Leonard Burton
He/Him/His
Leonard Burton is the President of the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP). In this role, he brings more than three decades of leading anti-racist, intersectional social justice work including executive leadership in public social service systems, philanthropy, community change, faith-based programs, and youth development. Previously, Mr. Burton was a Senior Fellow at CSSP, working on the Systems Change and Public Policy teams and focusing on promoting healthy development and well-being for young people involved in intervening public systems. Mr. Burton is also a co-developer of the upEND Movement which focuses on abolishing family policing and reimagining and creating better means of care for children and families.
Mr. Burton serves on the Boards of Building Bridges Initiative, as well as leading research organization WestED. He is also a national advisor and consultant to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network at Northwestern University supporting youth engagement and anti-racist practices in the context of child welfare and juvenile justice. Mr. Burton served as faculty coach on the Breakthrough Series Collaboratives for Transition Age Youth and Father’s and Paternal Relatives in Child Welfare.
Mr. Burton attended Langston University, holds a Bachelors’ degree in Public Administration from Austin Peay State University, and a Masters’ Degree in Education-Administration and Supervision from Tennessee State University. He is a proud native of Detroit, Michigan, and currently resides in Huntsville, Alabama with his spouse Cheryl; they have two adult children and a teenage grandson. Mr. Burton is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and a combat veteran of the US Army.
#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
