New York

CARES Bio Headshot Kayonda Branch

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.

Join us on October 29 & 30! Tune into the "Policy in Action: Building a Community that CARES for Young Adults" discussion series, where we’ll explore innovative mental health and housing policies designed for and with young adults. Connect with national and local leaders and CARES Ambassadors to help build a brighter future. Register today! Link in bio. #Equity #YoungAdults #TAY #TransitionAgeYouth #CARES4Power #HousingSupport #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #ChildWelfare #AgingOut

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Join us on October 29 & 30! Tune into the "Policy in Action: Building a Community that CARES for Young Adults" discussion series, where we’ll explore innovative mental health and housing policies designed for and with young adults. Connect with national and local leaders and CARES Ambassadors to help build a brighter future. Register today! Link in bio. #Equity #YoungAdults #TAY #TransitionAgeYouth #CARES4Power #HousingSupport #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #ChildWelfare #AgingOut

Join us for a transformative discussion on youth-centered mental health and well-being policies. Discover innovative strategies co-created with young people, for young people. Engage with youth, national, and local leaders as we reimagine a future that truly supports, affirms, and uplifts young adults. Link in bio! #CARES4Power #MentalHealth #HousingSupport

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Join us for a transformative discussion on youth-centered mental health and well-being policies. Discover innovative strategies co-created with young people, for young people. Engage with youth, national, and local leaders as we reimagine a future that truly supports, affirms, and uplifts young adults. Link in bio! #CARES4Power #MentalHealth #HousingSupport

Learn why empowering brown and Black youth through community building and mentorship is crucial. Los Angeles CARES Ambassador Santos shares how these spaces help young people thrive, heal, and grow, shaping a stronger, more resilient future.
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#CARES #CARES4Power #NationalPolicyAgenda #JuvenileJustice #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #FosterYouth #Policy #Youth #TAY #Community #Mentorship

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Learn why empowering brown and Black youth through community building and mentorship is crucial. Los Angeles CARES Ambassador Santos shares how these spaces help young people thrive, heal, and grow, shaping a stronger, more resilient future. . . . . #CARES #CARES4Power #NationalPolicyAgenda #JuvenileJustice #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #FosterYouth #Policy #Youth #TAY #Community #Mentorship

Damage Imagery in the U.S. child welfare system often highlights the visible wounds, but it’s the invisible scars of systemic neglect that demand our urgent attention and reform.
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#classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #Equity #DamageImagery #ChildWelfare

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Damage Imagery in the U.S. child welfare system often highlights the visible wounds, but it’s the invisible scars of systemic neglect that demand our urgent attention and reform. . . . . #classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #Equity #DamageImagery #ChildWelfare

Though we strive not to practice "color-blind" ideology, evidence shows that child welfare decision-makers often judge parents of color more harshly--one result being more children being removed from their families. Calls for systemic change to amend these barriers are growing at a rapid pace. In 2021, the "blind removals" program in Nassau County (New York) was created to address racial bias in decisions regarding the removal of a child from their caretakers. California – which has the most disproportionate share of Black children in foster care of any state in the nation, according to the National Center on Juvenile Justice – is considering a bill that would create blind removal pilot projects in several counties. @childcarenassau
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#Classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #CARES4Power #Equity #Colorblind #ColorBlindRacialIdeology #ChildWelfare

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Though we strive not to practice "color-blind" ideology, evidence shows that child welfare decision-makers often judge parents of color more harshly--one result being more children being removed from their families. Calls for systemic change to amend these barriers are growing at a rapid pace. In 2021, the "blind removals" program in Nassau County (New York) was created to address racial bias in decisions regarding the removal of a child from their caretakers. California – which has the most disproportionate share of Black children in foster care of any state in the nation, according to the National Center on Juvenile Justice – is considering a bill that would create blind removal pilot projects in several counties. @childcarenassau . . . . #Classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #CARES4Power #Equity #Colorblind #ColorBlindRacialIdeology #ChildWelfare

See how Atlanta CARES Ambassador Aisha feels about being an ambassador for the past three years and her work on the National Policy Agenda featured in our Linktree!

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#CARES #CARES4Power #NationalPolicyAgenda #CARESNationalPolicyAgenda #FosterYouth #Policy #Youth #YoungPeople #TAY #TransitionAgeYouth

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See how Atlanta CARES Ambassador Aisha feels about being an ambassador for the past three years and her work on the National Policy Agenda featured in our Linktree! . . . . #CARES #CARES4Power #NationalPolicyAgenda #CARESNationalPolicyAgenda #FosterYouth #Policy #Youth #YoungPeople #TAY #TransitionAgeYouth

The Child Welfare League of America defines cultural competence as the ability of individuals and systems to respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and faiths or religions in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, tribes, and communities, and protects and preserves the dignity of each.
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#Classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #Equity #CulturalCompetence #ChildWelfare

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The Child Welfare League of America defines cultural competence as the ability of individuals and systems to respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and faiths or religions in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, tribes, and communities, and protects and preserves the dignity of each. . . . . #Classisinsession #KeyEquityTerms #CARES #CARESAmbassadors #Equity #CulturalCompetence #ChildWelfare