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Zakeeyah says THIS.

National Campaign Director, Center for Community Change

Nelson Mandela once said, “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness.” This could not be more true for Gabe Gonzalez, national campaign director for the Center for Community Change.

On June 9, 2015, Foster Care to Success (FC2S) hosted an “Issues Day Panel” where Gabe, one of five socially conscious experts, visited Marymount University to speak with our 2015 Aim Higher students about issues that could expand their pathways to success.

Gabe’s passion and commitment for social justice illuminated the faces of each and every student as he explained the significance of this field and how students can get involved—and find true happiness.

FC2S spoke with Gabe about why participating in Issues Day was important and what has attributed to his #journeytosuccess.

Q: Why was it important for you to be a part of issues day?

A: While I haven’t faced the same struggles that those young people have, I have certainly faced adversity in my life and I admire people who struggle through it; so, I wanted to be helpful.

Q: Why are you passionate about social justice?

A: I personally grew up poor and a person of color, so I’ve had the experience of being disempowered and it’s not a lot of fun. I don’t want that to happen to others. Also, I have a really active imagination and it’s easy for me to put myself in the shoes of others and imagine how they would feel. So, when that happens I just feel like you have to do something about.

Q: What advice would you give to students who are interested in entering the field of social justice?

A: Just do it.  A lot of working for social justice requires you to practice it and to make mistakes and to try it again. So, the first piece of advice I’d give them is just do it, get involved. When somebody says, “I need a volunteer,” say “I’ll do that”—whatever it may be.

The second thing I would strongly advise them, because this made all the difference in my career, is find someone to teach it to you. Find a mentor, find somebody you respect who is going to take the time to show you what they know. It’s not just do it and make it up on your own—everybody makes mistakes but you’ll make too many that way. It’s best to just do it but with somebody that you respect.

Q: What was the most important factor in your journey to success?

A: There are two moments that I can think of that are really important for getting me to where I am now:

1: I got really lucky the first time I got a job, and it was with one of those teachers—a man named Shel Trapp. He saw his role in social justice to train others. He taught me a whole lot of what I needed to know to be successful. I wouldn’t be here without him.

The second one was during the immigration front in 2006, I had the experience of not just being an organizer but being a leader and being a part of the social movement, which is different than social change. (Social movement is one aspect of social change.) I’ve never done this work the same way since then because I had the experience of being with a set of people that we were all in it together. As much as we might disagree, we were all in the struggle together and that made the difference.

Q: What is the most important thing students should know about social justice?

A: You’re not going to get rich! If you have the passion for it, it is so incredibly worth it. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else; it defines me. I really think for those who have the passion it’s absolutely worth it…but you won’t get rich.

Q: Final thoughts?

A: I don’t think social justice is a campaign or issue; I think it’s a perspective; it’s a way you live your life. It’s not about that fight, it’s about all the fights. Social justice is not about campaigns, it’s about how we’re going to set ourselves free.

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Gabe Gonzalez, national campaign director at the Center for Community Change (CCC), has worked as a community organizer and strategist for over twenty years. In that time he has worked on diverse issues as immigration, housing and education policy. He is currently focused on the issue of mass incarceration as well as how organizing in the 21st century must innovate in order to achieve meaningful social change. Before joining CCC, Gabe served as director of organizing for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), where he developed the New Americans Voter Project. From 1997-2000, he was director of Northwest Neighborhood Federation in Chicago. He has also worked for a number of national and Illinois based organizations. He is based in Chicago.

Chris Poulos, Fellow at The Sentencing Project

Chris Poulos has a pretty impressive resume: He’s currently a fellow at The Sentencing Project, chairs a subcommittee for the Mayor of Portland, Maine and will graduate with a law degree in 2016.

Although Chris has many great accomplishments, he still faces one problem: He cannot rent an apartment in Washington D.C. because Chris was a convicted felon.

On June 9, 2015, Foster Care to Success (FC2S) hosted an “Issues Day Panel” where five socially conscious experts visited Marymount University to speak with our 2015 Aim Higher students about issues that could expand their pathways to success.

Using his unique background, Poulos showed students the value in using adversity as a pathway to advocate for issues, both during school and after graduation.

FC2S spoke with Chris to learn more about why participating in Issues Day was important and what has attributed to his #journeytosuccess.

Q: Why was it important for you to be a part of Issues Day?

A: It was important for two reasons:

1. To spread the message about the work that I’m doing and the importance of criminal justice policy reform right now. Any opportunity to spread awareness about the issue of mass incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline is something that I like to do and we like to do at The Sentencing Project.

2. With my own background, the opportunity to speak to students who have overcome some adversity in various areas of their own lives to go on to college and hopefully emerge from college as leaders inspired me to be a part of [FC2S’s] efforts.

Q: Why are you passionate about the school-to-prison pipeline and criminal justice policy reform?

A: There’s over 2.2 million people currently incarcerated in the U.S. and there’s tens of millions more who now carry some form of criminal conviction with them can have the effect of indefinite, collateral consequences for the rest of their lives. That’s a major issue, both the raw number of people that are currently incarcerated as well as all the people that have been affected by the criminal justice system and the effects on broader specific communities. Anything I can do to help raise awareness and hopefully find solutions besides mass incarceration to issues involving poverty, mental health and substance abuse I’m in favor of.

Q: Can you elaborate on how specific communities have been affected by this issue?

A: We can look at low income communities with high populations of color. There are some communities where at the most basic and fundamental level, there are so many black men incarcerated that it’s becoming troublesome for black women to even find a potential spouse.

When you have so many people taken out of the community or brought back into these communities with criminal records it affects the parents, the children, and the overall economy so it becomes a generational issue.

Q: What advice would you give to students that are interested in criminal justice policy reform?

A: First learn about the issues so that you’re informed. I would urge students to read [The Sentencing Project’s] reports; we produce a lot of fact sheets, reports, and policy papers on this topic. And, of course, I would encourage them to read reports from other organizations as well.

Students should look at numbers so that they are prepared in any type of advocacy work they do so that they know what they’re talking about and understand the magnitude, seriousness and the details of this issue. Afterward, I would urge them to go ahead and get in touch with local leaders, both people that work in criminal justice policy and directly with political leaders because it’s the policymakers (at local, state and national levels) that can make the largest amount of changes.

One piece of advice is to start local. A college student can call a city counselor and can look and see what’s going on on the hill. At all levels it helps, but I think it can be particularly helpful at the local level and a great away to get involved.

Q: What was or is the most important factor in your journey to success?

A: Number one is my relationship with my higher power; my spiritual health. My relationship with God.

In relation to what I can do on a daily basis to get from where I’ve been to where I am now,  small, concrete, consistent steps. Having a plan and taking the tiny steps necessary; it’s all about the tiny steps. A lot of the time, especially when we’re young, people have these broad plans but we forget to start doing the tiny steps that need to happen every day.

It’s all about those small concrete steps, which involves self-discipline. And just as important, if not more, is reaching out and asking for guidance from the people that came before us.

Also, develop a plan but to be open to changes at the same time. Don’t be so set on what you think is best for you. A lot of times we have a plan but if we’re open, the universe usually will have a plan that’s even greater for.

Q: What is the most important thing students should know about criminal justice policy reform, mass incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline?

A: The most important thing is that we need to address the broader issues of poverty, lack of education, substance abuse and even racism that are connected to these issues, whether it’s directly or indirectly.

Q: Final thoughts?

A: Never believe anyone who tells you you can’t go somewhere because of where you have been, or you can’t do something because of what you have done. Instead show them how.

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Christopher Poulos is in his final year of law school at the University of Maine School of Law. He currently works and lives in Washington D.C., serving as the Legal Fellow at The Sentencing Project. Poulos also Chairs the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program Subcommittee for the City of Portland, Maine in conjunction with Mayor Michael Brennan’s Substance Abuse Task Force and serves as President of the American Constitution Society at Maine Law. Prior to law school, Poulos overcame many obstacles including tragic family losses, addiction, homelessness, and a federal incarceration. He now dedicates his life to helping others overcome or avoid similar challenges and promotes a public health based approach to addiction. This fall, Poulos will return to Maine to participate in a TED talk where he will discuss his path to law school and current work to the TEDxDirigo audience.

Daniayla Stein, Communications Specialist at InSight Telepsychiatry

The class of 2015 Aim Higher Fellows all took a risk this summer when they committed to our program designed to help them understand the realities of receiving a post-secondary education, getting a job and becoming successful young professionals. Some had never been on a plane, some had never left their hometowns, and almost all of them had never been around a group of other foster youth in one place. Despite the unknowns, they all took a step to discover more.

Seek more to know more. This was the idea behind the Fellows’ “Issues Day Panel,” where five socially conscious experts visited the Marymount campus to speak with our students about issues that could expand their pathways to success, as well as better our future.

One of which affects 50-75% of foster youth, the issue is behavioral health. Daniayla Stein of InSight Telepsychiatry passionately shared her company’s mission to increase behavioral health care through technological advances that is commonly referred to as telehealth.

Foster Care to Success caught up with Daniayla to learn more about why participating in Issues Day was important and what has attributed to her #journeytosuccess.

Q: Why was it important for you to be a part of Issues Day?

A: My organization is trying to expand access to those who wouldn’t have access to traditional means; to have the opportunity to speak to people who have personally experienced this challenge is very meaningful for me.

Q: Why are you passionate about increasing access to behavioral healthcare?

A:  Approximately 96% of counties in the U.S. has unmet needs for prescribers; behavioral health is largely undertreated and misunderstood. Behavioral health should be just as important to physical health, and I would argue it’s more important. When you’re young behavioral health is the difference between building a successful and healthy life.

Q: What advice would you give to students that are interested in getting in this field?

A: I encourage students that may be interested to read the news, follow credible sources, legislative practice, and to learn the mental health parity (treating mental health the same for physical health).

Always ask a lot of questions and become knowledgeable, this is the best way to advocate in any field. Above all, you should be passionate and willing to learn anything.

Q: What was or is the most important factor in your journey to success?

A: Success is something you’re always reaching for, as soon as you think you’ve reached success you’re likely just settling and you will miss out on something that will take you even further.

The most important factor in my success thus far has been my tenacity. It’s hard to find a job after college, I got a lot of no’s but you can’t see them as a final end point – they’re just bumps along your path. It’s easy to give up with the first few no’s but that’s how people do things they don’t care about. You have to reach beyond the no’s, never stop looking for what you need.

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Daniayla Stein joined InSight in summer 2013. As the Digital Communications Specialist, Daniayla Stein is responsible for the company’s digital messaging including management of the company websites, social media and blog. She also develops and creates company media, including videos and newsletters, and the production of promotional media and marketing materials. As Inpathy’s Provider Marketing Specialist, she helps Inpathy providers develop marketing strategies for their virtual practices. Stein comes to InSight with a background in graphic design, digital media, and research, and believes that access to health care should be a given, not a matter of proximity or cost.

Photo Credit: Congressman Markwayne Mullin

Markwayne and wife Christie were learning to adjust their hectic lives to his Washington duties. His three children, Jim (11), Andrew (9), Larra (6), were managing practices, homework and other family commitments, when the family fell in love with Ivy and Lynette (now 4). The twins had been living separately with two of Christie’s elderly 70 year old aunts. Although the girls were getting the love and care from the women, Christie felt compelled that her family should step in to bring the sisters together and raise them as their own daughters.

Markwayne was initially reluctant; he worried about the demands of the transition to Washington, the impact on his children, if the young girls would feel comfortable, and if he could love the children as his own. However, after much time in prayer and the support from his children, Markwayne realized the truth.

“We were Mommy and Daddy from day one and those daughters were our daughters from day one,” Markwayne said.

The family adopted the twins and formed an instant bond with them. Christie noted how taken her children were to Ivy and Lynette; she remembers how they responded when she and Markwayne sought their insight on the prospect of adopting them.

“Mommy, they need a daddy and a mommy just like we do,” she recalls them saying. She was moved to tears by the love they poured over the girls.

The adoption process moved quickly and the Mullin family has grown both in numbers and love. Inspirational stories like Markwayne reminds us what abundance we can gain when we give.

“All of our hearts have gotten bigger. All of us understand it’s not about us. You live this life being selfish, you’re not going to enjoy it like you will when you open your heart and your home up,” Markwayne said.

Foster Care to Success acknowledges this article was written with the help of USA Today: http://www.today.com/parents/congressman-reflects-sudden-decision-adopt-twins-t26256

Connections for Success’ short film is about a family bonded through the mutual love, support and hope they have found and share with each other.

Katie and John mentor three young men, Miguel, Demetrius and Jonathan, in order to give them the opportunity to reach their potential; yet, along their journey, Katie and John learned the boys helped them achieve new potentials of their own.

“My life changed immediately upon meeting the boys. It changed my perspective about love, it changed my perspective about support and constancy and dedication because I realized these boys didn’t have that in their lives,” John said.

In America, nearly 400,000 foster youth are in need of this love, support, constancy and dedication. It is estimated over 100,000 age out of the system and are not adopted. Connections for Success is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring families to realize their dreams and achieve economic independence by providing hope, resources and a plan.

Foster Care to Success is committed to equipping foster youth to accomplish their postsecondary educational goals by providing funding and support. Jonathan is a FC2S scholar and ETV recipient and Miguel is soon to be an ETV recipient as well, but without the caring adults that mentor and uplift our youth our mission would not be fulfilled.

“[Miguel] had no adults in his life that had graduated from high school, and it’s really hard to succeed when you can’t even envision success, but he has overcome so many obstacles…” Katie said.

There are countless stories similar to Katie and John, and you could be one of them. Become a FC2S mentor and join our efforts to provide students with the encouragement and guidance they need to do well academically and personally.

On June 10, 2015, Foster Care to Success (FC2S) gathered with numerous supporters, partners and friends in the heart of Washington D.C. to recognize our 2015 Aim Higher Fellows.

The 2015 Aim Higher Fellows Class included eight FC2S Scholarship students.

Each of the 27 students honored during the reception represented the promise and potential in the 3,000 students across the country who received FC2S funding and support this year. The 2015 class of fellows represented 15 states and this year’s group included eight FC2S Scholarship students.

The jam-packed evening kicked off with a networking mixer where the fellows had the opportunity to interact with FC2S partners.

A formal presentation followed where, one-by-one, each fellow introduced his and herself complete with a catchy yet powerful one-liner about the impact and significance of Aim Higher.

FC2S dedicated a special portion of the evening to recognize the following partners who helped make the Aim Higher Fellowship possible: