Redefining Families: Embracing Diverse Definitions featuring Oriana Carey

Families are beautifully diverse and formed in various ways. Yet, within the realms of foster care, adoption, and kinship care, the journey to build a family can be challenging and heartbreaking. Past policies disrupted the unity of loved ones, portraying the idea of family as transient, especially when foster children were abruptly thrust into adulthood at 18. This unsettling transition added anxiety and abandonment to their already delicate situation. Today, strides are being made to mend this broken system, offering a more supportive environment for those bound by love.

The Coalition for Children, Youth, and Families plays a crucial role in supporting some of Wisconsin’s most vulnerable children and teens by ensuring that their families and caregivers have the necessary support and tools. Their philosophy is straightforward: when parents thrive, children thrive. The organization is committed to providing a compassionate, responsive, and secure space for individuals and families with questions and concerns. Additionally, they aim to deliver accessible and reliable information at every stage of a family’s journey, create opportunities for ongoing learning and social connections, and raise awareness about the unique experiences of children, youth, and families impacted by foster care, adoption, and kinship care.

In this episode of Raise Nation Radio, Oriana Carey, Chief Executive Officer, Coalition for Children, Youth & Families, joins us to share stories of hope and inspiration, aiming to raise awareness. The conversation is dedicated to providing accurate and compassionate information, along with insightful resources, to reassure parents and caregivers that they are not alone on their journey.

This episode covers:

• Celebrating the Coalition’s 40th Anniversary
• Young people voicing decisions impacting their lives
• Developing identities, uncovering talents, and maintaining connections.
• Embracing and affirming cultural identities.
• “Nothing about us without us.”