Fostering Change February 2026
Dear Friend,
In honor of the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Black History Week, we invite you to learn more about the resilience, challenges, and lives of African American people who have been impacted by the child welfare system- particularly in Massachusetts.
We stand in solidarity with our black community members who have been forced to bear incredible trauma through the generations and we invite you to be purposeful in your observation of this historic month by learning, listening, and creating space for black voices.
Events and Resources
Sade Daniels, Poet
In this video, Daniels uses poetry to raise awareness of the racial disparities of the foster care system.
Ángela Quijada-Banks, Author
In this book, author Quijada-Banks, a former foster youth, shares the lessons that she learned while in care. She shares her story with the intention of empowering youth currently involved with child welfare systems.
Marqueishia Jackson
In this video, Jackson shares a moving, poetic, reflection on what "safety" means while in an out of home placement in the child welfare system.
Slavery and Freedom in Northampton, 1654-1783
Gallery Talks at Historic Northampton, 46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA
Free event. No registration Required.
Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 3 pm
Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 3 pm
Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 3 pm
Explore the local history of enslavement and the journey toward freedom in a guided gallery talk led by museum educator Elizabeth Sacktor at Historic Northampton. This session reveals the legal and economic systems that supported slavery in our region while highlighting the personal stories of individuals found through archival research.
FOC Book Club: Learning Together
This month, the Friends of Children Book Club met to contemplate the lived experiences of Steve Pemberton. This discussion, led by Grey Hillard-Koshinsky, reflected on Pemberton's journey as a biracial child in the 1970s and 80s foster care system.
While Black children make up 10% of the general population in MA , they represent nearly 15% of those in out-of-home care, highlighting a significant racial disparity in our system
According to quarterly data reports released by MA Department of Children and Families for FY24, 14.75% of children under 18 in out of home placements were Black, 36.25% White, and 12% Multiracial.*
Across the general population of children under 18 in MA in 2024, 10% were Black, 55% White, and 5% Multiracial.**
* https://www.mass.gov/info-details/dcf-reports-and-dashboards
** Annie E. Casey Foundation, Kids Count Data Center
We invite any member of this vast and diverse community to reach out to share information regarding events or resources that may educate, embolden, and strengthen our network as we uplift the voices of our Black children, youth, young adults, and families. United we can create a better future for all.
Warmly,
Debi Belkin & Sarah Segura, Co-Executive Directors
