wanted was an important part of her work. Rather than focusing solely on adoption, she began exploring the relationships that mattered to him and looking for people who might be willing to reconnect.

Daisy started by reviewing information about Jordan's family and reaching out to potential connections. Her search involved phone calls, messages and conversations with people who had known Jordan at different points in his life. Some were relatives he remembered, while others were people he knew less about but was interested in getting to know.

As Daisy made contact with these individuals, she learned that several were interested in reconnecting. She also spent time talking with Jordan about the people she had found, giving him the opportunity to share which relationships he wanted to explore.

One of those conversations was about a cousin Jordan knew little about but wanted to get to know. He also expressed interest in reconnecting with his maternal grandfather. When Daisy mentioned a woman whose children Jordan had grown up with, he did not recognize her name at first. As they talked more, he remembered the children and shared that he would like to see them again.

Daisy continued working to help make those connections possible. Some people were easier to reach than others, and an initial willingness to reconnect did not always lead to ongoing communication. Still, she continued following up and exploring opportunities that reflected Jordan's wishes.

One of those efforts eventually brought Jordan back together with children he had known growing up. Daisy had connected with their adoptive mother, who welcomed the opportunity for them to see each other again.

During the visit, Daisy was struck by how comfortable Jordan seemed around them. The oldest of the children shared photographs of Jordan from when he was little, offering him a chance to see moments from his own childhood. They are now working on creating an album for him using those photographs.

For Jordan, the visit created an opportunity to reconnect with people who had been part of his life years earlier. For Daisy, it was one example of why helping young people maintain and rebuild meaningful relationships is such an important part of her work.

Other connections are still developing, and Daisy continues exploring opportunities for Jordan to strengthen relationships with people who matter to him. The process has required persistence, communication and an understanding that every relationship moves at its own pace.

Looking back on her work with Jordan, Daisy reflected on the importance of helping others understand that connection remains essential, regardless of whether adoption is the goal.

“Sometimes they just need to be reminded that even though we might not be working towards adoption, we still need to be supporting these youth in finding lifelong connections,” Daisy said.

Jordan's story is still unfolding, but his experience shows why listening to young people matters. By taking the time to understand the relationships he wanted in his life, Daisy helped create opportunities for connection that might otherwise have remained unexplored.

At Raise the Future, that work is at the heart of what Youth Connections Advocates do. Every young person deserves the opportunity to build and maintain meaningful relationships with people who can be part of their lives, today and in the years ahead.

Every young person deserves people who stay. If you'd like to learn more about Raise the Future's Youth Connections program or the work behind these stories, we're here to answer questions and share more.

Connect with our team. https://www.raisethefuture.org/contact