CRACK THE CONCRETE WHEN YOU WALK Artwork

Seen Out Loud

Seen Out Loud is a show about disrupting the child welfare system by the simple act of seeing families in their full humanity. Seeing people for who they truly are, and learning from their stories, offers new perspectives and compelling insights that can lead to radical transformation of America’s foster care system. Listen with us to families as they share deeply personal stories about their experiences with the child welfare system. Hear them express how the moments they were finally seen and valued shaped the trajectories of their lives. In this podcast, we accompany these stories with conversations about the work happening on the front lines of the family well-being movement—a collective effort aimed at meeting the needs of families to prevent systems intervention and the removal of children from parents. Hear leaders of the movement describe how they are actively building a future where families are engaged in systems work and have what they need to stay together and thrive.

All Episodes

Seen Out Loud

CRACK THE CONCRETE WHEN YOU WALK

November 03, 2021 • Institute for Family • Season 1 • Episode 5

Hear what life was like for Jaquia Wilson, the youngest of nine children, who went from growing up with a loving mother in the Bronx to aging out of foster care without a support system. Jaquia demonstrates resilience through a series of tragedies, resulting in her entering foster care as a teenager. With a little help from a caring social worker, Jaquia’s fighting spirit leads her to college and, now, advocacy work for youth in care.

Show Notes:
00:01:05 | Meet Jaquia Wilson as she shares stories from her childhood memories in Bronx, New York.

00:09:10 | “I didn’t know what to do,” says Jaquia, “I was 15 [years old] and my mom had just passed. My family had to figure out what to do with a 15-year-old that was expecting.”

00:10:54 | What is it like to be a pregnant teen? Hear from Jaquia as she describes the array of emotions she experienced.

00:13:00 | What happens when a teen like Jaquia enters the foster care system in North Carolina?

00:20:32 | Who were the people in Jaquia’s life during her teenage years in foster care? “It’s a little bit like a revolving door, I feel like,” says Jaquia.

00:26:13 | Jaquia shares where she drew strength to continue making steps towards independence and success after aging out of foster care.

00:28:01 | Life after foster care: At 17 years old, Jaquia heads to college, but runs into unforeseen roadblocks with housing that she was prepared for.

00:34:17 | Jaquia deep dives into her vision for foster care and shares what she wants youth in care to experience, and answers insight about what she aims to help create.

00:34:54 | Matt shares his final thoughts.

Resources:

Judicial Bypass Procedures: Undue Burdens for Young People Seeking Safe Abortion Care | Advocates for Youth

What happens to kids who age out of foster care | House of Providence

North Carolina LINKS Program |NC DHHS

Jaquia Wilson, Webinar Host | The Unlearning of Child Welfare: Webinar Series

Written by Jaquia Wilson: Redefining "Child Welfare Expert" | Children’s Bureau Express

How the Child Welfare System Made Me Prioritize Education Over Myself | The Imprint

Support Services for Youth in Transition: Housing | Child Welfare Information Gateway

Connect with us and support us by...

Rating and reviewing the show
Supporting our show through Paypal
Visiting our podcast website for more content
Following Institute for Family on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter