Kayonda Branch
She/Her/Hers
Hello, hey everybody, I’m Kayonda Branch and I live in Brooklyn, NY. I attended SUNY Buffalo State for undergrad and will be attending John Jay in spring 2023 for grad school. I’m currently working as an advocate counselor for Good Shepherds Services. In the future, I want to open my own non-profit organization called the Yonda Project for youth who are Juvenile Justice and foster youth. I want to provide preventive services for these youth. I joined the CARES project because I was a former foster youth who needed to be shown the way of independent living. It is important for youth to be taught the necessities when they are transitioning because when youth leave care by time their adults don’t have the skills to be independent. They need support to transition to adulthood. When I’m not working you can find me working.
#CARES4Power
Follow us on Instagram to learn more about our work, the CARES Ambassadors, and the policies we are building to advance change for all transition age youth.
Swipe left to understand the significance of the policy principle of Meaningful Employment featured in the National Policy Agenda, as perceived by Atlanta CARES Ambassador Jada. Jada shares what it would mean to her to have a job that pays a livable wage. These principles are crucial for our community`s progress and welfare.
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#CARES #CARES4Power #NationalPolicyAgenda #CARESNationalPolicyAgenda #Employment #FosterYouth #Policy #Youth #YoungPeople #TAY #TransitionAgeYouth
Swipe left to understand the significance of the policy principle of Meaningful Employment featured in the National Policy Agenda, as described by Atlanta CARES Ambassador Jada and Los Angeles CARES Ambassador Joseph. These principles are crucial for our community`s progress and welfare.
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#CARES #CARES4Power #NationalPolicyAgenda #CARESNationalPolicyAgenda #Employment #FosterYouth #Policy #Youth #YoungPeople #TAY #TransitionAgeYouth #Gainfulemployment
When woven into practice, cultural humility includes:
- An examination of one`s own biases.
- Open dialogue with families.
- Proactive efforts to level the playing field and address systemic inequities.
While race and culture are not synonymous, cultural humility with a racial equity lens can help address the stark racial disparities in the [child welfare] system and promote attention to the intersections of race and other cultural identities.
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#classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #Equity #CulturalHumility #ChildWelfare
The Housing portion of the Policy Principles shared on https://cares4power.org/policy-agendas/housing/ emphasizes the need for safe, affordable, and stable housing for all individuals, particularly marginalized communities. These housing recommendations advocate for policies that prevent displacement, improve housing conditions, and ensure long-term affordability.
Swipe left to understand the significance of the policy principle of housing featured in the National Policy Agenda, as perceived by New York-based CARES Ambassador Andre. These principles are crucial for our community`s progress and welfare.
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#CARES #CARES4Power #NationalPolicyAgenda #CARESNationalPolicyAgenda #Housing #FosterYouth #Policy #Youth #YoungPeople #TAY #TransitionAgeYouth
Skin-based privilege impacts all of our lives. Showing preference based on color is referred to as colorism. Colorism is based on a hierarchy of skin color, giving privilege to lighter skin tones while disempowering darker skin tones. Research suggests that colorism continues to be a problem across the US. According to The Grio, a study in Michigan found that out of 1,183 adoptive families, 42% of the adoptive parents` most recently adopted children were "very fair or somewhat fair" in skin color. At the same time, 31 percent were "somewhat dark or very dark."
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#classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #Equity #Colorism #ChildWelfare
Happy Friday! Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate") generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance. Cultural practices and values promote family well-being and improve child welfare outcomes. Strong ties with cultural, racial, and ethnic identities can build resilience and act as a buffer against the effects of trauma.
This series aims to expand the reach and use of many terms that appear in our work, lives, and communities.
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#classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #Equity #Culture #ChildWelfare
We all want children to be happy and healthy. Fortunately, research has confirmed what families already know about how to promote healthy and happy children. To read more about the research and to access the 2024 anti-trans bills tracker, please click the link in our bio!
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#CSSP #CARES #Pride #HappyPrideMonth #PrideMonth #Equality #Equity
Happy Friday! We`re back with our "Key Equity Term" Series; today`s Key Equity Term is ✨Discrimination✨. This series aims to expand the reach and use of many terms that appear in our work, lives, and communities.
Discrimination fact: According to the American Bar Association, "Racial discrimination in U.S. child welfare is a human rights issue. On August 30, 2022, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), a group of international experts charged with monitoring state compliance with human rights obligations on racial discrimination, expressed concern at the `disproportionate number of children of racial and ethnic minorities removed from their families and placed in foster care` in the U.S. Stay tuned for new terms in the coming weeks, and if you have additions — let us know!
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#Discrimination #classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #KeyTerms #Wordoftheday #WOTD
