A Flourishing Start: The ABCs of Child & Family Well-being

In this episode, our guests discuss the role of doulas in maternal and family health, sharing personal experiences and insights into the challenges faced by young parents, particularly those from at-risk communities. Additionally, our host Esme and guests Tamar Sebesta and Amy Chen explore the importance of doula services, including the Medi-Cal doula benefit, the barriers to accessing these services, and the need for better education and resources within the healthcare system. Tamar Sebesta, a guest on this episode became a teen mom at 15. She had no idea what to expect when she enrolled in college as the first in her family to pursue a degree. All she knew was that she needed to change the trajectory of her life. Often feeling isolated and misunderstood by the challenges she faced, she found solace in storytelling. Tamar is passionate about advocacy, she is a public speaker, writer, and podcaster. She uses her voice to uplift others, helping them realize that they too can pursue their dreams. Our next guest speaker Amy Chen is a Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program (NHelp), where she works on sexual and reproductive rights. The discussion emphasizes the need for empathy in healthcare and the importance of community support among parents.

Please note: In this episode, the speakers may reference laws and legal information. This does not constitute legal advice.

Chapters:

• Introduction to Doulas and Personal Stories

• Understanding Doula Services and Their Importance

• Cultural Perspectives and Historical Context of Doulas

• Challenges in Maternal Health and the Role of Doulas

• Navigating the Healthcare System as a Young Parent

• Accessing Doula Services and Overcoming Barriers

• The Impact of Doulas on Maternal Health

• Building Trust in Healthcare: The Role of Doulas

• Breaking Taboos: Honest Conversations About Parenting

Resources:

• NHeLP's Doula Medicaid Project: https://healthlaw.org/doulamedicaidproject/

• Dept of Health Care Services Doula Services page: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/provgovpart/Pages/Doula-Services.aspx

This conversation explores the multifaceted nature of advocacy, and how parents and caregivers can get involved. This episode features three amazing guest speakers. Sonja Tonnesen-Casalegno, Esq. is a social justice attorney, innovator, child of activists, and parent to two amazing children. Klarissa Reynoso is the Senior Program and Policy Manager for the Youth Justice Team at the National Center for Youth Law. Lastly, Deyci Carrillo López is a proud product of Guanajuato, México and East Oakland, California; she is an author, abolitionist and poet.

Our guests discuss their personal journeys, the structure of the federal government, and the importance of community engagement in driving policy. They share their experiences and insights on how individuals can influence policy and create meaningful change, emphasizing the power of collective action and the role of mentorship in advocacy work. They also discuss the importance of community in healing, the undervaluation of caregiving, navigating fear in advocacy, and the significance of teaching children about social justice and political engagement. The speakers share actionable steps towards engagement in federal advocacy.

Please note: In this episode, the speakers may reference laws and legal information. This does not constitute legal advice.

Chapters:

• Understanding Federal Government Structure

• The Role of Federal Advocacy

• Personal Journeys into Advocacy

• Artivism: Merging Art and Advocacy

• Encouraging Community Engagement in Advocacy

• Tools for Effective Advocacy

• The Power of Community in Healing

• Engaging Children in Advocacy

• The Power of Youth Voices

• The Impact of Parental Advocacy

• Navigating Fear in Advocacy

• Taking Action: First Steps to Engagement

Resources:

How is the US Federal Government structured? https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbc3wsg#z6qpkhv

In this episode of A Flourishing Start podcast, the host and guests discuss the critical need for more resources, and support with resource navigation, for families with young children in California. Esmeralda is joined by Quijay and three parents of young children: Kat, Jryana, and Axel. Together, they dive into the  challenges of parenting, especially for those whose own experiences growing up were impacted by the foster care system. The conversation highlights the importance of creating accessible information and guidance to help parents find the support they need. As part of a collaborative effort between the National Center for Youth Law and California Youth Connection, these parents created brochures for expecting and parenting individuals across seven regions in California. 

Throughout the episode, Kat, Jryana, and Axel discuss the motivation behind their project, call attention to the need for mental health resources, highlight systemic barriers that hinder access to needed services, and demonstrate their support for one another, and for parents navigating similar challenges. The conversation culminates in powerful messages of hope and encouragement for current and future parents.

Highlights:

Personal Experiences of Parenting and Resource Needs

The Importance of Access to Information

The Role of Mental Health in Parenting

Navigating systems as a parent

Types of Resources Included in Brochures

Motivation Behind the Project

The Importance of Community Support

Personal Stories of Resilience

Navigating Fatherhood

Highlighting Supportive Programs for Parents

Messages of Resilience and Persistence

The Importance of Self-Care for Parents

Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations

Resources:

https://calyouthconn.org/

https://youthlaw.org/ 

https://flourishingstart.squarespace.com/

Content warning: This episode includes discussion of topics such as childhood trauma, family separation, and personal experiences of housing insecurity and homelessness. These are important, and emotionally challenging, topics. If this doesn’t feel like the right content for you to engage with today, please skip this episode.

This podcast episode explores the significance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in early childhood education. Host Esmeralda Cortez Rosales engages with experts Pam Cajucom and Lolade Gbadebo to discuss the importance of SEL, its impact on children's development, and practical strategies for parents and educators to incorporate SEL in daily interactions with children. 

Pam is a School Health Education Consultant charged with leading Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health, at  the California Department of Education’s Office of School-Based Health Program in the Whole Child Division. Prior to taking on this role in October 2023, Pam gained over 20 years' experience implementing and coordinating student support centers serving the behavioral health needs of students and families. She received her master’s degree in clinical psychology (with a marriage/family/child emphasis) from Pepperdine University, her School Counseling Degree at CSU Sacramento, and holds a Pupil Personnel Services credential. Lolade is a mother to a 5-year-old child who recently started kindergarten. Lolade also plays a crucial role in the community, serving as a children’s librarian. Her library directly serves two elementary schools. 

The conversation highlights the role of emotional intelligence, the necessity of preparing children for transitions, and the value of building connections through shared experiences. The episode concludes with Lolade sharing book recommendations that can aid in teaching SEL concepts to young children.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

02:33 The Importance and Impact of SEL

07:56 Preparing Children for Transitions: A Parent's Perspective

13:31 Implementing SEL in Early Childhood Education

19:51 Real-Life Applications of SEL in Schools

26:37 Building Connections Through SEL

32:59 Practical Tips for Parents

36:23 Book Recommendations from Lolade

Resources: 

-Providing Mental Health Education to Students is Critical and Achievable (Issue Brief) 

-https://toolboxproject.com/ 

-SEL book recommendations: 

We’re hard at work creating Season 3 of A Flourishing Start. In the meantime, we’re excited to share this second BONUS episode with you!

In this conversation, Gillian Katz Lamon and Jocelyn Yow discuss family leave programs and their importance. Meet Jocelyn Yow, a Council Member for the City of Eastvale, youth and family advocate, a mom, and most recently, children's book author. Meet our guest interviewer, Gillian Katz Lamon, a 2024 summer law clerk with the National Center for Youth Law, who is currently in her final year of law school. 

Jocelyn shares her motivation for getting into local politics and public service at a young age. She also discusses the process of implementing a paid family leave program in the City of Eastvale, including the opposition faced and the role of male allies. Jocelyn highlights the flaws in the current system and the impact on marginalized communities. Jocelyn weaves in her experience as a mother and a politician, highlighting the need for a cultural shift in how families and children are prioritized in society. Jocelyn also talks about her work at IGNITE National, training young women to run for office and be civically engaged. She emphasizes the importance of starting conversations about politics and civic engagement at a young age. Jocelyn concludes by discussing her recently published children's book, Voting with Mommy, which aims to inspire families to talk about the importance of voting and being involved in the community.

Highlights

Introduction and Overview of Paid Family Leave

Jocelyn's Motivation for Getting into Local Politics

Including Paid Family Leave as a Policy Priority

Implementing a Paid Family Leave Program in Eastvale

Addressing Opposition and the Role of Male Allies

Flaws in the current Family Leave Policies

Paid Family Leave and Income Gaps

The Impact of Motherhood on Work and Advocacy

The Growing Gap in Political Ideology

Writing Voting with Mommy and Inspiring Civic Engagement

We’re hard at work creating Season 3 of A Flourishing Start. In the meantime, we’re excited to share this BONUS episode with you!

In this conversation, Dana, Fiona, and Esme explore what it means to be a youth advocate, the different ways a young person can engage in advocacy, how advocacy experiences differ as a youth versus as an adult, and how adults can support youth advocates. They discuss their experiences with youth commissions, challenges they have faced in their advocacy work, the importance of redefining what qualifies as experience in the professional world, and how they are each using advocacy to create a more inclusive and equitable world in which young people can thrive.

Esmeralda Cortez Rosales is a Community Policy Associate at the National Center for Youth Law and leads the organization's efforts to improve infant and early childhood mental health (or IECMH) for children zero to five years old across California. Esme works with parents, caregivers, community leaders, and advocates to develop and implement community-based work that centers children and families. 

Fiona Lu is a second-year student at University of California, Los Angeles studying Public Affairs and Labor Studies. Fiona has been a youth advocate since high school, where she led K-12 education policy work in Generation Up (GENup), a youth-led organization dedicated to educational equity. Now, Fiona co-leads a youth advocacy movement called What We All Deserve, which propels young people to engage in policymaking for basic needs access and economic justice. She’s passionate about bettering the lives for children and families in California and across the nation through equity-centered policymaking. 

Dana Paycao, who facilitates this conversation, is Senior Policy Coordinator at the National Center for Youth Law. Dana’s role includes partnering with young people to advance policies impacting youth mental health.

Highlights:

Defining Advocacy

Youth Commissions

Navigating an Adult-Led System

Tokenization and Genuine Youth Inclusion

Supporting and Listening to Youth Advocates

Building Relationships and Unity

Compensation and Immediate Needs

The Role of Adult Allies

Challenges Faced by Young Advocates

Redefining Experience

Resources:

www.youthlaw.org The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) works to center youth voices to transform child serving systems, such as education, health, and the justice system, to reach a world in which every child thrives.

www.whatwealldeserve.carrd.co What We All Deserve is a youth-led movement to expand basic needs, the social safety net, and broader economic justice and liberation for a future in which everyone is able to fulfill their aspirations.

www.generationup.net GenerationUp (GENup) is a nationwide student-led social justice organization and coalition that advocates for education through community organizing and policy reform. 

www.ignitenational.org Ignite National harnesses the political power of young women and non-binary people through community building, cultivating leadership skills, and celebrating ambitions.

Interested in sharing your story or suggesting a topic? Reach out to us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.

This episode is brought to you by the National Center for Youth Law, with support from the Resilience Effect initiative by Genentech, a Roche Group member.

In this episode, we will learn how advocacy plays a role in making California a better state for children and families. This episode will feature speakers from California Youth Connection (CYC), a youth-led organization that has established a unique model of youth empowerment through sophisticated policy advocacy, including working with a cohort of young parents. 

Chris and Jay will share their expertise on self-empowerment, advocacy and why it is crucial for families to share their perspectives and have a voice in shaping the policies that impact them. 

Highlights:

2:38-What is CYC?

29:42- Tips for parents pursuing advocacy

40:44- Experiencing postpartum in the system

50:10- Should you get involved in advocacy?

Connect with California Youth Connection (CYC) today at www.calyouthconn.org. CYC welcomes volunteers, donors and youth who are impacted by the foster care system or the juvenile justice system in California. Don’t forget to follow their instagram @calyouthconn. If you would like to contact our guest speakers or get involved with CYC please fill out this form here: www.calyouthconn.org/get-involved/contact-us/ 

Interested in sharing your parenthood story or suggesting a topic? Reach out to us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.

This episode is brought to you by the National Center for Youth Law, with support from the Resilience Effect initiative by Genentech, a Roche Group member.

In this episode, we will talk about a long-standing, but often overlooked, resource for young children and families: public libraries. Libraries not only provide free books to borrow, they also offer resources, tools, and opportunities to help their communities thrive. 

We will explore how regular trips to your local library can help both promote early learning and build community and cultural connections, enhancing a young child’s overall well-being. We will also explore funding and resource disparities and how this impacts libraries’ ability to serve their communities.

To help us navigate this journey we will hear from Anthony, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Oakland Public Library and co-founder of the Father Circle.

We will also hear from Marie, a mom to a one-year-old child and Development Manager for the National Center for Youth Law.

Highlights:

1:17- What is a third place?

9:00- Libraries are not funded equally

24:00- Tips for parents of young children going to the Oakland Public Library 

26:50- Multilingual resources at the Oakland Public Library 

30:50- Finding a sense of belonging for mixed race families at the library

33:38- Marie’s favorite book recommendations 

Resources:

Also check out this related episode: For a discussion about how reading with infants and toddlers fosters early brain development and strengthens emotional bonds with parents and caregivers, be sure to check out Episode #1 from our second season. For a discussion about how play with infants and toddlers fosters healthy emotional and social connections, check out our Episode #3 from our second season.

Interested in sharing your motherhood story or suggesting a topic? Reach out to us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.

This episode is brought to you by the National Center for Youth Law, with support from the Resilience Effect initiative by Genentech, a Roche Group member.

In this episode, we explore how playtime impacts young children’s learning, development, and mental health and well-being. We also learn about play therapy - what it is, when it may be helpful, and how it can help children and caregivers heal.