The Journey from Foster Care to Campus and Beyond Jessie-Lynn Cross is Advocating for Child Welfare Rights

Jessie-Lynn Cross’s journey from her youngest days to graduating from St. Thomas University was marked by trauma and tragedy. Today, she is working toward becoming a policymaker to help those who have suffered similar challenges.

Cross grew up in towns and cities all over Canada. Her favourite childhood home was Fredericton where she lived for a year.

“I just remember how green it was,” she says, laughing. “There was never any litter on the ground and people really cared about their lawns. I just remember I really loved the area.”

Cross remembers seeing St. Thomas and knowing in her heart that it was the university she wanted to attend. But by age 14, after experiencing years of domestic abuse, Cross entered the Newfoundland and Labrador child welfare system. Her dreams of becoming an English major and eventually an author were replaced with aspirations of helping others.

“I wanted to do criminal prosecution,” she says. “I really wanted to make sure that victims don’t end up in the situations that I did. But I still wanted to go to St. Thomas.”

In May 2022, Cross graduated with distinction from St. Thomas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Human Rights. Studies have shown that less than three per cent of people from child welfare go on to complete post-secondary education, but Cross was determined to reach her goals.

She overcame many challenges along the way: the stigma often placed upon former youth in care, sexual violence, financial issues, a revolving door of social workers, and the deaths of not only two childhood friends from foster care but also her foster father.

“There’s good and bad in all of our stories,” Cross says about youth who have lived in foster care. “Our stories need to be normalized, and society needs to normalize our success, whatever that might look like. Whether that success is getting a post-secondary education, becoming financially stable, or overcoming addictions, they are all significant. We’re not just going to jail, we’re not just getting trafficked, we’re not just ending up homeless. It’s true that these outcomes are much more common, but that is why we need to have policies in place that make these outcomes less likely.”

Cross is now living in Toronto, working as a research assistant with the International and Canadian Children’s Rights Partnership. She plans to pursue a law degree, but her goal is now to work in family law and ultimately a child and youth advocate’s office where she can influence policy change that can help others.

“It’s very frustrating when you see that your entire life is being dictated by policies created by people who have nothing in common with you,” she says. “So, my dream is to take my experience and my education to make policies to help people from child welfare systems.” •