A message from Andry:

The horrific, tragic death of George Floyd again exposed the reality of the inequities faced by Black men, women and children in America.

Systemic racism is prevalent in our society, and events happening today underscore the re-traumatization that occurs in the Black community whenever another father, mother, husband, wife, son, or daughter dies unjustly.

Systemic racism is also evident in the systems in which we work at CHS: it’s evident in the disproportionate number of Black children in foster care and in our juvenile justice system.  This alone should be our call to action. It should not take another tragic event before we stand up for what we believe is right. It is incumbent upon all of us to stand together with our friends, colleagues, children, families, and communities of color.

Children’s Home Society of Florida stands with our Black team members, families, and communities of color. We stand for every child, every family – regardless of their skin color. Children’s Home Society of Florida will not stand by silently. 

Children’s Home Society of Florida does not tolerate racism of any kind.

We understand that systemic racism has contributed to the social determinants of health that limit opportunities children have simply because of the color of their skin. This must change.

We refuse to allow a child’s racial and ethnic status to determine their future. We know the pain, the trauma, the fear our children have when they encounter racism of any kind. It is unacceptable.

Every child deserves safety, security, and opportunity. Through our initiatives like Community Partnership Schools, we see hope as we change “odds to opportunities” by leveling the playing field for all children. We celebrate the accomplishments of our next generation of leaders, including the 2020 graduates of our Community Partnership Schools who are ready to achieve their full potential.

As our nation reels with pain, we commit to be part of the solution.

In this, we also value the officers who truly and tirelessly protect and serve our communities, the officers who bring food and water to families after a hurricane, the officers who kneel and pray with peaceful protesters.  Together, we stand to foster solidarity.

We have a vision of a world where all children realize their full potential. And we have a responsibility to lead the change that will make this possible.

Additional Resources

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network — Complex trauma facts in urban African American children, youth and families

Florida Department of Children and Families – Disproportionality Index for Children in Out-Of-Home Care, Annual Trend

Child Welfare Information Gateway/ Children’s Bureau – Acknowledging and implementing solutions regarding systemic racism and racial biases in child welfare

The Sentencing Project — Black disparities in youth incarceration

Updated February 2022