Tis the Season for our Winter Festival Toy Drive-Thrus!

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This month, Children’s Institute held our Winter Festival Toy Drive-Thrus for the third year in a row. Our staff was filled with the holiday spirit as we gathered together to give toys to our wonderful families at our Long Beach, Wilmington, Otis Booth, Watts, Compton campuses! Across our different festivals, we had appearances from Elsa, Olaf, Snoopy, and even the Grinch!

We are incredibly grateful for all of our sponsors and community partners who made this possible: Filmtoys, Mattel, JAKKS Pacific, Inc, Project Pop Drop, Dodgers, Mayor Garcetti’s office and a host of individual donors. Because of them, we were able to give away thousands of toys, hundreds of grocery bags, and hundreds of baby necessities such as diapers.

Total Toys: 3500 +
Yummy Bags: 750 +
Baby Diapers: 250+
Children Clothing: 300+

We would also like to thank all our staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to prepare distribute, and organize each event. Our families were the shining stars of all our Winter Festival activities!

We wish our community a happy, safe, and healthy holidays this season!

What You Missed at Our Trauma-Informed Care Conference

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On Wednesday, September 28, Children’s Institute held our annual Trauma Informed Care Conference, where we spoke with leading professionals about actionable insights for healing collective trauma. Nearly 600 participants heard from our brilliant keynote presenters Andrea Elliott and Michael D. Tubbs as well as our incredible panelists Dr. Angela Venegas-Murillo and Alain Datcher. As a leader in trauma-informed care and evidence-based clinical treatment, Children’s Institute trains thousands of professionals and caregivers each year—including our own teachers, therapists, care coordinators and others. This annual conference is central to that work, because it challenges us to bring the most innovative thinkers together with the front-line professionals who are dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and caregivers who experience trauma, violence and adversity.

This year, teachers, healthcare workers, mental health workers, and other frontline professionals heard about what lived experience can teach us in moments of compassion fatigue and persistence in fighting for social justice. Children’s Institute’s very own Behavioral Health and Wellness Manager for our Head Start Program, Dr. Brandi Eichstedt, led us through a conversation with Pulitzer Prizing winning journalist, author, and keynote speaker Andrea Elliott, who spoke on her long-term immersion work following an impoverished family in New York City.

Andrea shared her journey following Dasani, the eldest of her 7 brothers and sisters, her parents Chanel and Supreme and their heartbreaking and inspiring experience with homeless shelters in New York city. She highlighted the patterns of trauma and systemic racism contributing to the cycle of poverty the family faced. Andera reflected, “when you are too busy surviving, you cannot thrive,” which was painfully true for Dasani’s family. Despite disheartening stories of loss and struggle, Andrea also highlighted all of the power and strength she witnessed in Dasani, providing a more complete and compassionate portrait of a family that otherwise may have remained invisible in a society that devalues and dehumanizes the poor. Andrea reflected, “People often talk about the cycle of poverty. I also see the family story as the cycle of power. The cycle of resilience.” Brandi and Andrea discussed this resilience present in less privileged families and spoke about what types of resources, services, and system reformation we can work towards to ensure equity for all families.

Brandi and Andrea then joined panelists Dr. Angela Venegas-Murillo, Assistant Professor and General Pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics and Urban Health Institute at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and Alain Datcher, former executive director of the Los Angeles County Youth Commission. Together, the panel discussed the dynamic between the family and the systems we currently have in place to support families and children. Alain continued to touch on Dasani’s story, noting that “how the system interacted with [her] family is also part of the trauma. That cannot be overstated.” Angela agreed in that we are already working towards empowered communities, but “the justice side is what we need to work on.” All of our experts shared their experiences in working with populations who have collective trauma, and agreed that we must continue to meet families where they are, every day, if we want to make sustainable change. As learners and educators, their discussion armed front-line professionals with new ways to frame challenges and opportunities in their everyday advocacy for system-involved children and families.

In our final keynote presentation, former Mayor of Stockton, CA and youngest Mayor of any major city in American history, Michael D. Tubbs utilized parables, personal experience and policy perspective to demonstrate the critical need to shift to a human-centered response to poverty and trauma. Mayor Tubbs shared his lived experience growing up in poverty and why he eventually went on to create the first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot in the US. He spoke to the core issue of perpetuating cycles of injustice, to which he commented, “part of the Good Samaritan impulse is to have pity for people…it can lead us to think that the people are the problem.” Mayor Tubbs reminded us that at the center of systems and services are people. He said, “the best way to respond to trauma is to see folks as fully human, particularly because we know trauma is dehumanizing.” CII President and CEO Martine Singer and Mayor Tubbs finished the conference by speaking to the empathy and compassion it takes for everyone on the frontlines to do the work we do.

We want to thank everyone for coming to this year’s conference, and we hope to see you again next year!

Top 5 Reasons to Attend CII’s Trauma-Informed Care Conference

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Are you considering attending Children’s Institute Annual Trauma-Informed Care Conference? Here are five reasons you should absolutely join us!

1. Learn tools to use in your workplace
Our moderators and keynote speakers will be leading discussions in what they’ve learned through working with system-involved families and trauma-informed care, a more holistic and healing approach to working. Through their experiences and expertise, they will share helpful techniques to incorporate a more understanding and empathetic approach to your work with clients and students.

2. Hear from experts in the field
Keynote speaker Andrea Elliott is a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist who has witnessed the impact of trauma on children and families through documenting the lives of people on the margins of power. She is an investigative reporter for The New York Times and the author of Invisible Child, published by Random House. Her reporting on Dasani Coates, a homeless child, prompted city officials to remove 400 children from substandard shelters. Her work has been awarded a Pulitzer Prize, a George Polk award, an Overseas Press Club prize, among other honors. She is the recipient of Columbia University’s Medal for Excellence and an honorary doctorate from Niagara University.

Keynote speaker Michael Tubbs was Stockton’s first African-American Mayor at 26 making him the youngest Mayor of any major city in American history. While Mayor, he raised over $20 million dollars to create the Stockton Scholars, a universal scholarship and mentorship program for Stockton students. The city saw a 40% drop in homicides in 2018 and 2019, led the state of California in the decline of officer involved shootings in 2019, and was named the second most fiscally healthy city in California. Additionally, Tubbs piloted the first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot in the country. Currently, he is the Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom for Economic Mobility and Opportunity; the Founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI); and the Founder of End Poverty in California (EPIC).

In addition to our keynote speakers, we have talented experts in public policy and mental health joining us for our panel discussion. Dr. Angela Venegas-Murillo, MD is an Assistant Professor and Pediatrician at Urban Health Institute at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and Alain Datcher is Former Executive Director at the LA County Youth Commission. Additionally, Brandi Eichstedt, PhD, LMFT, IFECMH, CCTP and Behavioral Health & Wellness Manager at Children’s Institute, will be moderating dialogue between experts in trauma-informed care.

3. Get Your questions answered!
You’ll not only hear from our expert panelists, but you’ll have the opportunity to ask them about their experiences, work, or observations! Our Q&A session will be a time to ask field-specific questions to enrich your professional life and make connections with future generations of front-line professionals.

4. Evaluate your own care under a trauma informed lens
Whether you’re a student or professional working with children and families, you’ll have the chance to reflect on your own work. Have you been practicing with a trauma-informed lens? How do you typically approach new clients or students? How have you dealt with challenging client or student situations? Assess where you are and learn how you can incorporate more empathetic, equity-based and trauma-informed techniques into your work.

5. Join in a nation-wide conversation
Many healthcare and wellness workers consider a trauma-informed approach the future standard practice. We are joining in this nation-wide conversation to advocate in shifting the needle to more comprehensive mental health care and wellness. We welcome you to ask questions and engage in conversations around how to work from a trauma-informed lens across all areas of work and expertise.

To register for the conference, head to childrensinstitute.org/tic22. Can’t wait to see you there!

National Suicide Prevention Month: What You Need To Know

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Who is affected?

National Suicide Prevention month is not only a time to share resources, but it’s also a time to learn about the stigma of suicide and how it impacts all of us. In our economic, social, and political climate, the collective mental health of our communities is in poor condition. According to the National Council for Suicide Prevention, over 800,000 people die by suicide every year. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in people aged 10-14 and the 3rd leading cause of health for people aged 15-24. Youth who are in lesbian, gay, or bisexual are 4x more likely to attempt suicide, and transgender people are 9x more likely to attempt suicide at some point in their lifetime. Of those who die by suicide, 46% have a diagnosed mental health condition and 90% have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. This is truly a serious public health issue, but there are many roles you can play in joining efforts to prevent suicide.

Even though it can be awkward and uncomfortable at times, bringing light to these conversations is one of the most important ways we support our community and loved ones. We can dispel stigma by simply talking about these issues openly and safely.

What are the warning signs?

The National Council for Suicide Prevention lists the following as potential signs of self-harm. Contact a mental health professional or hotline (linked below) if you are someone who know are exhibiting these signs:

• Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves
• Looking for a way to kill themselves, like searching online or buying a gun
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
• Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Withdrawing or isolating themselves
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
• Extreme mood swings

What can you do to help?

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the above symptoms, there are a number of resources and hotlines you can easily connect with to chat with someone or get the care you need.

Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Veterans, press 1 when calling.

Text TALK to 741-741 to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, 24/7

Veterans Crisis Line
Send a text to 838255

SAMHSA Treatment Referral Hotline (Substance Abuse)
1-800-662-HELP (4357)

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline
1-866-331-9474

The Trevor Project
1-866-488-7386

The National Council for Suicide Prevention offers a number of self-care suggestions you can regularly keep up with to work on your mental health. These include:

1. Practicing good emotional hygiene
2. Making time for friends and family
3. Making time for yourself
4. Nourishing your body with healthy food
5. Getting enough sleep
6. Moving your body
7. Helping others
8. Managing your stress
9. Managing other medical or physical problems
10. Asking for help

For more detailed information and examples of how to incorporate these practices into your life, visit https://www.take5tosavelives.org/do

It’s Black Business Month!

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Did you know that August is Black Business Month? It’s a time to honor and recognize all of the small businesses and entrepreneurs in our communities across Los Angeles. Here at Children’s Institute, we’ve been thinking consciously about the independent vendors with which we partner. Everything from food to flowers to decorations is often provided by a third-party service. We aim to hire people from the communities where we live and work, not just for events, but for our organization as well. We’ve worked with local black businesses who have taken our programs and events to the next level, and we want to share their incredible talent with you.

Andres House of Floral Design
Andre’s House of Floral Design in Leimert Park offers custom and personal floral arrangements for all occasions. We loved working with them for our Watts Grand Opening and our 2021 Cape and Gown Gala!

Chef Keith Corbin
We’ve been honored to work with Watts’ own Keith Corbin! Chef and Co-Owner of Alta Adams in West Adams and James Beard Award Nominee, he’s known for his unique take on soul food: a fusion of West African food and California cuisine. We’re excited to celebrate the release of his new memoir California Soul: An American Epic of Cooking and Survival that follows his journey from cooking in prison to running his own restaurant.

 

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Spectacular Events Décor
Georgeo Mcallister, aka “Mackee,” is known for creating unique and memorable balloon creations around Los Angeles. He helped make the Dream BIG Graduation and our Watts Campus Grand Opening fun and festive days to remember.
You can check out his work by heading to his website.

Charles Wine Company
Charles Wine Company is family-owned boutique wine business with vineyards located in the Lodi Appellation of California. We partnered with them for our Virtual Cape & Gown Gala and were impressed with selections of wines they offered! Head to their website to learn more about their wines, events, and vineyards.

 

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If you’re looking for something in our very own Watts neighborhood, check out these local Black-owned eateries!

Wings ‘n’ Waffles food truck has perfected the chicken and waffles with their unique spices and recipes. They also do community outreach, give away student scholarships, and provide an entrepreneur mentorship program all through their Wings ‘n’ Waffles Foundation.

Nature’s Thirst Trap is a juice and health food small business. Imani, the owner and Compton native, recognized that her neighborhood was lacking a health food restaurant, so she decided to share her passion for veganism and healthy living with her community.

Similarly, Crystal’s Soul Café offers Compton a delicious selection of vegan soul food. They describe themselves as “Black owned serving all divine souls.” You can get a taste of how delicious their food is just by checking out their Instagram.

 

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Compton Vegan’s owner, Lemel Durrah, also recognized the need for healthy food alternatives. You can check out his scrumptious takes on vegan soul food at his food truck or West LA location.

 

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A post shared by Compton Vegan ™ (@comptonvegan)

Hawkins House of Burgers offers the best of a traditional burger joint with a variety of burgers, such as their Turkey Burger or Fish Burger as well as breakfast platters and a crowd favorite, chicken and waffles.

Watts Coffee House is more than just coffee and tea. They’re serving up all- American breakfast and brunch favorites with occasional menu items such as smothered pork chops, fried lobster and grits, and beef brisket.


Additionally, Los Angeles is in the midst of celebrating Black Restaurant Week until August 28th. If you’re a foodie and in the mood for trying hotspots all around the greater LA area, check out their suggestions.

Vaccines: What You Need To Know

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As we ease back into the school year, we want to recognize that August is National Immunization Month. In addition to staying up to date on your child’s regular vaccines, we encourage you to consider the COVID-19 vaccine for you child. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and pediatricians at Cedars-Sinai put together an article to answer a few common questions when considering if your toddler or preschooler should get vaccinated. Here are a few things you should know.

How old does my child need to be to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
The FDA has approved for children 6 months to 4 years old to receive the vaccine. In California, you can schedule vaccines through MyTurn.ca.gov.

Is it safe for my child to get the vaccine?
It is completely safe for your child to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Healthy children should especially follow local protocol for receiving vaccines and wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to other, more vulnerable children. Cedars-Sinai writes, “It’s understandable that some people have reservations about the vaccine, but it’s important to remember that the COVID-19 vaccines currently available have been through rigorous safety testing and were required to meet the same standards as other vaccines—such as chickenpox and polio—that have been given to children for many years and are known to be safe and effective.”

Which vaccine is “better”?
The safest vaccine to get is whichever is available to you first. Both the Moderna and Pfizer “are safe and effective.” However, Dr. Priya Soni, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Disease at Cedars-Sinai Guerin does “urge parents to consider timing and availability as they make their decision.” Moderna requires two stronger doses while Pfizer is given at lower doses across three injections.

Will this harm my child later in life?
There are no known long-lasting side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Soni reports that “there are no long-term health effects of these vaccines other than they will protect your child from contracting and developing potentially devastating complications from this virus.” While you or your child may encounter mild symptoms from the vaccine, this is normal and not anything to be concerned about.

In the coming weeks, we will be partnering with Cedars-Sinai to host free vaccine clinics around Los Angeles county. We will be sure to share the dates and times of these clinics so that you and your family can prepare to go back to school safely. Check you email and our social media for updates and information.

Fun Science Experiments for Families

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August is a time of preparing to go back to school and reconnecting with friends and loved ones. We want to encourage family bonding and enrichment by celebrating all the different ways you and your family can have fun in your own home!

Have you ever tried an at-home science experiment? It’s a lot easier than it sounds and you don’t need many extra materials or ingredients. Check out a few recipes below.

Erupting Volcano
Skills Level: Basic
Messiness Level: High
Skill Practiced: Chemical reactions

What you’ll Need:
* 2 Liter bottle of coke
* Packet of Mentos
OR
* Warm water
* Dishwashing detergent
* Baking soda
* Vinegar
* Empty soda bottle

If using the Mentos method, all you’ll need to do is drop one tablet into the 2 liter soda bottle. Make sure to do this outside and keep your children at a safe distance. If using the baking soda method, place an empty container on a tray and use play dough or foil to create the “volcano” base around it (so the opening of the container is the top of the volcano). Drop remaining ingredients into container and watch it erupt! See here for more info.

Sink or Float
Skills Level: Beginner
Messiness Level: Low
Skill Practiced: Water density

What You’ll Need:
* Sink, bathtub, or large container of water
* Objects of various densities and size (ball, coin, empty bottle, rock, etc.)

This game is best for young toddlers and infants. While bathing your child, give them a variety of objects to try and sink. Let them observe which objects sink (more dense objects) and which objects float (more hollow objects).

DIY Lava Lamp
Skills Level: Easy
Messiness Level: Medium
Skill Practiced: Chemical reactions

What You’ll Need:
* Vegetable oil
* Water
* Empty container (ex. empty water bottle)
* Antacid tablet (ex. Alka-Seltzer)
* Food coloring

Mix water with desired food flooring. Break up the antacid tablets into a few pieces and drop into water. Add vegetable oil and watch the liquids and oil separate into fun globs! See here for more info.

Potion by Steve Jurvetson

Solar Oven
Skills Level: Difficult
Messiness Level: Medium
Skill Practiced: Solar energy

What You’ll Need
* Carboard box (ex. Pizza box or shoe box)
* Aluminum foil
* Plastic wrap
* Food to cook (we recommend s’mores)
Optional:
* Wooden Skewer or stick
* Plastic wrap

The most basic solar oven can be made with just a box and foil. Simply wrap the box in the foil and set your desired food inside. Then, place the box in the sun for a few hours and watch your food cook (or melt!). For more precision and faster cooking, prop the pizza box up with a stick or skewer and place the food on the base of the box. Cover the bottom part of the box with plastic wrap. The foil from the top of the box will reflect down into the bottom, melting the food faster. See here for more info.

Dinosaur Bones
Skills Level: Medium
Messiness Level: Medium
Skill Practiced: Paleontology

What You’ll Need:
* Flour
* Salt
* Water
* Images of dinosaur bones
* Oven

Mix the flour, water, and salt until you get a thick dough. Shape your dough into different bone shapes. You can leave the bones as clay material to reshape, or you can bake them at 250 degrees for 3 hours to achieve a hard bone-like texture. See here for more info.

Egg Drop
Skills Level: Easy
Messiness Level: High
Skill Practiced: Gravity
What You’ll Need:
* A few eggs (varies on how many you want to use)
* Various objects to wrap/store eggs in (ex. felt, plastic wrap, foil, leftover container, blanket)

Find a high point (such as stairs or a landing) to drop the eggs from. Using the materials gathered, create structure to protect egg from cracking when dropped. Drop protected egg from high point to see if it stays together or breaks!

July is National Minority Mental Health Month, but What Does That Really Mean?

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The Department of Health and Human Services officially recognizes this month as a time to bring awareness to the stigma and barriers racial and ethnic minorities face in accessing and utilizing mental health services. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) states that while most minority groups have similar or fewer mental disorders than whites, “the consequences of mental illness in minorities may be long lasting.” This is due to a lack of access to primary healthcare, insurance, and mental health education. Additionally, racial minority groups are often treated with cultural insensitivity by healthcare and mental health professionals. According to the APA, many patients in minority groups are underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed, and factors that contribute to this include “language differences between patient and provider, stigma of mental illness among minority groups, and cultural presentation of symptoms.”

Our mental health and wellness providers at CII are acutely aware of these issues, which is why a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed approach is the foundation of their work. We asked a few of our staff why specifically recognizing minority mental health is crucial. Here’s what they shared:

“Mental health in our communities is still a hard thing to sell, especially in lower income communities. Our communities have a hard time trusting systems, and this has created a barrier. Breaking down this barrier has been an amazing process for me, specifically.”

– Jessie E Gonzalez. Clinical Supervisor

“It is important to recognize minority mental health, because mental illness does not have a specific race/ethnicity, and it can affect anyone regardless of their race. However, not everyone is able to get the support needed due to mental health being stigmatized in many minority groups. It is very important that mental illness gets treated in all minority groups.”

– Elizabeth Magana, Child and Family Specialist

“I feel that it’s important because I am aware that racial and sexual minority groups experience higher levels of anxiety and other challenges.”

– Anna Maria Guerra, Therapist

“In mental health particularly, it is important to provide the services necessary to restore trust and mend what has been broken by systems that have marginalized, exploited, and forgotten communities of color for centuries.”

-Karen Luna Gonzalez, Therapist

“Recognizing minority mental health is very important as it helps our community become better in a sense that people can learn to be more understanding and help reach those that need assistance but may not have the resources.”

– Ashley Ramirez, Intensive Care Coordinator

“Coming from a Latino family and community, mental health is considered a myth. Therapists and medication are for ‘crazy people’ or ‘the weak minded’. It’s important to educate our communities and let them know that it is okay to speak about trauma. It is okay to seek help without having to fear what people will think of you or how they will perceive you. It took me a while to be able to seek help myself, because I did not want my family to see me as a ‘weak’ person. I’m thankful that I was able to connect with a therapist of my own and also educate my family on the importance of mental health to break the stigma.”

– Sofia Manzo, Parent Partner

The Office of Minority Health has put together an abundance of resources for anyone looking to seek care or learn more about how to advocate for minority mental health equity. For an extensive list of information on coping with stress, trauma, violence, substance use, diagnoses, and treatment, head to: National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month — Resources and Publications (hhs.gov)

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of self-harm, harm to others, or any other mental health crisis, call or text 988 to get connected to a free crisis counselor.

Watts Campus Hosts USC’s Center for Health Journalism Fellows

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Children’s Institute (CII) was thrilled to welcome University of Southern California’s (USC) Center for Health Journalism Fellows at our Watts Campus on Wednesday.

Award-winning journalists from across the country were given grants to fly to Los Angeles and learn about different health services.  Because USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism recognizes CII as a cornerstone in wrap-around social services, they asked CII to host their fellows so the journalists could learn more about the vital work we do across LA.

The group of 26 journalists met at our original Watts campus to observe our Community Schools Summer Program, where they got to see a volunteer CII staff member read The Rainbow Fish aloud to students who asked questions to the guest reader and wished them well in a group cheer. Mary Brougher, Senior Director of Community Schools & Experiential Learning, explained how we work with schools near our campuses to provide academic enrichment, health services, and social-emotional skill-building resources.

After observing the Community Schools program, CII staff escorted the journalists to the new Watts campus where they were invited to observe Toddler Socialization, a program designed to bring parents and families from our home-based early education programs together to form a support system and develop social skills. Vice President of Early Childhood Services, Ana Palacios, explained that Home-Based Services allow our Home Visitors to meet with families in their homes once a week to provide socialization, nutrition and wellness skills, or assist with obtaining any other resources the family may need.

Then, CII hosted two presentation panels: one consisting of staff and one made up of current clients. President and CEO, Martine Singer, gave a brief overview of CII’s services and spoke to the benefit of our two-generation approach. She shared that chronic absenteeism—missing more than 10% of the school year— is a major issue affecting children and families, especially due to the pandemic.

Vice President of Head Start, Justine Lawrence, explained how our Early Education Program works within this two-generation model to provide wrap around services and trauma-informed individualized treatment plans for children and families enrolled in our Head Start and Early Head Start programs. She also described CII’s Conscious Discipline Program which educates teachers in self-regulation and co-regulation with their students.

Vice President of Behavioral Health and Wellness, Jesus Parra, explained the need for early social-emotional and cognitive development, answered questions about the psychological benefits of early childhood brain stimulation, and the need for consistent, healthy caregiver relationships.

Vice President of Strengthening Families and Communities, Danette McBride, provided an overview of our larger programs such as Project Fatherhood, Individualized Transition Skills Program (ITSP) for foster youth, and family preservation programs. She also touched on our unique relationships with police. This is particularly pertinent, given that our new Watts campus is home to the Watts Gang Task Force—formed nearly 15 years ago to broker peace in the community—along with the LAPD’s Community Safety Partnership, a nationally recognized model for relationship-based policing.

The morning concluded with a panel of community members involved in CII’s programs. Jenifer, a recent graduate and foster youth, spoke about her development through CII’s foster youth program. With the help of CII, she was able to apply to college, build a resume, and learn how to manage her finances and save enough money to purchase her own car. She wanted the media to know that everyone goes through different hardships and that many of these issues would be better if people had the right support systems.

Anjelica, mother of two in our early childhood education programs, spoke to the benefits of therapy and how she was connected to therapy through CII’s two-generation approach. She wanted everyone to know that therapy can be life changing for many families if it was just destigmatized in our communities.

Isaiah and Rodrigo, both participants in Project Fatherhood, shared emotional testimonies about their growth as father figures in their children’s lives. Isaiah was proud to tell the group that his twin daughters are national cheerleading champions. Furthermore, he wants the journalists to know that the system is often not in favor of fathers and many families, especially fathers, would be better supported if custody and Child Protective Services processes were just clearer and more accessible.

Rodrigo echoed what the other parents mentioned: he didn’t realize parental custody and switching children off between parents, particularly at the police station, was more common than he thought. Through his own journey in Project Fatherhood, he agreed with Anjelica that therapy is a necessary healing tool.

Hosting this engaged and innovative group of reporters offered an excellent opportunity to showcase our services and the integral work of CII’s frontline staff. We hope these USC Center for Health Journalism Fellows take what they learned from CII and use it to inform their reporting on communities where investment is needed most.