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Center for Family and Community Engagement

Meet Us Monday: Pashyon Blake, MSW, LCSWA

graphic with headshot of Pashyon Blake

This week for #MeetUsMonday, we want to introduce you to a community partner of our Center. Pashyon Blake works as the Coordinator of the Fostering Bright Futures program at Wake Technical Community College to support students that have been in the North Carolina Foster Care system, who are working towards completing a degree or certificate. She can assist students from application to graduation and leads the program’s recruitment efforts to increase student population and visibility across the college and local community. Additionally, she collaborates with administrators, faculty, staff, and community partners to facilitate a team approach that provides students with support through their college experience. Lastly, it is her job to make sure students feel seen, heard, understood, and valued during their time at Wake Tech Community College.

The Fostering Bright Futures program was created to identify and support young adults who have been in the NC foster care system and provide resources to eliminate barriers that would typically derail them from meeting educational and life goals. By providing financial, academic, and social support, the FBF program helps these young men and women learn the skills they need to live as independent adults and get the education needed to secure gainful and meaningful employment.

Some of Pashyon’s partnerships are Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Dress for Success, Lenovo, Interfaith Food Shuttle, The Green Chair Project, United Way of the Greater Triangle, Wake County Humans Services, and Wheels 4 Hope.

Pashyon has both a bachelor’s and master’s in social work and is a proud graduate of NC State University. She has several areas of interest including higher and adult education, foster youth advocacy, grief and loss, trauma, and military families.

When asked about how she connected with our Center, she said “Karakahl Allen-Eckard reached out to me about the opportunities for foster care youth/alumni from the Fostering Bright Futures program to participate on the state Child Welfare Family Advisory Council.” She said her hope for this partnership is to spread awareness about the needs of young people served in the foster care system and the people that support their journey. She strives to be aligned with a network of individuals that want to have a hand in building safe and healthy communities not only here in the triangle but across the world.