Unbelievably Resilient

How do you define resilience? Join us as the team explores what it means to be resilient, what their personal relationship with resilience has looked like, and how they have defined resilience for themselves after a childhood in foster care. You also won't want to miss the discussion about the relationship between resilient superheroes and their representation as "orphans" in the media. 

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How do you define strength? What does it take to foster or adopt? Tune in, once again, to a raw and vulnerable exploration of the topics you all know and love. This week La Tika lays it all out there for the world. So pull up a chair, get comfortable, and grab your pencils because you will want to jot down some of the silver bullets from this episode - there are plenty.

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Tune in this week about the birds and the bees, the grass and the trees, the wind and the breeze. Talking about sex can often stir up a myriad of emotions for people, even more so, for foster youth. With complex trauma and a variety of safe and unsafe relationships, it is extremely crucial that foster youth have a healthy age-appropriate relationship to sexuality and sexual health. You will end this episode feeling better equipped and more emboldened to talk and think about sex and sexual health.

(Trigger Warning: Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault)

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Meet Coach JJ, an amazing foster care alumni that takes us on the journey of his life and his love/hate relationship with growing up in the system. "Being a part of a team meant something to me. My teammates family would come together to make sure I had the things that I needed." Listen as our hosts dissect romantic relationships in its many capacities. Enjoy!

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Join us as talk about their personal healing journeys. "Healing is not a linear process. You're not going to just wake up one day and be healed and never again experience a bad day. Healing and recovering from the experiences of our life, requires time, new experiences, new input and emotionally repairative experiences."

~ Ixchel Martinez; Licensed Therapist and former foster youth

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Throughout this season, we often refer to foster youth as super hero's. In Episode 7, we have the pleasure of speaking to our very own super woman, Cherish Fields. She's a mom, wife, social worker, alum of the system, and foster parent. Listen as she takes us on a journey of healing and resilience. Enjoy!

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Where you come from does not dictate where you’re going. In this episode, our Producer Candi Marie sits down with Jaquia Wilson a young resilient foster alum that works with The Institute for Family. Through her testimony and experiences she helps us redefine our idea of family. Enjoy!

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On this episode of the FosterStrong Podcast we pause to recognize and thank the time, commitment, and dedication of the CASA/GAL volunteer’s across the country as we recap the first-ever CASA/GAL Volunteer’s Day that FosterStrong patterned to host. FosterStrong’s team members know first-hand the impact these caring relationships can have on a young person's life. Listen in to hear more about our partnership with the National CASA/GAL Association for Children and to learn about our new partnership with the Institute for Family!

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On this episode of the FosterStrong Podcast we take you on a journey from foster care to Hollywood. Buckle up for the unbelievably resilient story of actor and comedian Brandon Phillips. Thank you for listening and remember YOUR STORY MATTERS. Enjoy!

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A licensed social worker and alumni of care, Ixchel is a healing guru. Ixchel's story is one of mental fortitude and tenacity. She has advocated for youth at both a local and federal level, always pulling up a chair for the foster youth around her. Her specialty is childhood trauma and crisis intervention and she eats, sleeps, and breathes resilience. Tune in to hear about how Ixchel's education gave language to the grit she developed growing up in the system.

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Tune in to hear from our guest Cordelia Cranshaw, former Miss District of Columbia USA 2019, also a former foster youth and now a foster system advocate; motivational speaker; and Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  With many words to the wise Cordelia embodies resilience in her everyday. Tune in to hear about how you can build strength and persevere from the mouth of a resilient warrior. 

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In the first episode of Season 1 we spoke to Sean Anders about the vision of FosterStrong this season we start off by diving into his story. In Season 2 we focus on the Unbelievably Resilient. Join us as we dive into the stories of those who exude confidence and breathe resilience. We have new segments for you about aging out of the system and the next generation of great foster care leaders.

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On this episode, you will meet FosterStrong team Keri, Adrian, Ria and Lino. They will explore what FosterStrong is and how it all got started. Tune in to hear from Ria, on her experience entering the foster care system and where she is now. You will also get to hear from the Director and Screenwriter of Instant Family, Sean Anders, about the vision of FosterStrong.