In a new op-ed on Word In Black, Shantay Armstrong emphasizes the importance of centering youth voices in foster care, especially for Black and LGBTQ+ communities.

Most child welfare removals labeled as neglect are driven by poverty, not abuse. Investing in prevention—housing, wages, and support—keeps families together, reduces trauma, and strengthens communities.

If you have time, compassion, and a good heart — there’s an opportunity for you to make a difference. You can become a mentor, a foster parent, or an adoptive parent for an older child in foster care. Each role offers a unique way to

Camelia overcame foster care struggles, addiction, and instability to become a community leader—proving the life-changing power of one caring adult in a young person’s life.

Adopted by a loving Black family, Bourgogne Kinlaw Bourgogne reflects on identity, healing, and the importance of culturally rooted parenting for raising confident, empowered Black children.

This innovative Peer Mentor program pairs adults with lived experience - former mentors and adoptive parents, with inexperienced hosts and prospective adoptive parents of older youth in foster care.

Kaprea Greene’s essay, My Journey in Foster Care, reflects on how mentoring and Black adoptive parents helped her thrive, emphasizing the urgent need for culturally aware support systems.

After seven years in foster care, Jamal found love, faith, and stability with the McKissicks—highlighting how answered prayers and the right support can lead to a forever home.

Kidsave’s research reveals challenges Black foster and adoptive parents face, from systemic bias to financial barriers, and explores solutions through the EMBRACE Project to create lasting change.