A publication sharing ideas and insights VoiSpringc 2007 Volumee Eight Issue Two National Foster Care Month: Making Their Stories Good Ones Foster Care Month Mobilizing a Nation Actress Victoria Rowell Honoring the Women Who Raised Her Casey Alliance Pioneering Racial Equity Practices Kevin Campbell Connecting Children with Lost Families 662002_Voice.indd2002_Voice.indd 3 55/30/07/30/07 33:09:58:09:58 PPMM Raymond L. Torres From the Executive Director’s Desk Not long ago, I heard a remarkable young women talk about her journey through foster care. Lupe is a 24-year-old student at Arizona State University and, by all accounts, is doing well – a testament to the resilience of many of our foster youth. Lupe endured more than 10 different placements, causing her to change schools repeatedly and lose friends. Despite the many disruptions and heartbreaks in her life, she has emerged a star – a FosterClub All-Star. As an All-Star, Lupe is a national spokesperson for FosterClub, an innovative and rapidly growing nonprofi t that connects young people in foster care, and trains foster youth to share experiences and insights. The most moving part of Lupe’s story was the impact of recently having completed a permanency pact with her mentor, giving her assurance that she would Voihave someone to turn to in an emergency, to come home to when ce she wanted. Although Lupe does not have a legal lifetime connection to a family – certainly the ideal permanency outcome – the pact was an important step for her. In this issue of Voice, we continue to discuss the many dimensions of permanence. As we embark on this year’s observance of National Foster Care Month, we refl ect on the crucial role families play in a foster child’s life. Foster parents today enable fos- ter children to reunite with their families or move on to adoption or guardianship. Fortunately, most children in foster care do return home. Moreover, the majority of adoptions of children in care are done by their foster parents. Yet with all of this good work, too many older children linger in foster care without a family. These youngsters, mostly children of color, are condemned to “age out” of the system, disconnected, alone, and adrift. Lupe reminds us that we must press for an alternative outcome for these youngsters. We must work harder to fi nd relatives, guardians, and adoptive parents who can become the lifeline that these children need and deserve. Raymond L. Torres Casey Family Services i 662002_Voice.indd2002_Voice.indd 4 55/30/07/30/07 33:10:06:10:06 PPMM Raymond L. Torres Del Escritorio del Director Ejecutivo Hace poco, escuché a una destacada joven hablar de su trayectoria a través del sistema de cuidado de crianza. Lupe es una estudiante de 24 años, en la Universidad del Estado de Arizona y, segun dicen, esta haciendo un buen trabajo en sus estudios – lo cual es un testimonio de la capacidad de muchos jóvenes que estan bajo el cuidado de crianza de rehacer sus vidas. Lupe aguantó más de 10 internaciones, con cambios repetidos de escuela y la pérdida de muchas amistades. A pesar de las interrupcio- nes angustiosas y dolorosas en su vida, ella surgió como estrella – a FosterClub All-Star. Como “All-Star”, Lupe es portavoz nacional del FosterClub, una organización innovadora y creciente sin fi nes de lucro que crea lazos entre jóvenes en cuidado de crianza y que les enseña a compartir sus experiencias y percepciones. La parte más conmovedora de la historia de Lupe fue durante el convenio de permanencia que cumplió con su mentor, asegurán- dole que ella tendría recurso en caso de emergencia y un hogar a donde podría acudir cuando quisiera. Aunque no tenga un lazo legal de permanencia con una familia – lo cual sería el resultado ideal – este arreglo fue un paso muy signifi cativo para ella. En esta edicion de Voz, continuamos ilustrando las diversas dimensiones de permanencia. Al iniciar el Mes Nacional de Cuidado de Crianza de este año, nosotros refl exionamos sobre el papel crítico de la familia en la vida de un niño en cuidado de crianza. Los padres/madres de crianza hacen posible que los niños se reúnan con sus familias o logren la adopción o la tutela legal. Afortunadamente, la mayoría de los niños sí regresan a sus propios hogares. Además, muchos padres/madres de crianza lle- gan a ser padres y madres adoptivos. A pesar de todos estos esfuerzos, demasiados jóvenes permanecen por largo tiempo bajo el cuidado de crianza sin familia. Estos jóvenes, la mayoría niños y niñas de color, están destinados a permanecer en el sistema hasta que lleguen a ser mayor de edad, desconectados y aislados. Lupe nos hace recordar que debemos buscar sin cesar a otras alternativas. Tenemos que trabajar duro para encontrar parientes, guardianes y padres/madres de acogida, quienes puedan ser la linea de la vida de salvación que estos jóvenes necesitan y merecen. Raymond L. Torres 1 Voice Magazine 662002_Voice.indd2002_Voice.indd 5 55/30/07/30/07 33:10:08:10:08 PPMM Exchange A TIME TO STEP UP FOR KIDS: FOSTER CARE MONTH MOBILIZES THE NATION It’s about the stories – the deserve to be told in newspapers and maga- others to make lifelong connections with stories of 513,000 chil- zines across the country,” declares Virginia a child,” he says, noting that the Annie E. dren in foster care today. Pryor, chair of the National Foster Care Month Casey Foundation/Casey Family Services is Partnership. “If nothing changes, almost 10 a founding member of National Foster Care For Lupe, a 24-year-old million children will be part of the foster care Month. “While we clearly are dedicated to alumna from foster care, system by 2010. The media can be our partner supporting children in fi nding families and her story initially seemed in changing that future.” community connections throughout the year, full of challenges and May shines a spotlight and brings together loneliness. “I spent One of the realities the national campaign local, state, and national organizations in a 19 years in foster care and had more than 10 is trying to “rewrite” is the lack of culturally concerted effort to change the lives of placements with families, never making a real appropriate homes for the disproportion- children in care.” connection with any of them on an emotion- ate number of minority children in care. al level,” the Arizona youth told a roomful of “There simply are not enough foster families leading journalists in March. “Today, I have that match the culture and background of “ THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD my ‘permanence,’ and it feels amazing to feel children in care,” said Raymond L. Torres, acknowledged, to have stability. Connections executive director of Casey Family Services, HAPPENING IN THE FOSTER are essential for all youth in the foster care during the roundtable. “Being with a family CARE SYSTEM, AND THESE system.” where there is a familiar language and culture can make a huge difference in reducing the POSITIVE STORIES DESERVE National Foster Care Month, commemorated trauma children experience when they are TO BE TOLD IN NEWSPAPERS every May, is focusing on the experiences of removed from their families of origin. It is so youth in care this year. The campaign is giv- important that we encourage more Hispanic AND MAGAZINES ACROSS ing youth an opportunity to share their own families to become foster and adoptive par- THE COUNTRY.” stories, and, as important, it is highlighting ents or to come forward and help these young how community members and prospective people in other ways.” families can help make the stories of these The National Foster Care Month website young people good ones, ones that feature Pryor, who also is the manager of strategic – www.fostercaremonth.org – has information enduring family relationships. alliances for Seattle-based Casey Family and links highlighting ways that people can Programs, is proud of National Foster Care Lupe’s personal account of life in care is help- get involved at the right level for them. The Month’s theme of helping people to focus website also has details about events and cam- ing to tell the larger story of today’s system on helping a child in care, regardless of the of care. She and a host of experts and other paigns that will be part of the month-long amount of time they have to offer. “No mat- celebration. youth participated in National Foster Care ter how much time you have, you can do Month’s fi rst journalist roundtable, recently something for a foster child. If you only have This year, there will be a number of national held in New York City. The event helped a minute, send a message to a child in care, events hosted by alumni of the foster care sys- to educate the media – including reporters, learn about success stories, or make a con- tem. Victoria Rowell, an actress, author, and editors, and producers from Newsweek, ABC tribution on our website. If you have more Casey Foundation national spokesperson, is News, National Public Radio, the Associated time, volunteer or be a respite provider. If Press, and others. you have even more time, become a foster or “There is so much good happening in the adoptive parent, a mentor, or a social worker.” foster care system, and these positive stories Torres agrees. “Every May we look forward to honoring foster parents and encouraging Casey Family Services 2 662002_Voice.indd2002_Voice.indd 6 55/30/07/30/07 33:10:16:10:16 PPMM Exchange telling her own story of life in foster care.