The CASA Voice - January 2025

New Awareness Campaign, Tedx Talks and More!

As we greet the new year filled with hope and possibility, Texas CASA is thrilled to introduce our newest awareness campaign – The CASA Effect – developed in coordination with our marketing agency, Proof. One of the ways Texas CASA serves the network of local programs and amplifies the CASA mission is by creating a statewide awareness campaign. The statewide awareness campaign is created to support the local CASA programs in their effort to motivate and inspire people to become Court Appointed Special Advocates for children and youth in the foster care system. You will see and hear the campaign across the state of Texas through online advertisements, news broadcasts, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, social media and more.

Our new campaign, The CASA Effect, is a play on The Butterfly Effect, a well-known phenomenon that describes how a minor event today might have a major impact at a later time and location. This is a beautiful metaphor to describe the seemingly small, yet ultimately meaningful and memorable impact of a CASA volunteer.

CFE Youth Journal Featuring Artwork Created by Youth Experiencing Foster Care

Last year, the Texas CASA Collaborative Family Engagement (CFE) team produced an extra-special youth journal featuring artwork created by youth who are currently in or have experienced foster care. When producing the journal, the CFE team put out a call for artwork and received several submissions, including two from a youth named Skylar. At the time of submission, Skylar was experiencing a placement disruption and living in a residential care facility — an incredibly difficult time for any child or youth experiencing foster care. Learn more about Skylar's heartwarming story and check out some of the youth's artwork in the link below.

Now Available: Full Conference General Sessions

We are pleased to announce that all three general sessions from the 2024 Texas CASA Conference All Aboard: Mapping Uncharted Waters are available on YouTube. We encourage you to start the new year off by revisiting and reflecting on the tremendous speeches, panels and testimonies from our keynote speakers — including Director of the Family Defense Project of Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, Inc., Cindy Dyar, CEO and Founder of Think of Us, Sixto Cancel, and more.

Familial Sex Trafficking: Healing Through Helping - TEDx Talks Featuring Rhonda Kuykendall

Former Texas CASA Anti-Child Trafficking Consultant Rhonda Kuykendall is a survivor, leader, speaker, consultant and legislative advocate. In October 2024, Rhonda was given the opportunity to present at TEDxSugarLand about the often overlooked reality of trafficking facilitated by family members or guardians. The talk delves into the systemic invisibility of familial sex trafficking and is a call to action for collective efforts to confront and eradicate human trafficking, while also embracing the personal healing that comes through helping others. Watch her powerful presentation in the link below.

The Daily Texan Article "Against the Odds: A Student’s Journey from Foster Care to UT"

"Growing up in Austin, Gina Silva always held the University of Texas as a dream in the back of her mind. However, nobody in her family had a driver’s license or a high school diploma. Her mother suffered from drug addiction, and Silva began moving in and out of foster care at only four years old. 'I was a child trying to experience adult responsibilities and emotions,' Silva said. 'I had no control over my life.' When Child Protective Services removed 14-year-old Silva from home, she decided to run away." Read the full article in the link below.

Registration Opens January 14 for CASA Day at the Capitol 2025

Join the CASA network in Austin on March 27 for the 2025 CASA Day at the Capitol! Hundreds of CASA advocates from all over the state will be visiting their legislative officials to spread the word about CASA and to raise awareness about challenges facing the child welfare system. Additionally, Texas CASA will be hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Reception the night before Capitol Day on March 26. Local programs will be able to invite their legislators and staff to honor and celebrate the essential and impactful work of CASA volunteers in Texas. Registration for both events will open on January 14, 2025.