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Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth Alexis Longmire who is an entrepreneur and fashionista. Lex is a fashion journalist, stylist, traveling wardrobe consultant and a proud Los Angeles native. When she was 10, she discovered her passion for styling and has never looked back! As she gained experience, Lex immersed herself in runway fashion, fashion magazines, cutting edge designers, and Instagram influencers. She graduated from the University of Arizona with degrees in Fashion Retailing and Consumer Science.

Lex has styled music videos, photo shoots, album covers, fashion shows, events, and red carpets for over 4 years. Her experience includes assisting Celebrity Stylist Okera Banks, interning under Celebrity Stylists Jill Jacobs and Morgan Pinney, and working as an intern at The Honeyman PR Agency. She also worked as a personal stylist in luxury boutique settings, helping everyday women feel confident.

Lex has expanded her services to include wardrobe reorganization, capsule collection consultations, and personal shopping for men and women. Featuring fashion, fun, style, industry insights, tips for curating your own personal style, shopping smarter, and looking cute everyday, Lex Styles Mag is a magazine with a unique twist! Here you’ll discover her favorite looks of the season and thoughts on life in the fashion industry. You’ll also find outfit suggestions that take the stress out of getting dressed and more!

Aside from fashion, Lex loves helping others in her community. In her free time, she spends time with her fur baby, visits local coffee shops, and spends hours at the library.

LEX STYLES Magazine

ALL THINGS FASHION, FUN, AND STYLISH

Established in 2017 and emerging as a fashion magazine in 2022, Lex Styles Mag looks to inspire, empower and inform both men and women on creating the life they want through fashion and style. Dedicated to Honoring the importance and impact of fashion on everyday life, self-esteem, careers, music and as a display of passions. Curated by experts with unique perspectives and understanding writers and using education and creation as a tool to make fashion and a style accessible to everyone and helping to enhance everyday moments.

Alexis on LinkedIn here.

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Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster mom, Shimeka D. Lott. Shimeka is the visionary Founder and CEO of the Ashlynn B. Jackson Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting the lives of young people and underserved communities. With over 25 years of experience volunteering and leading community-driven initiatives, Shimeka’s passion for service runs deep. Whether it’s feeding the unhoused, supporting annual Thanksgiving and Christmas drives, or distributing hygiene kits on Skid Row, she is a constant presence in her community, driven by a mission to make a tangible difference. 

One of her most cherished achievements is partnering with Mt. Sinai Church of Los Angeles to launch a youth academic initiative that led to the creation of the Ashlynn B. Jackson Scholarship Fund. Through her leadership, over $190,000 in scholarships has been awarded to ambitious youth over a five-year span, empowering them to pursue higher education and professional success. Shimeka played a critical role in establishing the program’s online application process, setting qualifications, and developing structured guidelines to ensure its impact.

Recognizing the importance of academic support, she also formed a partnership with UCLA to deliver an annual tutoring program focused on college readiness and career development for students. Leading a team of 15 volunteers, Shimeka was instrumental in expanding program outreach, organizing impactful fundraising events, and securing endorsements from city officials and celebrities. Her efforts culminated in the highly successful Annual Scholarship Gala, which attracted donations and sponsorships from major brands like Nike, the Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers, and Angels.

Beyond her nonprofit work, Shimeka brings over 25 years of accounting expertise to her foundation, managing financial operations, event sales, and strategic marketing with precision. As a licensed Realtor and Inglewood area specialist, her extensive network and community ties enable her to foster meaningful connections that further the foundation’s mission. Whether in business or philanthropy, Shimeka Lott embodies her mantra of “impacting one heart at a time,” continuously leveraging her skills and influence to create lasting change.

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Part II - Jayne Amelia talks with Colonel (Retired) Gregory J. Rosenmerkel who is a CASA in Colorado and was recently assigned a sibling set of three boys. Rosie grew up in Waukesha, WI and earned his commission and degree in Civil Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988.  He spent over 25 years as an Air Force officer/engineer with assignments to 11 different locations in the US and overseas.  He commanded units at both squadron and group levels and he led teams on deployments to Somalia, Panama, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan and several other locations. 

He's earned a Master of Science in Management from Colorado Christian University, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering/Construction from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Master of National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College in  Newport RI.

In his last military assignment, then Colonel Rosenmerkel was the Commander, 11th Mission Support Group, (similar to a City Manager) at Joint Base Andrews, MD.  The group was over 1,200-people strong and provided base services to the Andrews community, the Pentagon and over 50 other units in the National Capital Region.  

His awards and decorations include: the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Award, Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters, Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster, Aghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Korea Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO Medal and many others.        

In their 13th move, he and his family settled in Glenwood Springs CO where he was the Engineering, Minerals and Fleet Staff Officer for the White River National Forest from 2013-2022.  He led a team of engineers and technicians to provide professional services in support of sustainable operations and multiple-use management of 2.3 million acres of public land. 

His wife of 33 years, Linda, is also a USAF Academy graduate and retired AF officer, currently working as a civilian for the Secretary of the Air Force’s office.  Their son Ray is a Cadet Second Class (junior) at USAFA and their daughter Allison graduated the University of California in Santa Cruz in 2024. 

He is a licensed realtor, works part time as a bridge inspector and mentor for the USFS, teaches sporting clays shooting, and works at Ironbridge Golf Club.  He volunteers for the Western Slope Veterans Coalition and the Knights of Columbus as well as being a CASA. 

He and Linda enjoy biking, skiing, fitness, golfing and visiting family and friends all over the country.  

*A few things from early life not in this bio--Rosie grew up in the same town as both sets of grandparents, most of his aunts, uncles and cousins and graduated from the same high school as his Mom and Dad.  He has two sisters and a brother, and he's #2.

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Jayne Amelia talks with foster mom, Nicole Goswami, hoping to adopt a baby who she has raised since weeks old. Nicole  does many things but most importantly a foster mom. This is her first time fostering and Jasmyn has filled her heart with so much love and joy. Nicole works in many different fields including marketing and advertising and provides executive support as well. Nicole has been the Head Coach for the Bennington Marauders Swim Club since 2005 and is passionate about teaching and coaching. As a former member of the Marauders as a child, Nicole is dedicated to this team and its growth. She enjoys baking in her spare time and does custom orders for friends and family. Nicole also enjoys exercising, cooking, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. 

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Jayne Amelia talks with Colonel (Retired) Gregory J. Rosenmerkel who is a new CASA in Colorado and about to start his CASA training.  Rosie grew up in Waukesha, WI and earned his commission and degree in Civil Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988.  He spent over 25 years as an Air Force officer/engineer with assignments to 11 different locations in the US and overseas.  He commanded units at both squadron and group levels and he led teams on deployments to Somalia, Panama, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan and several other locations. 

He's earned a Master of Science in Management from Colorado Christian University, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering/Construction from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Master of National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College in  Newport RI.

In his last military assignment, then Colonel Rosenmerkel was the Commander, 11th Mission Support Group, (similar to a City Manager) at Joint Base Andrews, MD.  The group was over 1,200-people strong and provided base services to the Andrews community, the Pentagon and over 50 other units in the National Capital Region.  

His awards and decorations include: the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Award, Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters, Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster, Aghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Korea Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO Medal and many others.        

In their 13th move, he and his family settled in Glenwood Springs CO where he was the Engineering, Minerals and Fleet Staff Officer for the White River National Forest from 2013-2022.  He led a team of engineers and technicians to provide professional services in support of sustainable operations and multiple-use management of 2.3 million acres of public land. 

His wife of 33 years, Linda, is also a USAF Academy graduate and retired AF officer, currently working as a civilian for the Secretary of the Air Force’s office.  Their son Ray is a Cadet Second Class (junior) at USAFA and their daughter Allison graduated the University of California in Santa Cruz in 2024. 

He is a licensed realtor, works part time as a bridge inspector and mentor for the USFS, teaches sporting clays shooting, and works at Ironbridge Golf Club.  He volunteers for the Western Slope Veterans Coalition and the Knights of Columbus as well as being a CASA. 

He and Linda enjoy biking, skiing, fitness, golfing and visiting family and friends all over the Country.  

*A few things from early life not in this bio--Rosie grew up in the same town as both sets of grandparents, most of his aunts, uncles and cousins and graduated from the same high school as his Mom and Dad.  He has two sisters and a brother, and he's #2.

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Jayne Amelia speaks with CASA Christine Goddard shortly after the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles took the foster home of her CASA kiddo as well as her bio family's home.

Christine Goddard, has been a Court Appointment Special Advocate (CASA) for ten years, working on vital tasks like appropriate placements, health care and educational rights for foster youth. While advocating on behalf of foster youth in court, along with her bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Juvenile Delinquency through a trauma-informed lens, she developed hope and understanding of pathways to positively impact underserved youth.

Born in Australia to Polish immigrant parents, who as children survived deportation to Stalin’s labor camps, she moved to the U.S when she was 19 years old. Here she began career in commercial production. After many years of working as a Producers and co-owning her own production company with her husband, Aaron, Christine pivoted and joined the nonprofit space in child advocacy and social justice. 

Travelling to experience new parts of the world are Christine’s favorite activity.

She is a mother of two grown daughters, who will forever be her heart and soul. 

*In this episode Christine Godard, a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for 10 years, shares her experiences and challenges in supporting foster children. Christine reflects on her journey and the importance of dedication, compassion, and perseverance in the role. She highlights a specific case involving a five-year-old girl whose family is grappling with multiple crises, including losing their home to a fire. Despite the difficult circumstances, Christine remains committed to providing support and advocacy, emphasizing the positive impact of CASA work on both the children and society as a whole. Christine also discusses the emotional challenges of the role and the support needed from the community to ensure such advocacy continues.

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Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth and now child advocate Dr. Danisha Keating. In this conversation, Danisha shares her challenging journey from being a child in the foster care system to earning her PhD. She discusses the significant obstacles she faced, including experiencing homelessness from ages 18 to 24, moving frequently, and dealing with an unsupportive family. Danisha recounts her educational journey that began with difficulty completing her bachelor's degree, which took eight years due to numerous hurdles. She also talks about her familial background, being one of eleven children in a family that eventually separated, and the challenges of being an older sibling thrust into a caretaker role. Danisha reveals the continuous battle of having her intellectual property stolen and being labeled a 'problem' by various authorities. Yet, she remains dedicated to advocating for foster youth and educating others about the complexities and needs of those in the foster care system. Dr. Keating's story highlights the importance of recognizing individual struggles and accomplishments of foster youth, showing that everyone’s journey and needs are unique.

Danisha calls herself a "boot-strap girl" who knows what it means to have GRIT, find purpose, and making a name for herself.  She is a public speaker and author of two best selling books, "Taking My Voice Back" and  "From Foster to PhD".  She holds a bachelor's in Psychology, a master's in Leadership and Organizational Studies, and a PhD in Psychology. She also has a background in trauma informed practices and foster care. She believes in empowering others to find their purpose, on purpose, and to get back into the ring. Danisha has been featured in Women's Journal, Wall Street Times, KFrog & more. 

Please visit danishakeating.com
dkeducationconsulting.com

From Foster to PhD: Letters from a Suitcase

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Jayne Amelia speaks with Jeanette Yoffe, M.A., M.F.T., who is a therapist specializing in adoption and foster care and the Director and Founder of Celia Center, the non-profit she named after her first mother, Celia.  

*In this episode we talk about:
Treating the Whole Family

- Emphasis on the importance of treating the entire family unit, not just the child.
- Benefits of a holistic approach by acknowledging all members and including the constellation of all family in addressing the root causes of trauma, grief, and loss.

Open Adoption and Open Foster Care Services
Generational Foster Care
Discussion of the Underlying Causes of Stress, Loss, and Trauma
Addressing Multigenerational Trauma
Providing Support and Resources and Preventive Measure
Breaking the Cycle of Generational Foster Care

Jeanette treats children, teens, and adults with serious psychological problems secondary to histories of abuse, neglect, adoption, and /or multiple foster care placements. She has specialized for the past 20 years in the treatment of children and teens who manifest serious deficits in their emotional, cognitive, and behavioral development. Celia Center Inc is a non-profit organization in Los Angeles supporting all members of the foster care and adoption constellation which includes birth parents, foster youth, adoptees, foster and adoptive parents as well as professionals working in the field. ​She is also the Clinical Director of Yoffe Therapy Inc., a mental health center in Los Angeles provides services to families, children, teens, and adults connected by foster care and adoption. Learn more here.

Jeanette’s desire to become a therapist with a special focus on adoption and foster care issues derived from her own experience of being adopted and moving through the foster care system. Her personal experience has informed her education and provided insight into the unique stresses involved with these issues. 

In 2006 she was awarded the Los Angeles Foster Care Hero Award for her dedication to children and families in foster care. 

Please learn more at JeanetteYoffe.com
Jeanette's has many courses and programs on Pesi.com and her new book can be found on their website: 

The Traumatized and At-Risk Youth Toolbox

Over 160 Attachment-Informed Interventions for Working with Kids and Families in Foster Care and Beyond

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Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth, advocate and attorney Glenda Wright. Glenda recently graduated from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, where she received her Juris Doctorate in May 2022. Glenda has also earned her Bachelor of Science in Business with a minor in legal studies from Murray State University. While attending law school, Glenda participated in several extracurricular activities, including serving as senior editor of the Northern Kentucky Law Review and president of the Phi Alpha Delta: Hoffman Chapter. In August 2020, Glenda and her business partner, Tyler Hunter, launched Wright & Hunter Consulting, a firm focused on working with and strengthening all partners in the child welfare continuum. Glenda's passion for child welfare reform comes from her experiences living in the Kentucky foster care system. That passion has led to numerous policy and legislative changes, including two critical pieces of legislation that helped change the way foster care works for youth in Kentucky. For the past 10 years, Glenda has dedicated herself to improving the child welfare system so that other youth and families like hers don't have to experience what she and so many others do. In her "free time," Glenda loves giving back to her community in various ways and being surrounded by those who love her! 

TAY AmeriCorps Member
iFoster
Wright and Hunter Consulting

LinkedIn: glenda-wright-j-d-7781b4141/

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Jayne Amelia speaks with therapist Dr. Bruce Sogolow.  Dr. Bruce has been a psychotherapist for nearly 40 years. He relates that “There was a kind of inevitability that led to my practice of specializing in ‘walking along side’ of families with children who suffered from attachment challenges.” 

His most valuable teachers along the way were children and parents whose trust in others was deeply wounded in their early lives: through a deep dive into non-violent communication, he discovered that their trust could be relationally developed through compassion, empathy, and curiosity. 

For over ten years in Sarasota, Florida, Dr. Bruce served as executive director of RADical Healing, Inc.—“Healing Families, Training Professionals.” He is a specialist in treating families with foster/adoptive children with Reactive Attachment Disorder and is also a licensed Supervisor training new therapists—developing and offering workshops and CEU courses sorely needed in the therapeutic community.  

Dr. Bruce lives with his wife, Katherine—a writer and playwright—in California. He is available for consultations and  facilitates workshops for families and therapists.

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey
How To Know A Person: The Art Of Seeing Others Deeply And Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks
The Anatomy Of Peace  by Emery Reves
Buck (film) by Cindi Meehl

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Jayne Amelia speaks with her friend and (very loving and proud) adoptive parent, Warren Press. Warren lives in Los Angeles with his wife Elizabeth Mestnik and their 14-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter. Their journey to parenthood was a tad unconventional and each child took longer to reach their home than the typical gestation period.  Warren and Elizabeth traveled to China to adopt their daughter while their 14-year-old son was born and adopted a little closer to home in Los Angeles.

Their family encompasses several ethnicities and cultures, all of which are enthusiastically celebrated. When not acting as an Uber driver for his children, Warren is helping corporate groups boost their morale as the Sales and Marketing VP for Feet First Events, a national team building events company.

AdoptUsKids.org
CCAI adoption services
CCAI parent training
Joyous Chinese Cultural Center
The Park Adoption Community Center
L.A.M.P.  Mentor Program
FEET FIRST Event Entertainment
Elizabeth Mestnik Acting Studio

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Jayne Amelia speaks with guardian ad litem and child advocate/attorney, Rachel Aliza Elovitz. Rachel  has worked as a family law attorney for more than 27 years.  In that capacity, she has represented fathers seeking to legitimate children (who were born out of wedlock), grandparents seeking visitation rights with grandchildren, third party relatives seeking custody of children who are being abused or neglected by their parents, parents hoping to protect their children from another parent's abuse - and parents who have been falsely accused of abuse in an effort to alienate them from the children who love them. 

Rachel also serves as a guardian ad litem and child advocate, roles she initially took on in 2001 and 2007, respectively.  As a GAL, her role is to be the eyes and ears of the Court and to make recommendations about what is in the child's best interest (in both custody and dependency cases).  As a child advocate, she represents children in abuse and neglect cases (children in the child welfare system). 

Rachel is also a trained mediator, arbitrator, and collaborative lawyer.  Over the course of her career, Rachel has mediated domestic relations cases (family law), domestic violence cases, dependency cases, and legal guardianship cases.  Rachel was a founding partner of Elovitz and O'Nan, LLC, and Elovitz, Edwards, O'Nan, & Buerlein, LLC, firms focused on family law in Atlanta, Georgia.  During the Covid Pandemic, Rachel decided to return to solo practice.   

Rachel is at her heart an educator.  Prior to practicing law, she taught children part time at various Jewish schools - one in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and four in Georgia.  

Now 57, Rachel is still practicing law, but she enjoys spending time writing in the hope of sharing her knowledge and insights with others.  Her articles have been published in Family Lawyer Magazine, The Georgia Bar Journal, Jewish Women of Words, Divorce Magazine, The Atlanta Jewish Times, and The Jerusalem Post.

Rachel is also active in her community, serving on the Boards of the Atlanta Israel Coalition, the Atlanta Jewish Community Relations Counsel, and is part of Ahavath Achim Synagogue's chevra kadisha (“holy society”), a group of Jewish women who help care for and prepare the bodies of those who have died for burial. 

Rachel is active on social media, mostly Twitter, as "AmIsraelChai_", which is Hebrew for "Israel lives." She appreciates that her voice - by itself - has limited power, but she is part of a collective of people who are committed to doing whatever they can to dispel the lies that permeate the Web, to bust the myths to which people injudiciously cling, to call out those who engage in disinformation and propaganda, to report those who incite hate and violence, and to amplify voices of truth.  

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Jayne Amelia speaks with the powerhouse founder of Kids in The Spotlight, Tige Charity.  In Tige's words:  As a visionary with a strong faith & a passion for serving others, I have devoted my career to empowering young people in foster care to address and overcome trauma through the power of storytelling. In 2009, I founded Kids in the Spotlight, Inc. (KITS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides year-round 10-week script-to-screen workshops to train youth in foster care to write, cast, & star in their own short films telling their stories their way. We provide an outlet & platform for these young people to be seen, heard, validated, celebrated, & employed.

I have a degree in Accounting from Oral Roberts University & an MBA in Nonprofit Management from American Jewish University. In addition, I have been a fellow in the prestigious City Scholars Fellowship Foundation's CEO Leadership Program since 2017 & a new member of the Women Presidents Organization. My board officers & I have also completed the Annenberg Alchemy for Black-led Organizations, the flagship Annenberg Alchemy, & the Alchemy+ nonprofit capacity building & leadership development programs.

Throughout my career, I have received recognition for my contributions to the community, including the Community Service Award from the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles & the Ubuntu Award from The Africa Channel, inspired by the legacy of Nelson Mandela. I have also been honored alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by then Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich for our community service at the county's annual "All For The Love Of Kids" event. In addition, my work has been recognized by Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Mayor Eric Garcetti, & various government officials. I have also received several awards, including the David Lieber Leadership Award, the L.O.V.E Award, the Whispers from Children's Hearts Foundation Legacy Award, & the Vessels of Honor CODE of Honor Award.

KITS has been featured in prominent media outlets such as "The Kelly Clarkson Show," "NBC4 Live", "The Jim Jefferies Show," CBS "Entertainment Tonight" & "The Insider," KTLA Morning News, Telemundo, & Wireimage.com., L.A. Times, Hollywood Reporter, Golden Globes, Vibe Magazine, L.A. Sentinel, Pasadena Weekly, Celebrity Society Magazine, & others.

My mission is to offer hope, healing, and a sense of accomplishment to youth in foster care throughout the country. I am passionate about motivating, educating, and leading a team of change agents who understand the power of teamwork, community, and giving back. I share my insights and experiences in my book, "Not Your 9-to-5 Girl," available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Kids In The Spotlight
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou

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Jayne Amelia speaks with Romi Lassally and Patrick McCabe,  co-founders of Ready To Succeed which has supported college bound students impacted by foster care or “scholars” (as they call them which is fantastic!) by helping them get into school, stay in school, and flourish after school with resources, relationships with passionate professionals, career coaching, and more.

From the Ready To Succeed website:
“In January 2016, two non-profit veterans, Romi Lassally and Patrick McCabe, saw the opportunity to transform outcomes with targeted support—to take the foster youth that were motivated, ambitious, and tenacious enough to make it to college and ensure they had the resources, relationships, and opportunities they needed to succeed there and in all facets of life. Romi and Pat believed that if every college student impacted by foster care had the kind of support they needed, when they needed it, they could be successful and have a shot at pursuing a future brighter than their past. Initially leveraging their own personal and professional networks, they began to close the opportunity and network gap their students faced.

Encouraging others to start opening their own networks as well, the RTS network began to grow exponentially, creating a deep bench of caring and connected professionals across all industries and at every level of the career ladder.

In January 2022, RTS expanded to include low-income first generation college students. Along with students impacted by foster care, these first-gen Scholars have unique access to a diverse group of thought leaders, innovators and passionate professionals who offer advice, opportunities and a community of support.”

Ready To Succeed

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Jayne Amelia speaks with artist and animator, and former foster youth Chrisie Morris.  Chrisie  is a junior at Cal State University Long Beach pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Art in Illustration for Pre-Production. She’s currently working as a Visual Development Artist at Mr. Clown’s Productions through the prestigious Television Academy Foundation Fall 2023 Internship Program. Additionally, Chrisie has completed two internships at DreamWorks Animation this year working as a Production Assistant on Gabby’s Dollhouse, Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight, and Curses. Chrisie is an active scholar in the foster-youth professional development program, Ready To Succeed, and also volunteers her time as an alumnus with Better Youth, a foster-youth media art training and mentorship program. Experienced in leading teams, managing collaborative projects, and producing creative ideas, Chrisie’s goal is to direct her own animated feature film one day. She hopes to continue creating art, working within the Entertainment Industry, and giving back to her community.

IG@ chrisie.creation

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisie-morris/

Mr. Clown Productions: http://mrclown.tv
KTLA morning news with Chrisie and Ready To Succeed

Ready To Succeed
Better Youth

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Jayne Amelia speaks with single foster dad and entertainment producer Gavin Glynn.  Gavin and his then partner fostered to adopt a young boy, then Gavin went on to foster a  foursome sibling set when he was a single dad. In order to keep all the kids in the house, Gavin gave up his lucrative but very demanding career as a producer in the entertainment business and became an educator. He says raising his family, in spite of the many challenges,  is the most rewarding thing he has ever done and would do it all again.

Potluck Club "an all-volunteer nonprofit, was launched and incorporated in West Hollywood. It began in 1998 with a group of gay men who wanted to be parents... though none of them were yet. Today the group includes about 300 families who altogether have about 500 kids."
Extraordinary Families works with many LGBTQ+ parents and kiddos in helping to find safe and nurturing families for all children in foster care.

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Jayne Amelia speaks with  foster alum Elizabeth Garcia Herrera. Liz and her sisters (America's story is Episode 16 of Season 3) were placed in foster care when their mother could no longer look after them. Liz was 17 and spent several confusing years struggling to get on her feet but she put herself through college and now works as a supervisor in child welfare.  She's married with two small children and her mom helps to care for them. 

Elizabeth is a Program Supervisor for the Healthy Families America Home Visitation program at SHIELDS for Families. Before being promoted to a Supervisor, Elizabeth was a Family Support Specialist (Home Visitor) with the Healthy Families America program for seven years. In her role as a Family Support Specialist, Elizabeth promoted healthy and secure attachments between parents and babies, delivering in-home services to families with children from in utero to five years of age. Elizabeth attained her Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) certification in 2021, and remains passionate about promoting a secure bond and attachment and healthy babies by promoting and educating families on breastfeeding. She is planning to pursue the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification. Elizabeth currently works with families in supporting a team of Family Support Specialists in a Program which its mission is to help prevent child abuse by educating and helping families in attaining the needed protective factors that prevent the involvement of Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and support families with these cases as well. 

Elizabeth graduated with a Bachelors in Social Work at California State Long Beach in 2014, and is married and a mother of two boys ages one and six years old (and continues to breastfeed her youngest). Elizabeth is also a passionate Christian and is involved in her church as a Greeter, Leader and student Coach. Elizabeth hosts weekly Women's Bible Study Groups and supports and encourages women to grow in their faith and receive healing and freedom following her church's vision to "bring God's freedom to this generation."

Families Uniting Families
Shields For Families

Please call 988 or text 741741 for help if you're in crisis. 

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Jayne Amelia speaks with foster care alum America Gutierrez.  America  is a passionate advocate for mental health, firmly guided by the belief that our voices are our most potent tools. With unwavering determination, she fearlessly shares her personal journey, notably her harrowing experiences within the foster care system. Through her advocacy efforts, she aims to illuminate critical conversations surrounding the welfare of youth who, like her, have faced profound challenges.

Born to Mexican immigrant parents, America inherited a spirit of resilience from her mother, who instilled in her the unwavering strength to overcome any setback that life might throw her way. Actively engaged with organizations, she provides her lived experiences to contribute to discussions on topics such as homelessness, foster care, and mental health.

Currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology, America aspires to offer deeper insights into the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma, with a primary goal of reforming the foster care system. She is a dreamer who relentlessly strives to achieve her goals, even when they appear insurmountable. Her hope is to serve as an inspiration to those who have been silenced, showing them that their voices can be a catalyst for change.

California Youth Connection
iFoster

Please call 988 or text 741741 for help if you're in crisis. 

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Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth and now child advocate Georgette Todd.  Georgette is a speaker, author, and a foster care and child abuse prevention advocate. Georgette spent her teenage years bouncing around from home to home in the broken foster care system before she emancipated at age 18, with no safety net or anyone to depend on. Through sheer determination, Georgette went all the way with her education and graduated at the top of her class, serving as the commencement speaker at her college graduation. She is the first in her immediate family to get a college education and nationally, and represents the less than 4% of former foster youth who obtain a college degree. Georgette is the author of “Foster Girl, a Memoir.” She has worked in the social services field for over twelve years. Her personal stories and perspectives on foster care have been featured on NPR, CBS Radio, KPBS, San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Union-Tribune, and other media outlets. Georgette received her Master of Fine Arts in English, Creative Writing Nonfiction from Mills College, BA in journalism from CSU, Sacramento, and a Grant Writing Certificate from San Diego State University. She now lives close to the ocean in San Diego and is working on other book projects. The 10th Anniversary Edition of her debut book, "Foster Girl, a Memoir," will be available on October 1, 2023.

She is an advisory Board Director for Angels Nest, which supports the Toros Guardian Scholars, former foster youth as they complete their higher education at Cal State University Dominguez Hills.  She also works as an outreach coordinator for Connect Our Kids which creates innovative software that finds families and supportive networks for youth in foster care. 

To learn more, visit the author's official website at www.georgettetodd.com. If you are a child welfare professional or CASA interested in Connect Our Kids, you can email Georgette at georgette@connectourkids.org

Foster Girl - A Memoir
Angels Nest
Connect Our Kids

If you or someone you know is harming themselves, or thinking about harming themselves please please go to: crisistextline.org

Please call 988 or text 741741 for help if you're in crisis. 

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Jayne Amelia speaks with child advocate and mentor Ron Jenkins. Ron is a former foster youth who along with his siblings was placed in foster care after his mother died of cancer when he was two years old. He bounced around in foster care for several years until he  was adopted by a friend of his mom, but that didn't turn out well for any of the kids in that home. His foster mother was a cruel and abusive drug dealer, and Ron was sexually abused but two women before he was in his teens. At the age of 13, Ron was thinking of taking his own life.  A stranger's good will and mentorship allowed Ron to see a way out. He was a talented athlete and focussing on football helped him heal too,  and he ended up playing football at Fresno State and studied to be a social worker, and then worked with youth in the juvenile justice system for the next 30 years.  By age 23, Ron had lost four brothers, three to violent deaths related to drugs and another murdered, but still has his sister who he calls "his world."  After two failed marriages, Ron got into therapy and worked through his childhood trauma and says he is now a better man because of that. He's now a football coach at Southwest College, and continues to be a youth advocate and volunteers helping kids get through trauma just like he suffered.

If you or someone you know is harming themselves, or thinking about harming themselves,  go to: crisistextline.org.
or call 988 for the suicide and crisis hotline.

See a great KCAL news segment on Ron here.
A great article about Ron is in his college newspaper is here.
And the Carissa Phelps and Ron Jenkins story in film is here.

Check out Wake Up the movie about what's happening to kids in foster care.

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Jayne Amelia speaks with Dr. Lorry Leigh Belhumeur,  a renowned leader in the field of mental health and wellness, with over 30 years of experience serving children and their families. Dr. Lorry’s unwavering commitment to empowering young individuals and the adults who care for them, along with her exceptional leadership skills, has positioned her as a highly respected figure in the field. She's a licensed psychologist with a Ph.D. from UCLA, author, speaker, trainer, and long-time CEO of a nonprofit where she's a driving force behind evidence-based strategies for toxic stress. Dr. Lorry is a subject matter expert on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and her innovative approach reexamines mental health in the context of childhood experiences and toxic stress. Dr. Lorry is a walking example of resilience, helping others master their mindset and build strength for the future. Her new book Mastering Resilience is just now out and she says: “You didn't choose your childhood, but you CAN heal the child that lived through it.”
If you or someone you know is harming themselves, or thinking about harming themselves,  go to: crisistextline.org.
or call 988 for the suicide and crisis hotline.

Mastering Resilience Dr. Lorry's website
Mastering Resilience: Transforming Into Your Purpose by Dr. Lorry
Super Resilient Youth
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing  by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce Perry

Please call 988 or text 741741 for help if you're in crisis. 

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Jayne Amelia speaks with advocate Paul L. Freese, Jr. Paul has worked as a public interest attorney for more than 25 years and provides consulting on holistic innovations and solutions to poverty, with special focus upon traumatized populations.   He specializes in strategic project development to achieve upstream early intervention impact.  He has devoted his career to humanizing our child welfare, health and corrections systems by applying emerging insights from neuroscience on trauma informed care promoting emerging evidence based best practices to integrate and apply such insights. His work is guided by the core principles that 1) poverty and homelessness stem from the corrosion of the ties that bind our families and communities with connective care, and 2) the most pernicious form of poverty is that which erodes our collective spirit vis-à-vis the growing empathy divide between those suffering oppressive conditions in our inner cities and detached rural areas from those living in privilege, protected and ever more gated communities.  Accordingly, he promotes ‘proximity projects’ that connect these worlds, with the specific goal of increasing the presence of caring protective adults in the lives of our most invisible and detached households and individuals through outreach, peer supports, mentoring engagements, community engagement and utilizing emerging technology to achieve this connectivity in care.

Paul’s career includes twenty-five years as a legal aid attorney developing programs to prevent and end homelessness and to protect and engage our most isolated and vulnerable youth – those experiencing homelessness, immigration distress, foster care and justice involved youth. Paul currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Law Center, whose attorneys represent youth in dependency proceedings;  the Advisory Board of Angel’s Nest TLP, a transformative opportunity housing nonprofit for former foster youth. Paul is also Board Chair of the Human Trafficking Legal Network (Foster Are Legal Network).

Simply Friends
Angel's Nest
Human Trafficking Legal Network
Adaptation To Life by George Valiant
Harvard Study on Happiness
The Good Life by Robert Waldinger and Mark Schultz
Change Reaction 

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Jayne Amelia speaks with creative and foster care alumni Jeremy Buchanan. Jeremy  was raised in Illinois, Georgia, and California. He moved around a lot as a kid and attended more elementary schools than he can even count. He was first placed in foster care as a young boy and then again as a teenager when he became a "runner" as he says. Not one of his many foster homes were good to him… or for him…but by sheer will and determination, and with good mentors he eventually found for himself, Jerremy  developed his talent as a rapper and a musician, and he’s now a filmmaker too. Out of Focus is the newest release from Jeremy aka  turnupwater, a rising hip-hop artist who is making waves in the rap indie scene. With a strong devotion to God and a lot of musical talent, turnupwater is growing in popularity and reaching more people everyday.

Jeremy is currently based in Los Angeles and is creating and promoting his music, but more than that, he's working on a whole movement based on his religious philosophy and approach to song creation. He is not just a singer and songwriter but also a creator of visual content and photographer with his own company focusing on this aspect of his talent. The newest release is a mixtape featuring Out of Focus, a fresh and funky track from producer Zion Williams and featuring old-school sounds with  a lot of meaning. Unlike many other hip-hop tracks that center on the material, turnupwater puts his faith front and center and makes it a huge part of his music’s message. With this, the song becomes more accessible and interesting to people who want to put their faith at the center of their lives as well and who are looking for music that celebrates this aspect rather than offers conflicting content, focusing on the material or the shallow. With a new proposition, turnupwater is likely to reach a lot of rap fans who want more meaning in their music and especially those who want spiritually strong tracks. Out of Focus is a freestyle track with a lot of ’90s, old-school-style vibes that make it a bit nostalgic and add an interesting and distinct style to the song.  The song and the artist have already drawn quite a bit of attention from hip-hop enthusiasts, as well as those looking for new spiritual music across different genres. 

turnupwater on Soundcloud
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Jayne Amelia speaks with Reverand Barbara Lane.  Rev. Lane is the  author of "Broken Water: An Extraordinary True Story."

Barbara is the ninth of eleven sisters, abandoned by their birth parents, who were all placed in St. Dominic’s Orphanage in St. Louis, then eventually separated into different homes and finally reunited 43 years later. Her book tells the powerful true story of her journey through the many years she spent trying to reconnect with her long-lost sisters and solve the intriguing mystery of her family of origin – all while surviving and eventually healing from the life-threatening abuse she and one of her sisters endured in the home of their  foster father: a mafia grunt. 

Rev. Lane integrates her life experiences of being a foster child, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, entrepreneur, speaker, child advocate, educator, ministerial counselor, and author into her writing. By sharing her own personal journey, Barbara destigmatizes the fate of child abuse survivors, leading her to write "Broken Water." In addition to her 25-year service in private practice as a ministerial counselor, Barbara’s educational background in human development, social sciences, and family psychology with a focus on child abuse, inspires her to share her expertise on interrelated issues: the family, family separation, the foster care system, attachment and bonding, child maltreatment, relationship formation, the resilience of the human spirit, healing from trauma, and the power found in having faith in something greater than the self. When not writing, you will find Barbara enjoying nature, reading, swimming, playing sports, and people watching. She especially enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. Barbara lives in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia with her husband, Jim, who remains her childhood sweetheart.

Learn more about Rev Lane and her work here: barbaralane.info
Broken Water: An Extraordinary True Story

"I was three years old when I entered the orphanage.  Here is a picture of me with a sister's arm around me. I wasn't unhappy. I didn't miss my mother. I was surrounded by the love and nurturance of my sisters. But, as is the case with most abandoned children, we were eventually separated and placed into foster care.

I was traumatized by the separation from my sisters. I would carry that within my broken heart for forty-three years. Until...

'Broken Water' is a memoir that tells the true story of my journey to survive  child abuse in a foster home while seeking to reunite with my sisters. It invites the reader to journey with me through a miraculous reunion followed by a fifteen-year effort to learn my family's history and to write each sister's heart-wrenching story of abuse and abandonment. It shares our experiences while living in orphanages, foster care and adoptions. Sadly, the stories of children in the system today are hauntingly familiar.

'Broken Water' is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the strength of a bonded sisterhood, and the power found in having faith in miracles and something greater than the self."

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Jayne Amelia speaks with Charity Chandler-Cole. Charity is an author, scholar and activist and "... the CEO of CASA of Los Angeles, Court Appointed Special Advocates for youth impacted by the Foster Care and Juvenile Justice Systems. Born and raised in Los Angeles and having harshly endured its child welfare and juvenile justice systems, she has spent over a decade helping to influence and impact social structures, policies and systems that have negatively and disproportionately impacted and oppressed foster youth and vulnerable communities. Charity works passionately to address the issues and challenges plaguing our communities, women and youth and uses her powerful story of redemption and triumph to inspire people under the mantra, 'If Charity can do it, then so can I.' Charity believes strongly in changing the narrative and outcomes surrounding system impacted individuals and uses her many platforms to engage, educate, develop and empower people from all walks of life to be change agents, visionaries, and successful agents of society, regardless of their upbringing or past.
In addition to leading CASA of Los Angeles, Charity serves in several highly impactful positions, including her role as Commissioner with LA County Children & Families, where she is co-chair of its Racial Justice Committee; African American Advisory Board to District Attorney, George Gascon; and is currently pursuing her Doctorate’s Degree in Educational Leadership for Social Justice at her Alma mater, Loyola Marymount University. Charity is one of the original founding board members for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a non-profit that works to end mass incarceration in California, where she served the board for eight years, four of which as board chair. Charity was also one of the first people with lived experience to serve California’s Board of State and Community Corrections’, Juvenile Justice Standing Committee. Charity is a wife and mother to four beautiful children and was, until recently, a relative caregiver and legal guardian to her nephew for 12 years."

CharityChandlerCole.com
and her new book Stranger Danger 2023
IG@charity_chandlercole
CASAla.org

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