Resilient Voices & Beyond

On this episode, I had a great time talking to Jada Cuttriss. Jada is a family case manager, assessment worker, advocate, and Foster Care Alumni and more tune in to hear more about her lived experience and expertise.

I had a great time talking with Bianca Bennett-Scott. Bianca is a foster care alumni, advocate, Program Manager for You Gotta Believe, Child Welfare Consultant, and MPA Fellow at Cornell University. Tune in to hear us talk about her journey in care to her expertise and work now in child welfare.

On this episode of the Resilient Voices & Beyond podcast, I interviewed Melvin Roy. Melvin, founder of Foster-U, a foster care alumni, renowned advocate, role model, and more. Tune into this episode to hear more about Melvin and his journey.

I had a blast talking with Jarred Vermillion. Jarred is a Peer/Wraparound Transformation Change Champion, Founder/Director at Heroes Initiative Inc, and more. Tune in to hear more about his journey.

I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Isabel N. Rodriguez on this great episode. Isabel is a powerhouse advocate and consultant for child welfare practices and policies that impact foster youth across the United States. Her personal experiences guide Isabel's passion and purpose-driven life within the child welfare system. Currently, Isabel is studying Sociology: Law, Justice, and Social Cha...

I had a wonderful deep conversation with Forest Lang. He is an author, tattooer, alumni of care, advocate, father, and veteran. Forest walked us through his life journey from his experience in care to his expertise and life now, Tune in to hear more about this conversation.

I had a wonderful time talking with Cortez L. Carey. Cortez is an MSW, Advocate, and former Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute intern; he is in the US Air Force Reserve and the Director of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth and more. Please tune in to hear about his life experience in care and expertise.

I had a wonderful time chatting with Chuck Price. Chuck is a former health and human services director, changemaker entrepreneur/business owner, and more. Chuck Price has filled leadership roles in several counties and private agencies throughout his 27 years of working in child welfare, health, and human services. Chuck's career has been dedicated to making drastic improvements in the lives of ch...

I had a blast talking with Elliott Hinkle. Elliott is the Principal and Founder of Unicorn Solutions, a Person with lived experience in child welfare, Youth Mental Health/ LGBTQ+ Consultant, and Transmasculine non-binary. In this episode, they shared their lived experience and expertise, so listen in to hear more.

Such a fantastic episode. I had the privilege and honor of speaking with Emilio Carranza-Davis. Emilio is a first-generation graduate, advocate, public speaker, entrepreneur, Alumni of Care, mento, and more. In this episode, we walked through his lived experience, navigating our way to his expertise and life. Listen in to hear more about Emilio Carranza-Davis.

It was such an honor and privilege to talk with Eshontee’ Rowe. Eshontee’ is an advocate, public speaker, mentor, singer/songwriter, author, and creative & business consultant. She talked to us about her experience and expertise so tune in to hear more about her life's journey.

In this episode, I had a wonderful time talking with Tai-Isha Watson-Jack. Tai-Isha is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Former Kinship Parent, Foster Care Alumni, and more. throughout this episode, she walked us through her life experience and expertise to express her passion to make a change and be a difference.

I had a blast speaking with Lindsay W. Huddleston II. Lindsay is a Policy and Program Associate with Michigan's Children. He shared his background and his expertise throughout this episode. Lindsay also talked about the work Michigans Children is getting ready to embark on to bring forth a tuition waiver for live experience foster youth/alumni in the state of Michigan. Tune in for more!

In this first round table episode, I had the great privilege of speaking with Charisse Penn, Ed. D.Parent Partner Manager and Deanna Binner Parent Partner at SAFY. Tune in to hear both of their wonderful and informative life experiences/expertise and more.

In this episode I had a blast talking with Xandra R.Vaughn. Xandra is a Foster Care alumnus, recent college graduate, Social work Major, Foster Youth Advocate, and more. Tune in to hear her story and expertise.

In this episode I had a blast interviewing Joshua Christian Oswald. Joshua is the Policy Coordinator For the Indiana Association of Resources and Child Advocacy. He has done great work nationally and in his home state of Indiana. Tune in to hear more about his journey.

For an estimated 32,000 homeless youth, and 22,000 foster youth aging out of the system every year, struggling to support themselves, college is often a distant idea. Due to increased school mobility, histories of trauma and abuse, and lack of adequate support and services to succeed in school, many of these youth lack the academic foundation to apply and be admitted to a two- or four-year college...

I had a wonderful time talking with Danielle Campbell. She is MPA, Adoptee, MDHHS Foster Care Specialist, advocate, and more. Danielle walked us through her experience in care also her experience while being an adoptee and more.

All too often, children in the child welfare system are also separated from their siblings. Many sibling groups are separated upon entry into the foster care system; less frequently, siblings are placed together in out-of-home care initially and later separated. Some siblings are adopted by different families.

This pipeline to homelessness has existed for decades in the U.S. Designed to get youth through childhood, the foster care system does very little to sustain a future for these youth. Youth aging out of the foster care system, however, rarely have any resources or support at all. Combined with other risk factors, this means foster youth often transition directly into homelessness. About 26,000 you...

In this episode, I had a great time talking with Ricardo Ortega Martinez Jr. Ricardo Ortega Martinez Jr is an active Commissioner for the Immigration Commission, under Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson 64th District in the State of California, and the youngest appointed Commissioner in the Assembly District's history. He is currently the National Director of Community & Government Relations for th...

In this episode, I had a wonderful time talking with Constance Iannetta. She is a foster care alumna, foster/kinship/adoptive parent, and national child-welfare advocate. After aging out at eighteen with too many struggles, she found healing in peer support and purpose in helping others. She is “heart-driven” in making improvements to the system that has impacted her family for many generations. I...

In this episode, I had the great pleasure of talking to Jamerika Haynes-Lewis. She is a journalist and advocate for foster care children. She studied Communication at the Edward. R. Murrow College of Communication. She is the reigning titleholder USA Ambassador Ms. 2021. Her platform is “A Chance to Succeed: Empowering Youth in Foster Care.” She owns and operates Clever Jam Communications, a consu...

In this episode, I had a great time talking with Shannon L. Urbon. She is the Executive Director of The New Foster Care. Shannon has spent a lifetime supporting and helping people throughout her journey so tune in to hear more about her experience and expertise.

In this episode, I had the honor of speaking with Demetrius Starling. He is executive director for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Children's Services Agency (CSA). Director Starling, oversees the state's child welfare system, including Children's Protective Services (CPS), the foster care system, adoption services, family preservation services, and juvenile justice pr...