June 2019
News
"Former South Bay Foster Child Pays it Forward as Family Court Judge."
Fatimat Reid, a former Milpitas foster youth made history last November when she became a family court judge, making her the first woman of color ever elected to a countywide seat in Monroe County, New York. 

Half of all children in foster care have faced four or more traumatic experiences like abuse, parental drug use or neglect, and Reid was no exception. As a child in foster care, she was shuffled between seven different homes.

It wasn’t until Fatimat met her Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Erica Yew, that she found a place for herself and had the support to pursue her dreams. Fatimat was recently profiled in the San Jose Mercury News.
Judge Shawna Schwarz Named Judge of the Year by National CASA
Santa Clara County Judge Shawna Schwarz has yet another award to add to her collection of accolades for her work on the bench. On June 3, the National CASA Association presented her with the Judge of the year award for her work on behalf of children in the Santa Clara County dependency system. 

Judge Schwarz has worked tirelessly as an advocate for children in foster care over her 18 years of service on the bench in Santa Clara County. Child Advocates' CEO Frederick J. Ferrer was there to congratulate Judge Schwarz.
Events
14th Annual Golf Classic August 26th, 2019
Los Altos Golf and Country Club

12 Noon – Shotgun Start
4:30 pm – Reception
5:30 pm – Dinner & Program
6:15 pm – Live Auction & Golf Awards
Los Altos, CA
Save the Date: Wine, Women & Shoes October 6th, 2019
"Be There! Be Fabulous!
Hayes Mansion
San Jose, CA
2:00pm - 6:00pm
Community
June is Reunification Month!
June is National Reunification Month, a time to celebrate families and communities, and to raise awareness about the importance of family reunification for children in foster care. The courts acknowledge the hard-work and determination of parents who accomplish the goal of reunifying with their children, as well as the dedicated professionals that support them.

Danielle and Jon-Rey were separated when he was just a little boy. During that time we matched him with a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to advocate for his best interests while Danielle worked to regain custody of her son. Through the help of her social worker, a network of friends and family, Danielle and Jon-Rey were reunified as a family.
June is Pride Month!
June is Pride Month - an opportunity to celebrate members of the LGBTQ community.

LGBTQ foster youth are over-represented in the foster care system. One recent study from Childrensrights.org found that as many as 30 percent of foster youth ages 10-18 identify as LGBTQ compared to 11.2 percent of youth not in foster care.

Having the support of a non-judgmental adult in the form of a CASA made a huge difference for Wayne, a former foster youth.

"My foster family was nice, but it was hard for me to be myself around them because I felt I could not talk to them about my sexuality or gender identity. My CASA Ray has never judged me. He has provided a safe space which gave me a sense of calm and stability. Most importantly, I can be who I am around Ray."

We invite you to explore a collection of movies and stories on KQED celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month!
Take Action
Invite a Friend to Become a CASA Volunteer!
Do you know someone who would make a great CASA volunteer? Invite them to learn more. Our next Info Session is Wednesday, June 19th.

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Child Advocates - CASA of Silicon Valley