When I see the never-ending news reports about the inhumane conditions children in migrant detention centers are being forced to live in, I am reminded of my own experiences growing up in foster care facilities. This article got it exactly right. What’s happening to children at the border is a travesty. But it’s also happening […]
Originally posted on The Hill, on March 25, 2021 In one of his first acts as president, Joe Biden signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to not renew its contracts with private prisons. The president’s decision was hailed by civil liberties organizations, who saw it as a blow against a notoriously abusive system that often dehumanizes the incarcerated. […]
I remember knowing that something was very wrong. I was 9 and my sister probably 11. We were waiting outside of school in Brownsville, Texas for my mom to pick us up. This was a rare treat instead of taking the bus. The bus came and went and we kept waiting. When the police came […]
Sometimes things just click. Call it Kismet, call it karma, call it dumb luck. For me it happened in 2017, when I first met Children’s Rights. At the time, I had been working in Health Policy at Missouri Foundation for Health for 15 years. Our mission is to eliminate the underlying causes of health inequities, transform systems, […]
Food and helping young people are my twin passions. I am the chef and owner of Milk & Butter Catering, LLC in Houston, Texas. Yeah, Houston. Living through the aftermath of the 2021 winter storm has been a heck of a roller coaster! I went 6 days without power and water in freezing temperatures. And the end […]
At any given time, there are approximately 42,823 children housed in institutions and other group facilities. The trends of abuse, lack of mental health support, and racial inequality within child welfare institutions have harmed children and families for too long – and our history clearly shows that you cannot fix a fundamentally bad practice. It […]
On January 6th, violent insurrectionists attacked and desecrated the U.S. Capitol causing untold damage, countless injuries, and at least five deaths. During the attack, the insurrectionists defaced a commemorative display honoring the late Congressman John Lewis. John Lewis was a champion of democracy and civil rights. We cannot let this act of vandalism go unanswered. […]
Last year, young leaders and child welfare advocates made their voices heard leading to $400 million in critical emergency federal aid for foster youth. Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, current and former foster youth—ages 14 to 26—are eligible for funding for cash assistance, housing, college, and other necessities. The Act also prohibits states from requiring […]
It’s hard to imagine the abuse, trauma, and neglect children in our cases have endured. Children like Jeanine who moved through six different homes in as many years while in the Milwaukee County foster care system — in one of them, their foster father abused them to the point of needing stitches. Or siblings Danny […]
New Funding and Support for Older Foster Youth Thanks to the tremendous work of current and former foster youth and the thousands of advocates, the $900 billion stimulus bill has been signed into law. In addition to direct stimulus payments of $600 to eligible individuals, the bill also includes the Supporting Foster Youth & Families through […]
