The Imprint Weekly

In this powerful episode of InnerViews , Destiny Jackson shares her journey of navigating foster care, homelessness, and life with Type 1 diabetes—all while pursuing her dreams at Spelman College. From overcoming systemic barriers to advocating for healthcare equity and child welfare reform, Destiny’s story is one of courage, resilience, and unapologetic hope.

On this week’s episode we talk to Gretchen Sisson, a sociologist studying abortion and adoption. Sisson’s research on mothers who choose to relinquish their rights into private adoptions led to her writing Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. We talked about that research, her book, and what both experiences have led her to believe about the framework an...

On this week’s episode we talk with Claudia Rowe, one of the true veteran journalists in the child welfare and youth justice space. We talked about her experiences covering both systems in New York and in Washington State, but focused on her recently published book Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care.  Claudia Rowe is a member of the Seattle Times editorial board, and has r...

On this Headlines edition of the podcast, we start by talking about recent Imprint coverage that examines the on-the-ground impact of recent Trump policies and actions. We also cover new research about foster youth access to both medication and therapy, and Texas’ recent policy update to define what does not count as neglect. We also dive into some more recent Imprint reporting on hidden foster ca...

In this episode of InnerViews , we sit down with Lakievia to explore her powerful story of resilience, transformation, and advocacy. From navigating the juvenile justice system to becoming a fierce champion for youth, she reveals how cycles can be broken through restorative justice, trauma-informed care, and community support. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on healing, hope, and rewriting t...

On this Headlines edition of The Imprint Weekly Podcast, we start with news of out Washington, D.C., including the confirmation hearing for Trump’s child welfare nominee; the lack of grants available on juvenile justice; and several actions related to immigration policy and youth. We also discuss several recent stories from The Imprint on adoption assistance and out-of-state placement, a survey of...

On this week’s episode, Michael Tanana of Lyssn, joins us to talk about artificial intelligence, or AI, in the child welfare system. Tanana helped found Lyssn, which uses AI to help assess the quality of various services in a way that used to require painstaking transcription and notetaking. We talked about starting an AI company in this space and also about his views around the ethical applicatio...

In this deliciously deep episode, we sit down with Nancy Konjo—author of From Jollof to Sweet Potato Pie and a faith-rooted justice advocate. We talk food as healing, faith as resistance, and what it means to build bridges across the African diaspora. Nancy shares how her Cameroonian roots, her spiritual journey, and her cultural creativity have shaped her commitment to community and justice. Reso...

On July 9, the Department of Health and Human Services started the funding competition for organizations that work on the frontlines of helping youth who are homeless, have run away, and are either involved in or at risk of being trafficked.  That notice came very late in the year, and many are worried the administration might run out of time to actually make grants. And, this year’s competition w...

On this week’s Headlines edition of the podcast, we start by summing up the most relevant details from the massive budget bill recently passed by Congress and signed by President Trump. We also discuss The Imprint’s recent reporting on youth who enter foster care due to their behavioral health needs, and not because of abuse or neglect, and describe the new policies in New Mexico around removal of...

In this deeply personal and profoundly moving episode, host Ivory Bennett is joined by mental health professional Dr. Alison Davis for a candid conversation about the emotional toll and transformative lessons of caregiving. From the complexities of single motherhood and fostering to the importance of emotional regulation, healing, and support systems—this conversation will resonate with anyone nav...

On this week’s episode of The Imprint Weekly Podcast we are joined by Brandon Nichols, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and Victor Dominguez, CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. They recently partnered to guarantee a YMCA membership to every older youth in foster care, as well as former foster youth up to age 26. We talked about how the partne...

On this week’s episode, Congressman Greg Landsman joins to talk about the Campus Housing Affordability Act, his new bipartisan bill to make dorm life attainable for current and former foster youth. We discuss the college dorm model in his home state that inspired the bill, how the legislation would work, and since he’s on the committee that oversees Medicaid spending, we chatted a little at the en...

On this week’s “Headlines” edition of the  Imprint Weekly Podcast, we talk about the new federal dashboard for child welfare data from through the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. We discuss the dashboard itself and what we hope it evolves to include, and then break down some of the trendlines in this year’s numbers.  We also discuss the latest on President Trump’s spending...

In this powerful episode of innerViews, changemakers Isabel Stasa, Erica Hickey, and Lily Colby share how they transformed personal pain into public purpose through advocacy. They discuss the founding of the National Network for Fostering Sibling Connections and their fight to preserve sibling bonds in foster care. This is a masterclass in lived expertise, policy change, and healing. Guest Bios: ...

Over the course of his career leading youth and family services, Alex Briscoe has become an expert in Medicaid policy, one of the most complex but substantial corners of government funding. He recently led a multi-year initiative called the California Children's Trust, which set out to reimagine the state’s approach to screening and meeting the mental health needs of children.  He joined The...

A budget bill is moving through Congress that includes significant cuts to the Medicaid program, one the largest federal programs and the provider of health insurance for one in five people in America. And it has an outsized impact on the child welfare system, both in the prevention of families becoming involved with it and for children in foster care. Zach Laris, founder of Bolder Horizon and aut...

On this week’s “Headlines” edition of the  Imprint Weekly Podcast, we dive into Trump administration’s reduction of the federal workforce focused on children and families, and hundreds of millions of dollars in grants terminated at the Department of Justice. Then we turn to what early indications are in regard to the future of federal spending, including Republican plans for a reconciliation bill...

Head Start is a federally funded early learning operation that serves about 750,000 children every year at approximately 1,600 programs across the country. In the past month, the Trump administration has laid off several Head Start staff, and a leaked draft of an early budget request had the program slated for elimination. (A public budget document last week did not mention cuts or increases to He...

In this episode of InnerViews, Ivory Bennett and special guest Theron Ogedengbe, a licensed therapist and powerhouse lived expert, unpack the delicate balance between healing, advocacy, and humanity. Together, they spill the tea on national advocacy, accountability, and why healing must come before hustle. Tune in for real talk, restorative wisdom, and a celebration of Black excellence in action.

For decades, child welfare systems have been receiving disability and survivor benefits owed to youth in foster care. Often these dollars are not saved for those children, or used for their unique needs. Amy Harfeld, national policy director for the Children’s Advocacy Institute, has been among the staunchest advocates working to stop this practice. She joined the podcast to talk about the history...

It is the 200th episode of The Imprint Weekly Podcast! On this week’s episode we go through some fun facts about the first 199 episodes of the show, and then talk to Cheyanne Deopersaud about the virtual mayoral forum on youth issues she organized and will host this week (free registration info in the show notes).  We discuss the many things going on in Washington, D.C., including a nominee to lea...

Kelley Fong, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine, joins to discuss her work studying the impact of state child welfare systems and their policies on families. Fong, who has written several op-eds for The Imprint, is the author of Investigating Families: Motherhood in the Shadow of Child Protective Service, an examination of the front end of child welfare foc...

The transition from foster care to adulthood still happens for thousands of young people each year. It’s not easy anywhere, but perhaps nowhere tougher financially than places like New York City where the market rent is astronomically high and there is almost no vacancy.  Daniel Heimpel, managing director of Good River partners, and Tony Turner. director of the Fair Futures Youth Advisory Board, j...

In this powerful episode of InnerViews , Ivory Bennett sits down with Chaplain Dr. Kay Kizer — a trailblazing advocate and author — to discuss the realities of growing up in foster care, overcoming childhood trauma, and embracing the healing journey. Dr. Kizer shares her personal experiences navigating multiple foster homes and how those experiences led her to establish K's Carry On , a nonpr...