Dear Friends,
As we enter this season of gratitude, we’re thankful for the moments of connection and community that continue to shape our work. In this spirit, we were honored to host Dr. Wendy Smith for a book talk, in conversation with Dr. Eraka Bath. Joined by community members, Bruins, and colleagues dedicated to serving children and families, the conversation explored Dr. Smith’s new book, Before Their Crimes. The discussion highlighted the profound importance of early childhood in shaping lifelong trajectories. This focus resonates strongly during Native American Heritage Month, as many Native communities have long emphasized early childhood as a sacred period where cultural identity, connection to land, and community responsibility begin to take root.
In our ongoing effort to deepen our ties with Los Angeles, our students, staff, and faculty had the meaningful opportunity to visit CARECEN. For more than three decades, CARECEN has been pivotal in providing immigrant integration programs, delivering immigration legal services, and fostering civic participation and community engagement around immigration policy, education reform, and workers’ rights. Field experiences like this strengthen our solidarity with the community and remind us of the power of learning beyond the classroom.
As the holidays near, we continue to affirm our commitment to families in need. As in past years, the UCLA Pritzker Center is blending community-based research with direct support for families across the Antelope Valley. We invite you to join our effort by donating a children’s jacket—together, we can make this season warmer for those who need it most.
With this being our last newsletter of 2025, we’re thrilled to share that our Impact Report is next on the way. Stay tuned for a special year-end release highlighting the progress, partnerships, and stories that shaped this year. Until then, from our hearts to yours—we are grateful for you!
In community,
The UCLA Pritzker Center Team
|
|
|
The Aftermath of the Eaton Fire: Foster Care and Education Disrupted |
Last month, we held an event at the Altadena Community Center to announce the release of our brief, The Aftermath of the Eaton Fire: Foster Care and Education Disrupted.
Findings revealed the importance of post-fire recovery support and services in preventing foster care entries and reentries, the importance of upholding the educational rights of children in foster care, the continued need for targeted mental health and academic supports, and the vital role of professionals who bridge the child welfare and education systems, and revealed the need for tailored support to assist older youth in care, including non-minor dependents, with navigating postsecondary transitions, and rebuilding progress toward educational and professional goals.
These findings will be presented at the 2026 California Foster Youth Education
Summit next April. The summit's theme is Imagine * Inspire * Innovate: Bridging Paths, Empowering Futures, with a focus on the connections that make a difference in the lives of students in foster care.
|
|
|
One Roof 2.0 Presentation |
Earlier this month, our co-research Director, Brenda A. Tully, and undergraduate student researcher, Isabella Reina, presented intermediate findings from our study on Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) and Family Unification Program (FUP) Housing Choice Vouchers in Los Angeles.
One Roof 2.0 in Los Angeles County “brings together County and non-county government representatives, housing and service providers, philanthropy, advocates, and young people with lived experience to address youth homelessness.” One Roof 2.0 strives to ensure that all child welfare- and probation-impacted “transition-age youth (TAY) and young adults have access to stable housing with flexible timelines and receive high-quality, supportive resources tailored to education, economic stability, and positive relationships.” One Roof 2.0 develops strategies across youth- and young adult-serving systems to prevent homelessness and reduce associated racial disparities, then recommends prevention strategies to pilot in County departments.
"It was an honor to present preliminary findings at the quarterly OneRoof 2.0 meeting with research director, Brenda Tully. I learned so much about the housing advocacy for TAY happening in LA county. The meeting also presented a great opportunity for the FYI HCV team to share our work thus far." — Isabella Reina
|
|
|
Donate a Jacket for the Antelope Valley Day of Giving |
This December, the UCLA Pritzker Center will be distributing jackets for children in the Antelope Valley community! In this season of giving, we invite you to join us in supporting families with a heartwarming donation of a children's jacket of any size. Your support can make a difference for children and families in need!
Shop our Amazon Wish List below or contact us to deliver a jacket by December 5, 2025. Contact Taylor Dudley with questions at dudley@gseis.ucla.edu.
|
|
|
UCLA Pritzker Center visits the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) in Los Angeles |
|
|
On November 21, our team toured the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) in Los Angeles. CARECEN is the largest Central American immigrant rights organization in the country, empowering Central Americans and all immigrants by defending human and civil rights, working for social and economic justice, and promoting cultural diversity, with the vision of Los Angeles becoming a place where Central Americans and all other communities live in peace and dignity, enjoying economic well-being, social justice, and political empowerment.
CARECEN provides immigrant integration programs, immigration legal services, and fosters civic participation and community engagement on immigration policy, education reform and workers’ rights.
Thank you to Yaritza Gonzalez, Policy Manager at CARECEN and UCLA Luskin alum, for giving our team a tour of your office!
|
|
|
UCLA Pritzker Center Students attend the Children's Institute Cape & Gown Gala |
|
|
|
Last month, two of our undergraduate students, Isabella Reina and Olivia Gilchrist, attended the seventh annual Cape & Gown Gala hosted by the Children’s Institute, and were joined by UCLA Pritzker Center alum, Demontea Thompson with Twinspire!
"The Children's Institute Cape and Gown Gala was an incredible experience to be in the presence of stakeholders and community partners on a mission to improve the lives of children and families across LA County. The night was particularly special to share with my fellow undergraduate student researcher, Olivia Gilchrist, whom I've had the pleasure of working with for over two years now." — Isabella Reina
|
|
|
UCLA Pritzker Center hosts a Book Talk with Author Dr. Wendy Smith |
On November 20, we held a Book Talk with Dr. Wendy Smith, facilitated by Dr. Eraka Bath. Dr. Smith's new book, Before Their Crimes: What We're Misunderstanding about Childhood Trauma, Youth Crime, and the Path to Healing, sheds new light on the relationship of childhood trauma and juvenile crime. Dr. Smith uses the framework of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to explain how the toxic stress of early childhood trauma can make children vulnerable to committing criminal acts, drawing from interviews with twenty men and women from across the racial and social divide who spent years in prison after committing serious crimes as children.
The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bloomsbury, and Bookshop.
|
|
|
Wendy Smith, PhD, introducing her book, Before Their Crimes: What We're Misunderstanding about Childhood Trauma, Youth Crime, and the Path to Healing.
|
|
Full crowd gathered for the Book Talk at the UCLA Pritzker Center office on campus.
|
|
|
UCLA Pritzker Center students Olivia Gilchrist, Gifty Ayawvi, and Miya Yamamoto providing remarks at the book talk.
|
|
UCLA Pritzker Center Executive Director, Taylor Dudley, JD, pictured alongside Wendy Smith, PhD.
|
|
|
With the support of the UCLA/UCSF Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Aware Family Resilience Network (UCAAN) and the Olive View-UCLA Education and Research Institute, the UCLA Pritzker Center partnered with the ACEs-LA Network of Care to produce a series of policy briefs on the implementation of ACE screening and response activities to prevent and address the impact of childhood adversity and toxic stress.
|
|
|
UCLA Pritzker Center Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Laura Liévano-Karim, PhD, receives the 2025 Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research |
We are thrilled to share that our postdoctoral researcher, Laura Liévano-Karim, PhD, was selected as one of eight awardees out of 47 nominees for the Chancellor’s Awards for Postdoctoral Research! This prestigious award recognizes individual research accomplishments with the potential to make meaningful and lasting contributions to their field.
We are incredibly proud of Laura and deeply grateful for her many contributions to our work. Her dedication, insight, and passion have made a lasting impact on our team and the communities we serve. Congratulations, Laura!
|
|
|
UCLA Pritzker Center team and colleagues attended the ceremony celebrating Laura's award.
|
| (L-R): UCLA Pritzker Center Co-Director, Audra Langley, Laura Liévano-Karim, and UCLA Ed&IS Dean Tina Christie.
|
|
|
Team Gathering at the UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden |
Last month, our team gathered at the UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden for picture day—celebrating the growth of our team, welcoming our newest members, and recognizing Todd Franke, PhD, for 30+ years of Service to UCLA and the UCLA Pritzker Center.
|
|
|
Student Team, Top Row (L-R): Gifty Ayawvi, Olivia Gilchrist, Valeria Morales Navarro, Mia Weiss, Ellen Kim; Bottom Row (L-R): Juan Nunez, Miya Yamamoto, Cris Espino, Krisha Vyas, and Laurencio Baker
|
|
Staff Team (L-R): Christine Ann Lina, Laura Liévano-Karim, Taylor Dudley, Nancy Olivares, Ivy Zucaya, and Ana Rivera
|
|
|
| "The devastating Eaton Fire displaced thousands of people in Altadena, including children in foster care.
In fact, Altadena houses the most foster care children in one area in the entire county."
|
|
|
© 2025 UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
|
10945 Le Conte Ave Suites 1350-55 | Los Angeles, CA 90024 US
|
|
|
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
| | |
|
|
