Growing up, Kate Kirkpatrick experienced things that would have a very negative, lasting impact on most young girls’ lives. At the hands of her biological mother, Kate endured abuse and neglect and was entered into the child welfare system three separate times before the age of 11. When she was 18 months old, she was placed with her half­brother’s grandmother, who showed her the love and attention she deserved. Kate would eventually treat her as her own grandmother. At the young age of five, her situation was evaluated and she was allowed to stay with her grandmother. After living with her for so long, Kate’s caseworker encouraged her grandmother to pursue kinship adoption, and so she looked into the process. However, after a static two years, Kate was forced to return to her biological mother. This devastating decision caused Kate and her grandmother to lose their relationship, and they did not have any contact in over 6 years. At the age of 11, Kate was transferred from her birthmother’s home to a different foster mother; who helped her realize that she indeed had a say in her situation and could advocate for herself to remain in foster care. She recognized that living with her biological mother was damaging to her health, and through many court hearings where Kate had the opportunity to speak up for herself, she found her voice as an individual.

Motivated by her newfound voice, Kate felt the need to apply her skills to various organizations devoted to helping children that were in the same, unhealthy situations that she had previously found herself in. She joined many different boards and committees through Oregon’s Department of Human Services, CASA, ILP and Oregon Foster Youth Connection. Kate even landed a prestigious internship with the FosterClub organization as a peer facilitator. After her internship, Kate became the co­chair for Oregon Foster Youth Connection for two years, and helped draft two different laws that are now in the process of going into effect for Oregon youth. Kate became involved in Youth MO.V.E. serendipitously, and provides encouragement and support to many young individuals today who have had similar experiences as she. Kate believes she is giving back to the systems and the partnerships that ultimately
raised her. Her positive and negative personal experiences with welfare systems and foster care, as well as many different positive organizations around the state of Oregon, make her an essential member of the Youth M.O.V.E. team.

Today, Kate is 23 years old and a single mother to two wonderful young children, Ian and Sophie. Being a mother will always be her number one accomplishment and her number one source of fulfillment in her life. She balances her responsibilities as a mother with her commitment to being a student at Portland State University, where she is working towards completing her Bachelor’s degree.