2008 National CASA Annual Conference

Article Written by: Ava A.

Held in Washington, D.C. at the Omni Shoreham Hotel (home to the Presidential Inaugural Ball), National CASA’s 27^th annual conference brought together over 1400 CASA volunteers, staff, board members and interested parties from across the country.

Three days of workshops, exhibits, speakers and entertainment was topped off by an exciting visit to Capital Hill and an opportunity to speak directly to members of Congress and their legislative staff. There, CASA staff had the opportunity to personally acquaint their legislators with the work of CASA programs on behalf of abused and neglected children.

Ava Adler met personally with State Representative Tim Wahlberg and his legislative assistant, Jessica Van Beek along with staff from Ingham County CASA who shares his district.

Some highlights of the program included:

• Alma J.Powell (wife of Colin Powell) who spoke at the opening luncheon about her work, on a national level, on behalf of youth;
  
• Steve L Robbins, PhD., a powerful and humorous story teller who spoke to us about diversity and cultural competence; and
  
• a fantastic performance by young people from the Duke Ellington School of Arts who put on a Motown Review that rocked!!

Workshops were organized by tracks (fundraising, public policy, volunteer skills and resources and cultural competency) and included:

• “When my CASA child breaks the law-what now?” ,
• “Developing a Personal Donor Cultivation Process” ,
  
• “Opening Doors Project: Improving the Legal System’s Approach to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth in Foster Care” and
  
• “Considerations for Transitioning Youth”.

Of course, there was also the opportunity to visit the sites in DC like the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Washington Monument where National CASA launched a dramatic exhibit which helped the public understand how many children enter our foster care system each day. For one week, National CASA staff, volunteers and supporters placed 850 life-size cutout displays of foster children on the Mall.

These displays represented the number of children who enter the foster care system each day; six versions illustrated the diversity of children in care. By the end of the week, 4,250 life-size cutouts stood on the Mall. Each held a placard with a message and a call to action. These FORGOTTEN CHILDREN cutouts may eventually tour the country and be available to display in local communities.

Next year, the national conference will be held in Denver, CO April 25-28, 2009, at the Sheraton Denver Hotel It’s theme is "Taking Advocacy to a Higher Level".

Please check out the National CASA Conference photo album below!

Photos courtesy of Ava A.