Still, we rise: Lessons learned from lived experiences in the family policing system

Abstract

AbstractThe voices of mothers affected by the child welfare system are forefronted in this article. A group of five women, all affiliated with the parent‐led, community‐based organization Rise Magazine, gathered to discuss their experiences, including any role they believed race, racism and other forms of bias played in their child welfare cases. Their powerful, first‐hand accounts illustrate the systemic injustices faced by child welfare affected families. This article also focuses on the development of Rise's organizational structure as a space where parents both lead and drive the organization's mission to empower and support system affected families. A postscript by Tricia Stephens, integrating how parents’ experiences are reflected in existing research, is provided. It is the hope of the parents who currently work at and those who have passed through Rise, that sharing their personal stories inspires and helps to guide others across the country.