Skip to content 
Image: Book cover of I Yell Because I Care, written by John Burton; courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing.
John Burton, a fierce and unapologetic champion for foster youth and marginalized Californians, passed away Sunday at the age of 92, The Imprint’s Jeremy Loudenback reported. His death marks the end of an era in California politics. However, his work to protect some of the state’s most vulnerable youth continues to ripple across the country.
Throughout his six-decade career, Burton pushed policies that expanded housing, education, and support systems for children who age out of foster care. But more than that, he changed the way California—and by extension, the nation—sees and supports foster youth.
Foster Youth Face Alarming Risks of Abuse
John Burton’s mission wasn’t just political. It was personal. And for the youth at the center of it, especially those who’ve experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect, his impact was lifesaving.
Roughly 391,000 children are in the foster care system in the United States at any given time, according to the most recent federal data. Numerous studies reveal that foster youth face a dramatically increased risk of sexual abuse while in care. In fact, children in foster care are estimated to be four times more likely to be sexually abused than children in the general population.
The risk is even higher in group homes or institutional settings, where oversight may be inconsistent. A 2021 report by the Office of Inspector General noted failures in multiple states to protect youth from sexual predators, with some children abused by caregivers or older peers after prior complaints were ignored.
For Burton, these statistics were an outrage.
He once asked:
“Emancipated from what? And into what? Into not being able to have a roof over their heads? Into unemployment? Into homelessness? Into jail?”
That single quote still resonates today.
A Life of Radical Advocacy and Second Chances
John Burton’s political story began in 1964, when he was elected to the California Assembly, following in the footsteps of his brother, U.S. Rep. Phillip Burton. He later served in Congress himself, before resigning in the early 1980s due to struggles with cocaine addiction.
But Burton staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in modern political history. He returned to state government, eventually becoming President Pro Tem of the California Senate—its most powerful position—and used that authority to pass sweeping reforms on health care, disability rights, and criminal justice.
After leaving office in 2004, Burton turned his attention full-time to foster youth. He founded John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY), a nonprofit that has since helped secure over $3.6 billion in new state funding and passed more than 55 legislative reforms.
One of the most significant milestones came in 2010, when California became one of the first states to extend foster care benefits to age 21. This legislation was a direct response to Burton’s lobbying efforts and a huge win for youth aging out of the system without a family to fall back on.
He Didn’t Knock. He Kicked Down Doors
Burton’s longtime colleagues and friends say his signature style of politics was brash, passionate, and deeply human. Sarah Pauter, JBAY’s new executive director and a former foster youth herself, remembered receiving a handwritten letter from Burton early in her career.
“It was the biggest confidence boost I think anyone could ever have in their career,” she said. “He gave me a launching pad to do great things.”
Pauter will now help launch the John Burton Fellowship, a two-year, paid internship that places former foster and homeless youth into public policy roles in Sacramento. As part of California’s Capital Fellows Program, the initiative ensures that lived experience is not only heard but empowered.
“I can’t think of a better way to honor John’s legacy,” she said.
A Voice for the Voiceless, a Fighter Until the End
Burton’s legacy extends beyond policy. He showed up at protests, marches, and public hearings. From Vietnam War rallies to farmworker movements to mentoring younger Democrats like Barbara Lee and Gavin Newsom, he made it his mission to speak up for people who were ignored.
His daughter Kimiko recalled how he walked in civil rights marches with her perched on his shoulders. Oakland Mayor and former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said, “Let us honor him by recommitting to the values he embodied: courage, compassion, and the belief that government must serve all people—not just the privileged few.”
A Legacy That Lives On
On September 4, just days before his death, Burton’s book I Yell Because I Care: The Passion and Politics of John Burton, California’s Liberal Warrior was released by Bloomsbury Publishing, with a foreword by U.S. Senator Nancy Pelosi.
California Governor Gavin Newsom offered a poignant summary:
“His legacy is not only written in the policies he helped enact, but in the countless lives he touched and uplifted—including my own.”
For the nearly half a million foster youth in America today, many of whom are still at risk of abuse, homelessness, or incarceration, John Burton’s voice remains a guiding force. And for those fighting every day for their protection and healing, his work is far from over.
If you or someone you love experienced abuse while in foster care, know that you’re not alone, and you may have legal rights. Learn how SurvivorsRights.com can help you take the first step by visiting our Institutional Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide.
