Special Guest Speaker: Dashawn Patrick

We are thrilled to announce our special guest speaker, Dashawn Patrick, a former professional baseball player for the Seattle Mariner organization, author, national speaker, coach and passionate advocate for youth in foster care.  A former foster youth, Patrick graduated from Ballard High School before being signed by the Mariners as a middle infielder – the same year as his former teammate Ken Griffey, Jr. 

While professional baseball was not his life-long calling, Patrick credits the experience with providing direction in his life.  Shortly thereafter, Patrick earned his degree from the University of Washington and wrote his first book, “And Some RISE Above It.”  For Patrick, the motivation for the book stemmed from his desire to "help change the culture of foster care by inspiring foster youth to live beyond the statistics of those aging out of the system." 

His dedication to changing the outcomes for youth in care is the driving force behind YIC Launch Pad, an organization Patrick founded that infuses the concepts of ownership, accountability and completion for Youth In Care. YIC Launch Pad's motto is "inspire the child, change the culture".

Patrick was honored with the  Seattle Mariner "Inspire the Future Award" 2009. Given in recognition of his investment in the lives of young people, Dashawn Patrick is the embodiment of paying it forward.