Statement on what racism has done to children

Sandy Santana shares Children’s Rights’ statement in response to the atrocities of today and the systemic racism that for decades has stained our nation, inflicting unacceptable harm on the children we serve:

“Children’s Rights sees the impact of racism on the faces of our children. Black children enter the foster care system at a far higher rate, often repeatedly, after their parents lose custody — this despite the fact that studies show no relationship between race and child maltreatment. Once in the system, these children’s lives are riddled with obstacles. Youth who age out are more likely to find themselves undereducated, medically compromised, suffering from trauma and mental health disorders, at greater risk of violence, and living in poverty. As a consequence, our country is denied the contributions they could and should be making as adults to build a better America. The raw anguish and fury of the protests happening across the US speak to the stain of institutionalized racism that has persisted for hundreds of years, and to the frustration of so many that our leaders have been largely unresponsive. We can’t fix all these problems, but Children’s Rights will continue to loudly decry and disrupt systems that unjustly target and oppress communities of color.”