Foster Tales

Today, I am joined by Tamesha Scott, who is an artist, author, and community leader at Kids in the Spotlight. Tamesha works tirelessly to help youth create their dreams through art. Her journey is one of resilience. Her passion is contagious. She and I dive into some of her journey through the foster care system, the power of manifesting, and how she got started with Kids in the Spotlight. You can...

Foster kids are resilient. Celebrity hairstylist Natasha Minzie, is no exception. Natasha was placed in foster care at the age of 6. She tragically lost her mother, father, and sister to AIDS. Her upbringing in the foster care system has molded her to be an active leader for change in the foster care community. Dec 1 is also World AIDS Day. We dedicate this episode to Natasha's angels who watc...

On today's episode, I am joined by Mikey Doucet who is a foster care advocate and content creator of the Youtube Series "Divided Voices". You can find out more about Mikey and his web series on Youtube, Instagram, and Facebook @MikeyDoucet

On today's episode, the roles are reversed. I, Randal Wells, am being interviewed by my Season 3 guest (and best friend), Teagen Rose. From 3 seasons of doing this podcast, there are so many questions that you all had about who I was, and while I have shared some of my story throughout, some of you requested to learn more about me. Randal Wells is a remarkable individual who has triumphed over...

On today's episode I am joined by Los Angeles new anchor, Christine Devine. She is the host of the KTTV Fox 11 news segment, Wednesday's Child. She has won 16 Emmys, including the prestigious Governors Award. The news segment has lead to roughly 500 adoptions in the Southern California region. Christine comes armed with a wealth of resources in the Foster Care community and helps shine a light on...

On today's episode I am joined by Fabian Movilla (@Faybn). Fabian is a member of the Christian-based organization Youth For Christ. Youth For Christ (YFC) is a worldwide movement working with young people, by creating community through ministry. Fabian learned about YFC-Miami through an underground hip-hop event called Catalyst. During our discussion, Fabian and I talk about the importance of prev...

November is National Adoption Month. Please be sure to share this episode to raise awareness about Foster Care, Adoption, and Child Welfare issues.  Today, I am joined by Sirrele Steinfield who is a business investor, dad, and a former foster youth. Our convo is one around a letter he wrote to his 2 year old daughter, Skylar. Our conversation is a heartfelt discussion about unpacking trauma, holdi...

On today's episode, I am joined by Forrest Lang, the author of "Angel Blue: a Song of Redemption". Forrest's book, centers around his experiences in foster care and serving the military in Iraq. Our conversation is one of reflection and direction. We discuss what inspired his journey into writing, and create a realistic narrative of unpacking trauma after being in care.  To order a copy of An...

Just seconds into the conversation, you can tell Baiinga's energy is infectious. Baiinga is an amazing creative, actor, writer, producer, role-model, and so much more. He is proof that not all foster care stories end in tragedy. Baiinga has taken his talents and partnered with Kids in the Spotlight, an organization that is helping foster youth heal & grow through the power of storytelling and...

Today I am joined by the self-proclaimed "Educated Chingona" , better known as, Sandra. This San Diego native, is using her social media platform to create community, empower, educate, and inspire. We dive into some of her upbringing, and how she fell in love with the education system. Sandra provides us solutions for the future of foster care, and how small changes, can make for big impact. ...

Today, I am joined by Georgette Todd. Georgette was placed in foster care at 14. She has gone on to further her education and work with many organizations that impact foster youth. She currently works with 'Connect Our Kids', which is an organization that is pioneering technology, to find families and build connections for children in foster care. Georgette wrote a memoir called "Foster Girl, A Me...

David Ambroz is a child advocate, former foster youth, and the amazing author behind "A Place Called Home". In today's episode, we unpack many of themes in his memoir, and David provides us some simple solutions on how to impact change and bring awareness to Foster Care, by simply donating your small talk. You can learn more about David and "A Place Called Home" at https://www.davidambroz.com&nbsp...

Under Florida law, a guardian ad litem is a court-appointed representative, who is tasked with acting as the "next friend of the child." Today, I am joined by Dario, who is an active Guardian ad litem in the state of Florida. He gives us insight into why he joined this organization, and how his small investment, is yielding big results for the foster youth where he presides. To learn more about th...

On the season 3 premiere, I am joined by actor and fitness coach, Teagen Rose. Teagen grew up in an adoptive transracial home. He tells us more about his upbringing, what foster care taught him, and how those experiences molded him into the role model that he is today. To learn more about Teagen, you can follow him on social media @TeagenRose or visit his website, http://www.teagenrose.com

Today, I am joined by Franco Vega of the RightWay Foundation. The RightWay foundation is non-profit in Los Angeles, CA that provides former foster youth resources to succeed. Through his own personal experiences in foster care, Franco is able to articulate how his career path became his life's purpose. To find out more information about The RightWay foundation head over to http://www.therightwayfo...

Ángela Quijada-Banks is an NAACP Image awards nominated, best-selling Author, Spoken word Artist and Holistic Purpose coach. Our discussion, ventures into what inspired her book, 'The Black Foster Youth Handbook". To learn more about Ángela and her work, head over to www.originalsoulflower.com or on Instagram @originalsoulflower 

Today, I am joined by Robert, who is grad student, studying to be a Doctor in Physical Therapy. Robert who was adopted at a relatively young age, and really had no connection to his birth parents. Through an Ancestry.com DNA test, he was able to locate and reunite with his birth relatives. We speak about the closure this experience has afforded him and his family. To learn more about Robert, you c...

On today's episode, I am joined by singer/songwriter D.R. Bridges. D.R.'s adoptive parent, housed a number of foster children through his upbringing. We discuss how his experience of interracial adoption shaped his world views and how he is looking to pay it forward in the future. To find out more about D.R., you can follow him on Instagram @D.R.Bridges

When I started Foster Tales, I wanted to make sure I was able to highlight some amazing success stories of those who lived through foster care. Charity Chandler-Cole is not only a former-foster youth, but also a mother, a community leader, and the CEO of CASA LA CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. Charity and I discuss what her upbringing was like and how she was able to find solace...

Chy Mellow has gone from Foster Care to Fashion Model. Her upbringing wasn't the easiest. She's now using her platform to spread awareness and speak out about her personal experiences, while in care. She grew up with another sibling, Jayde, who you will hear from in Part 2. If you want to connect with CHY on IG, her handle is @Chy_mellow.

Jayde, grew up in care, with her sister, Chy (Previous Episode: Tale of 2 Sisters, Part 1). This episode is an honest depiction of how the foster-care system works. Jayde's story is nothing short of incredible. She's been placed in every living arrangement imaginable. She's survived every type of abuse. While her childhood was not easy, now as an adult, she's unpacking what happened to her, and gi...

On Today's episode, I am speaking with Professor, Author, and Activist, Christian Greene. Christian grew up in foster-care in California. He wrote a book about his life experiences, about how he literally went from custody and became a graduate of UCLA. He is now is actively working with several organizations on behalf of Foster Kids everywhere. You can connect with Christian on IG at @christian42...

November is National Adoption Month. Let's help spread awareness to our friends and family by sharing an episode of Foster Tales.  Today, I am joined by Maggie who is the co-founder of Foster Nation. We speak about her upbringing in the Foster Care system. She not only had to navigate care with a sibling, but also was tasked with learning a brand new language. She now is advocating for Foster...

Today, I am joined by Julia, who recently completed the Half Ironman Triathlon and raised money for Foster Nation. Julia was placed into the foster care system at 15. She was separated from her 6 siblings. We discuss the impact these events had on her life, and how she's able to process what she lived through today. You can connect with Julia on IG @Juju_rose7

In the Season 1 Finale, I am talking with Chey. Chey is the founder of Jenni's Flower (Jennisflower.org). Chey, explains what connects her to the Foster Care World, and how she was unaware her upbringing made her eligible for scholarships, funding, and benefits. She talks about the different programs made available to her. Also, she talks about her partnership with the UCLA Pritzker Center and the...