Real Word Reunion Speakers Panel
Tuesday, November 17, 5:00 - 6:15 PM
Virtual Event (Zoom info provided upon registration)
Free & open to the public. Ages 18+ only
(not appropriate for children).
Have you ever wondered what life is really like for a child in foster care?
The Real Word is a panel comprised of individuals who have spent time in foster care after being abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents or caregivers. The “Reunion” panel will feature Real Word alumni who will look back at their experiences in foster care, and the ways in which their Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) impacted their lives.
Meet the Moderator, Carlos Watson
Carlos Watson is an entrepreneur and Emmy-winning journalist based in Silicon Valley. Watson brings to OZY Media a textured background in both business and media. He is the host of some of OZY's Emmy-winning prime-time TV shows: Black Women OWN the Conversation (Oprah), Defining Moments (Hulu) and The Carlos Watson Show. Watson also anchored shows on CNN and MSNBC, hosted a series of Emmy-winning interview specials, and is one of the youngest members on the board at NPR.
As a businessman, Watson built Achieva College Prep Services into one of the nation's largest college prep companies before selling it to The Washington Post/Kaplan. He also worked as the Global Head of Education Investment Banking for Goldman Sachs and as a consultant at McKinsey & Company.
The son and grandson of teachers, Watson graduated with honors from Harvard and Stanford Law School, where he was editor of the Law Review. Once named one of People magazine's hottest bachelors, Watson is a "would-be Steph Curry" and an "aspiring Steven Wright." His favorite TV shows include Peaky Blinders, Fauda and The Same Sky.
About Real Word
Voices for Children’s Real Word is a speakers panel comprised of youth and young adults who currently live or have lived in foster care after being abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents or caregivers. At their presentations, Real Word panelists are open and forthright about their experiences in foster care, such as what it’s like to move from home to home, how it feels to be separated from siblings, and how they coped in the face of adversity.
The Real Word panel is trained and supervised by Voices for Children, and participants have spoken both locally and nationally about life in the dependency system. Each panelist has been inspired by the caring support of the volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) assigned to them by Voices for Children. CASAs advocate for a foster child or sibling group in court, in school, and in the community, and are responsible for countless successes and positive outcomes in the lives of at-risk foster youth. The Real Word provides an educational, eye-opening experience that both celebrates CASA volunteers and communicates the vital need for more volunteer advocates.
Please help us educate the community about the issues surrounding abused and neglected children. To schedule a Real Word presentation for your group, please contact Sabrina Goosby at sabrinag@speakupnow.org or call 858-598-2205.