No More Car Seats
Alan Dettlaff began his career in social work as a child welfare investigator. So how did he reach the conclusion that social workers must refuse to cooperate with the system altogether? Well, he tried to reduce racial disproportionality within child welfare and foster care for years. In this episode, Dr. Dettlaff shares his research on the unique harms that the family policing system imposes on Black, Latine, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ families, and he breaks down the carceral logic that drives the state to remove children from their parents. Finally, he lays out specific ways policymakers can shift power and resources to families. Guest: Alan Dettlaff (@AlanDettlaff) is Dean of the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston. Dr. Dettlaff’s work focuses on addressing and eliminating the impacts of structural and institutional racism on Black children and other children of color impacted by child welfare system intervention.Four Generations In
More than half of Black children experience a child welfare investigation by their eighteenth birthday– almost twice the prevalence for white children. April Lee knows the family surveillance system well. More than eight years ago, April’s three children were removed from her home. Among her family, friends, and community, most people have been through the child welfare system as parents, children, or oftentimes both. Now, she’s using her lived experience to help Black and Brown parents reunite with their children and ultimately end the trauma of family separation. April shares the obstacles parents must overcome to avoid losing their children forever and why she believes child welfare cannot meet its own standard of safety for children. Guest: April Lee (@AprilLee215) is the Director of Client Voice at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia.Child Welfare or Family Policing?
More than one in ten Black children in America will be forcibly separated from their parents and placed in foster care by the time they reach age eighteen. Professor Dorothy Roberts joins us to discuss the racialized history of parenting, family autonomy, and the child welfare system. From the role of slavery in framing the Black mother to disastrous 90s legislation rooted in racial stereotypes, Professor Roberts makes the case that child welfare was designed to punish the most disenfranchised communities instead of to protect children. After over thirty years of research, Roberts concludes that abolition is the only way to end the trauma caused by what she calls family policing. Guest: Dorothy Roberts (@DorothyERoberts) is the George A. Weiss University Professor of Law and Sociology, the Raymond Pace and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Professor of Civil Rights, and a professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her newest book, Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families– and How Abolition Can Build a Safer World is available today.Introducing ‘How Is That Legal?’
Kee Tobar and expert guests break down examples of systemic racism in the law and policy. By the end of each episode, you’ll understand the forces behind everyday injustices that make us ask, “How in the world is that legal?” In our first season, How Is That Legal will examine racial disparities in the child welfare system, housing discrimination, Medicaid estate recovery, utility shutoffs, and more.Knowledge + Action = Power
OperationStopCPS joins MFG in the cypher to provide vivid clarity around why they know the child welfare system destroys Black families. It is through their own lived experiences as a CPS case manager and Mental Health Clinician, that Amanda and KeKe became a force in a growing movement to abolish the current child welfare system. This Audio Nugget will explore how they do this work, where they do this work and the impacts this has had on families. You will experience liberation and hopefully be inspired to tap into your power to ensure that your stance is visible and fueled by love for the people.
Education Transparency, with Tony Kinnet
This week, we talk with Tony Kinnet, who made headlines for posting a video about the school he worked at teaching Critical Race Theory. Now, Tony is the Executive Director of the Chalkboard Review, an education commentary website that promotes diverse views in education. Tony tells us about what prompted him to post the now-viral video, what the reaction to it was, and why he believes so strongly that transparency and parental choice matters in education.What Drives Me Is Love For My People
Audio Nuggets welcomes Sandra Killet to the cypher. During our conversation, Sandra will unpack more than her motivation. She will demonstrate self-love and liberated love for Black people. Sandra goes deep into her ideas of justice, advocacy, and the emotions that currently hold her attention. You are invited to recognize that you can make a difference and that opportunity is right in front of you.