Kidsave’s EMBRACE task force member, DeJuana Jernigan, the president and CEO of Arms Wide in Houston was published in the Austin American Statesman. Her opinion piece focuses on how the child welfare system can improve responsiveness to cultural differences.
She tells her personal story and the impact that lack of cultural responsiveness had on her family – imagine being separated from your family because your culture is misunderstood.
“My mother was denied the opportunity to care for a relative because our household was labeled “chaotic”—a judgment rooted in cultural bias, not concern for the child’s well-being. What the system saw as chaos was, in fact, the dynamic, loving nature of our family. The decision ignored our strengths, and we lost the chance to keep our family intact.”
This is the reality for too many Black children in foster care. It’s time for change.
Read the article here.
