Pauline Galvan

She/Her/Hers

Hello, my name is Pauline Galvan, I live in Downey, California. I currently work for the Disability Support Services division at Cal State Fullerton as a coordinator for the Peer Mentor Program for students with disabilities. I am a full-time, first-year student in the MSW program. My goal is to establish my own non-profit organization or an educational program for emancipated and older foster youth. Developing organizations and educational programs for emancipated and older foster youth are critical to the success of former foster youth, as many programs and funding opportunities for education and other resources are limited by age which makes several youth in need ineligible. I joined the CARES project to explore my curiosity for policy and philanthropy and use my lived experience to advocate for other foster youth. The CARES project is vital to developing resources for foster youth and bringing awareness to barriers that impact the prosperity and survival of foster youth. When I am not spending hours in the library studying or doing homework, running groups and therapy sessions at internship, or developing training for the peer mentor program, you can find me at home snuggled with my two cats (Loki and Sox), getting my nails done, or at the gym.

#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.

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
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
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
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