Join young parent leaders Azar Webb, Sando Zou-Capuzzi, and Isaiah Burrell in Voices of Young Fathers. They share their experiences and challenges navigating young fatherhood and the importance of healthy co-parenting for a child’s well-being. Tune in for this insightful conversation!
Isaiah Burrell is a young parent leader with the Brighter Futures Workgroup NYC and CASA NYC, committed to improving outcomes for youth and young parents in foster care. He advocates for expanding programs and services to support all young people, recognizing that even those not involved in the system often lack essential resources. Outside his advocacy work, Isaiah is a rapper and artist who finds self-expression through music.
Azar Webb began his local and state advocacy journey over 10 years ago as a Youth Advocate Leader for Project Everlast in Omaha, Nebraska. Azar demonstrated his leadership while advocating for foster youth, educating foster parents, Senators, Judges, and other stakeholders, and supporting youth and young adults in identifying and obtaining safe and stable housing. In 2015, Azar became a Jim Casey Fellow. In addition to being an advocate, Azar received his Associate of Architectural Design from Metro Community College in Nebraska and has a successful career as an architect. In 2016, he filed and won a court case against the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for wrongful termination of his medicaid coverage, impacting health care coverage for youth in foster care in Nebraska. Azar is a father of two children and believes more programs and services should support healthy co-parenting.
Sando Zou-Capuzzi is a young parent leader from Georgia. Sando is a co-founder of The Metamorphosis Initiative, a peer mentoring program founded by youth with lived experience in foster care in support of youth in care. Sando is passionate about the rights of young fathers in foster care and advocates for the inclusivity of fathers when advocating for systems-level change so that all children, youth, and families can thrive. In addition, Sando believes it is crucial to create education and job opportunities for young parents to help them explore careers and gain financial security to care for themselves and their families. Sando is an alumnus of Year Up, a job training program, and he is currently earning his associate’s degree in Cybersecurity.
Resources:
Fathers and Families Coalition: A national fatherhood network for parents, practitioners, and stakeholders, offering annual conferences, training, and an online community.
NYC Fatherhood Initiative: A resource for fathers in New York City, providing services for individual and family counseling, child support assistance, mediation, conflict resolution training, employment counseling, and father-to-father mentoring.
Our Services, Our Way
Join young parent leaders Azar Webb and Blanca Goetz in a discussion with researcher Asari Offiong on the ways in which service providers can create a supportive, youth-friendly environment that empower young people to access sexual and reproductive health care, especially those who are involved in foster care or the legal systems. They also share tips on how young people can advocate for themselves when receiving sexual and reproductive health services. Join the discussion!
Asari Offiong, PhD, MPH is a Senior Research Scientist at Child Trends within the Sexual and Reproductive Health area. As an adolescent health researcher and public health practitioner, she has over a decade of experience in leading youth development programs and conducting mixed methods, community-based participatory research in urban settings. Dr. Offiong applies a strengths-based and youth-centered approach to research, including interests in reengaging opportunity youth (youth disconnected from school and work), preventing early substance use, and promoting positive sexual and reproductive health among the most vulnerable, including expecting and parenting youth.
Azar Webb began his local and state advocacy journey over 10 years ago as a Youth Advocate Leader for Project Everlast in Omaha, Nebraska. Azar demonstrated his leadership while advocating for foster youth, educating foster parents, Senators, judges, and other stakeholders, and supporting youth and young adults in identifying and obtaining safe and stable housing. In 2015, Azar became a Jim Casey Fellow. In addition to being an advocate, Azar received his Associate of Architectural Design from Metro Community College in Nebraska and has a successful career as an architect. In 2016, he filed and won a court case against the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for wrongful termination of his medicaid coverage, impacting health care coverage for youth in foster care in Nebraska. Azar is a father of two children and believes more programs and services should support healthy co-parenting.
Blanca Goetz is a young parent leader from Rhode Island, working to improve outcomes for youth and young parents impacted by the child welfare system. She has spent over a decade pushing for stronger policies, programs, and services both locally and nationally. Blanca is a published author, and has played a key role in expanding the age limit for foster care in Rhode Island, and helped pass critical legislation through her work with a local youth board.
Resources:
Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Innovation in Sexual and Reproductive Health (Ci3): A research center at the University of Chicago focused on providing high-quality resources for young people to make informed decisions about their bodies. Their work combines design, storytelling, gaming, policy, and research, all co-designed with youth to promote empowerment and systemic change.
Youth Law Center: Offers information and resources regarding laws and policies that protect young people’s health privacy rights. They assist youth, families, and service providers in navigating conversations about consent, confidentiality, and information sharing, including specific resources for reproductive health care access for youth in foster care.
Planned Parenthood: Book an Appointment for STD testing, birth control, abortion, and more, in-person and online. Learn more about how to find abortion providers and resources to help you get safe, legal abortion.
Can I Trust You or Will You Judge Me?
Join young parent leaders Arvoni Johnson, Sando Zou-Capuzzi, and Emma Johnson in a conversation about creating brave, non-judgemental spaces for young people to discuss sexual and reproductive health. In this episode, guests explore how those who support young people can foster an environment of trust and openness where young people feel comfortable asking questions and sharing concerns related to their sexual and reproductive health.
Arvoni Johnson is a dedicated young parent leader from Nebraska with over 15 years of lived experience advocating for the rights of youth in care. Through her advocacy, Arvoni hopes to reduce the harm and injustice systems can create and have more safe, thriving communities where children and youth can truly flourish. She serves as a peer mentor with the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and believes social connections are important for youth well-being.
Emma Johnson is a young parent leader from Nebraska dedicated to expanding resources and support for youth and young parents in—and transitioning out of—the foster care system. She works with the Southeast Nebraska Collaborative, an organization focused on building a strong, community-based prevention system. Emma has also partnered with the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation on initiatives that support young people in foster care.
Sando Zou-Capuzzi is a young parent leader from Georgia. Sando is a co-founder of The Metamorphosis Initiative, a peer mentoring program founded by youth with lived experience in foster care in support of youth in care. Sando is passionate about the rights of young fathers in foster care and advocates for the inclusivity of fathers when rallying for systems-level change so that all children, youth, and families can thrive. In addition, Sando believes it is crucial to create education and job opportunities for young parents to help them explore careers and gain financial security to care for themselves and their families. Sando is an alumnus of Year Up, a job training program, and he is currently earning his associate’s degree in Cybersecurity.
Resources:
Activate: A resource for youth-supporting professionals on sexual and reproductive health.
Healthy Teen Network: A nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults. They provide resources, training, and support to promote healthy relationships, and sexual health education, for youth.
Ohama Teen Generation (OTG): A group of teen peer adolescent health educators in Ohama, Nebraska.
Teen Talk Foster Youth: Teen Talk Foster Youth is a free, virtual, community-based sex ed series specifically for youth in California foster care, coordinated by the Reproductive Health Equity Project.
Young and Autonomous
Welcome to Young and Autonomous, a limited series podcast by young parents with lived experience in foster care. Through our podcast, we engage in meaningful conversations with peers, sex educators, and researchers about sexual and reproductive health information, rights, services, and resources. We hope to share resources, spark conversations, and empower young people (ages 13-26) to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. We also strive to educate those who support young people, including caregivers, medical professionals, social workers, teachers, etc., on how best to support us in navigating our sexual and reproductive health rights and services, free from stigma and judgment. Join us as we explore topics such as bodily anatomy, service navigation, young fatherhood, healthy co-parenting relationships, and more. Tune in for uncensored conversations that promote sexual and reproductive health awareness and empowerment for young people!
Young and Autonomous Trailer
Welcome to Young and Autonomous, a limited series podcast by young parents with lived experience in foster care. Through our podcast, we engage in meaningful conversations with peers, sex educators, and researchers about sexual and reproductive health information, rights, services, and resources. Tune in for uncensored conversations that promote sexual and reproductive health awareness and empowerment for young people!
The Science of the Teenage Brain with Jane Anderson
Today, we welcome Jane Anderson onto the podcast. Dr. Anderson is the Vice President of the American College of Pediatricians, and author of the paper “The Teenage Brain: Under Construction.” She gives us a crash course on how the teenage brain functions, and shows how science supports the idea that teenagers’ brains are not mature enough to make informed decisions yet on medical treatment and other important life decisions. She highlights the crucial role that parents play during these years as their children’s brains are learning how to fully function, and provides practical ways that parents can support their teenage children.
Caring for Yourself With a Newborn
Kat, Phillisha, Cody, and Sarah share stories and tips about the ups and downs they faced when accessing prenatal care (medical care for someone who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant). The team talks about little-discussed topics— like caring for yourself after the baby is born and struggling with postpartum depression as a young parent. We created this bonus episode just for you and all the expectant and parenting youth in need of relatable, informative insight.
Host Bio: Kat (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member
Guest Bio: Cody (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Phillisha (she/her), former foster youth, RHEP Youth Advisory Board member; Sarah Ferguson, Birthing The Block
Centering Families in Drug Treatment with Kathy Icenhower
On this week’s episode we are joined by Kathy Icenhower, co-founder and CEO of Shields for Families. Three decades ago, against the backdrop of the crack epidemic, Icenhower started Shields out of a run-down trailer provided by the Los Angeles county government with Norma Ntume and Dr. Xylina Bean. It quickly became a pioneering organization in the fight to keep families together while parents pursued drug treatment.
Icenhower talked with us about the evolution of Shields, when child removals are necessary in substance abuse cases, her concerns about the trends in treating addiction, and much more.
READING ROOM
“Good News Radio Magazine” interview with Kathryn Icenhower and Norma Mtume. https://bit.ly/3PeAy8t
A Doctor’s Perspective on Parenting with Roger Smith
This week, we talk with Dr. Roger Smith, a physician and pediatrician, and author of Parenting with Influence: Shifting Your Parenting Style as You and Your Child Grow. Roger gives a doctor’s perspective on how you as a parent can work best with your child’s pediatrician. Plus, he lays out some principles for how to stay connected with your children as they grow older and mature into adulthood.
More Choices for Parents, with Julie Gunlock
This week, Will talks with Julie Gunlock, director of the Independent Women’s Network and IWF’s Center for Progress and Innovation. Before joining IWF, Julie served as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and on the House Homeland Security Committee.
Julie tells us about the importance of school choice, how parents can advocate for their rights with local school boards, and how to get organized with like-minded parents to affect change.
Julie also hosts the Bespoke Parenting Hour—a podcast that explores parenting issues and encourages parents to custom tailor their parenting to best fit them, their families, and their kids!
Note: this episode concludes Season 4 of the EPPiC Broadcast!
Helping Your Children Grow, with John Rosemond
This week, we talk with John Rosemond, a parenting expert who has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971. His parenting advice column is published in over 225 newspapers across the country, and he’s the author of over 15 books on parenting. John is also a Parental Rights Foundation board member.
In this episode, John sits down with Will Estrada to discuss good parenting techniques, current parental rights issues, and what parents can do to help their children grow into strong, independent adults.
Reasonable Childhood Independence, with Lenore Skenazy
This week, we talk with Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids, and founder of Let Grow. Lenore tells us about the reasonable childhood independence movement and her organization, which aims to “make it easy, normal and legal to give kids the independence they need to grow into capable, confident, and happy adults.”
Plus, hear about recent childhood independence legislation that Let Grow has introduced, and how it can help protect families from poorly-worded neglect laws and unnecessary CPS investigations.
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