Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Connections

Problems with the American child welfare system

Five people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: A woman front left has short black hair and is wearing a red blouse; a woman front right has shoulder-length black hair and is wearing glasses, a black dress with a white hemline, and white open-toed shoes; a woman back left has short black hair and is wearing a t-shirt; a woman back right has her brown hair in a ponytail and is wearing glasses and a blue t-shirt; a man at right has short dark hair and is wearing a grey button-down shirt
Mari Tsuchiya
/
WXXI News
(foreground) Veronica Hay-Boler, Shirell Harris, (background) Ashley Cross, and Mical Raz on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Thursday, May 23, 2024

A University of Rochester professor argues that the American child welfare system lost its way.

Her new book examines decades of policy that led to – in her view – biased viewpoints regarding race, class, and gender. Dr. Mical Raz joins us to discuss her book, “Abusive Policies.”

We also hear personal stories from community members and nonprofit leaders who have navigated the foster care system.

Our guests:

  • Mical Raz, M.D., Ph.D., Charles E. and Dale L. Phelps Professor in Public Health and Policy and professor of history at the University of Rochester; professor of clinical medicine in the URMC School of Medicine and Dentistry; and author of “Abusive Policies
  • Ashley Cross, Ed.D., founder and executive director of HOPE585
  • Oni Colon, manager of family services at HOPE585
  • Sherell Harris, young adult currently living in HOPE585's Community Supported Foster Home, who is preparing to age out of foster care in June
  • Veronica Hay-Boler, mother of six children
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.