Joyce McMillan of JMACforFamilies joins us to put into perspective the history and harms of the child welfare system in the U.S. – particularly the targeting of Black children and families and the impacts on survivors of domestic violence (DV). Tune in for a candid discussion about abolition vs. reform and mandated supporting, and learn immediate steps you or your organization can take to improve safety for children and families.

This is one of our most moving episodes yet – we invite you to tune in, even if you aren't a parent!Rodney and Denys McFadden share their journey of loving, learning, and storytelling while parenting neurodiverse kids – Journee, who has autism, and her brother, Carter. A book that arose from the family's curiosity, nurturing, and unconditional love, My Sister Has Superpowers is our children's reading spotlight for the month of April.

In this mini-episode, William West from the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) shares guidance on how to authentically engage young people on their terms. He discusses learnings from an internal assessment to continue creating meaningful connections and including youth in the work of violence prevention. Rather than defaulting to transactional, extractive, or tokenizing approaches to engagement, William stresses the importance of intentional conversation and deep listening to elevate youth voices. Learn next steps you can take to pivot in this direction!

If you've ever wondered how to connect with, serve and create safe spaces for LGBT+ teens, you do not want to miss this conversation! In this episode, curated specifically for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, Andrew Sta. Ana discusses primary prevention and interventions for LGBT adolescent survivors of dating violence. Andrew also explains why culturally responsive services are so critical and what best practices and policies may look like when serving is a priority.This episode includes practical ideas and suggestions regarding next steps for providers and organizations who are interested in this very needed work.

In this episode, we are joined by Catherine “Cat” Shugrue Dos Santos, Deputy Executive Director for Programs at the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP). Through this conversation, we learn simple and culture-specific ways to partner with and serve LGBTQI+ survivors of domestic violence. Cat generously shares her expertise around meaningful ways to improve services and interventions for survivors. This is a must-listen episode for anyone who wants to better support the LGBTQI+ survivors in their communities.

In this episode, we are joined by Noemi Gonzalez-Rocha and Liliana Herrera, both certified interpreters, licensed trainers, coaches and consultants. Our guests generously share their wisdom and expertise on what it means to practice language justice. Additionally, through this conversation practitioners and organizations will learn what steps they can take to prioritize this aspect of inclusion by ensuring that all services and interventions are delivered in the language of the families they serve.https://lilianaherrera.me/

En este episodio, Vilma Gonzalez de Coordinadora Paz para la Mujer y Romelinda Grullon del Centro de la Mujer Dominicana nos acompañan y comparten el impacto que ha causado las limitaciones de recursos en la isla para los servicios de violencia de género. También discutimos la realidad de trabajar con sobrevivientes incluyendo inmigrantes indocumentados en Puerto Rico.In this episode (Spanish), Vilma Gonzalez of Coordinadora Paz para la Mujer and Romelinda Grullon of the Dominican Women's Center join us and share the impact that resource constraints on the island have caused for gender-based violence services. We also discussed the reality of working with survivors including undocumented immigrants in Puerto Rico.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Juan Carlos Areán, who shares his expertise and valuable insight on working with people who use violence (PUV). Juan Carlos discusses how the work has evolved, what is new in the field, and what exciting new practices we can look forward to. Tune in to learn about best practices such as using relational and systemic strategies to develop accountability and encourage positive change. Also shared in this discussion are resources and suggestions on what steps organizations can take to support this important work.Abusive Partner Accountability and Engagement ClearinghouseWorkbook for Fathers Who Have Harmed Their Partners and Families and Want to ChangeVictim-Defined Advocacy Beyond Leaving

In this episode, Dr. Rocio Chang discusses Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the connection they have to chronic health conditions, mental illness, and substance use in adulthood. She emphasizes that practitioners working with BIPOC communities can consider culturally relevant experiences that weren’t necessarily considered when ACEs was originally developed in the 1990s by Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda. Some of these considerations include experiences of immigration, institutional racism, and historical oppression.This episode ends with insights for service providers and organizations to consider in order to support culturally responsive interventions and practices. Learn more:https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000019843506

We can't say enough about Sara Block's indispensable new book – an absolute must-read if you are a child welfare professional, domestic violence advocate, attorney or judge, health service provider, or other professional whose work impacts children and families.In this special episode, Sara joins our host, Wendy, for a conversation around the complex intersection of child welfare and domestic violence – the systemic failures, advances, and needed radical transformation of the child welfare system. Sara discusses her motivations for writing about child welfare and shares expertise from survivors about the impacts of the system and what healing looks like for them.Together Unbroken: Stories, Law, Practice, and Healing at the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Child Welfare is a critical read that honors survivors' stories and voices and offers a new framework for transforming the impacts and experiences of families at the intersection of DV and child welfare. Find the book here.

Did you know the Supreme Court narrowly upheld the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in June? What does this mean for Indian children and families, tribal sovereignty, and for YOU?Tune in to a conversation with Wendy Mota and Mary Kathryn (MK) Nagle discussing the implications of the ruling – and specific steps you can take to protect #ICWA and defend the rights of children to remain within their cultural communities. Presented by Promising Futures at Futures Without Violence in partnership with the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC).

Join us in this candid conversation with author Loren Rosario Maldonado on the importance of cultural intelligence and its connection to self-discovery and personal growth. Loren and our host, Wendy, discuss how honing in on self- reflection, acceptance, and humility can transform how we engage with ourselves and others.Becoming the Change: The Power of Cultural Intelligence is a must-read for anyone who wants to embrace their own cultural identities in their personal and professional lives while also celebrating the diverse world around them. Preorder the book here.

Xiomara Campos from the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) shares valuable insight and expertise on serving immigrant survivors in a holistic and culturally relevant way. Learn next steps you can take to pivot in this direction.

Mary Kathryn Nagle joins us to discuss the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). MK discusses the main arguments being presented at court contesting the constitutionality of ICWA and why the outcome of this case is so critical when supporting Native American children that are at risk of being removed from their homes. MK dives more deeply into the significance of ICWA and its connection to the 14th Amendment and what both have represented historically. The case ruling is expected in June 2023 – tune in to learn more about what you can do to protect ICWA. Learn more about ICWA with the National Indian Child Welfare Association. #protectICWA

Margaret Hobart joins us to discuss how the domestic and sexual violence field can support people who are parenting after violence, challenging us to think critically about the design of shelters, mandatory reporting, and the barriers parents experience when seeking help. Margaret pushes us to think of our work as part of a collective movement towards children's well-being, rather than setting it at odds with other advocacy. Tune in and visit Building Dignity to explore more about improving shelter spaces and design: https://buildingdignity.wscadv.org/

What's missing in conversations around wellness and mental health for BIPOC communities? Natacha Kerelejza takes a systems approach to exploring what is necessary to center the experiences of historically excluded communities and truly "see" people in therapeutic practice and clinical interventions. Reflecting on her own experiences of learning and unlearning as a practitioner, Natacha speaks to the ways that mental health institutions categorize poor people and people of color and the learnings and values that can help us create meaningful change.

Eloise Sepeda dives deep into racial equity and how nonprofits and communities need to examine the ways they are impacted by structural racism in order to engage authentically with equity processes. She challenges us to continue the work of challenging white supremacy, no matter how long we have been working at this. It is not enough to keep reimagining. It is time to redesign, putting the people who are most directly impacted by our decisions at the center of the redesign process. She speaks directly to organizations that are just starting on this journey, those who have been tackling these issues for years, as well as funders who want to support transformative processes.Learn next steps you can take to pivot in this direction.

The passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978 was an important step in repairing the harm done to Indian families for centuries before. As ICWA now faces a challenge in the Supreme Court, we hear from two indigenous advocates, Ann Haines Holy Eagle and Melissa Sampson-Grier, about the history behind this legislation and the ongoing trauma experienced by indigenous families because of the lack of accountability in child welfare systems. They call on us to pivot beyond just acknowledging the history of harm – and move towards open truth-telling about the impacts on families today and shared commitments to re-indigenize communities through community-based efforts like the Wolves Den. They remind us that true prevention requires that we share power and listen to those who are directly impacted by the policies and practices we implement. Learn next steps you can take to pivot in this direction.https://www.icwlc.org/

Arlene Vassel of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence reflects on the primary prevention inherent in Black families and communities that gets overlooked because of assumptions and biases, and calls on us to examine how we define primary prevention. She calls on us to listen to the stories Black families and survivors share about times when they felt safe and pay attention to the things that helped them thrive in those times. Implementing prevention strategies without the participation of Black families, survivors, or advocates will render them ineffective because those most directly impacted will have the best insights on what solutions will work. To succeed, prevention work needs to take leadership from communities and build strong connections across social justice movements. Vassel challenges us to get creative with our funding and use our imagination to BE the work in resisting anti-Blackness. Learn next steps you can take to pivot in this direction.preventipv.org dvawareness.org vawnet.org

Black women have been at the forefront of the movement to end violence and yet are excluded from mainstream DV work, both in terms of leadership and access to services. Detroit-based visionaries Umi Hankins and Ericka Murria encourage us to ask ourselves: how are we including Black mothers? How are our biases and stereotypes of Black mothers interfering with the possibilities for healing? What can it look like to recenter Black mothers and families to help them heal from the impacts of white supremacist thinking? Join us for this powerful discussion on why and how to reset our priorities and listen to the women who have been mothering the world. Learn next steps you can take to pivot in this direction.https://ujimacommunity.org/https://supremetransitions.wixsite.com/iamevidence