As we reflect on social progress this Black History Month, we confront an uncomfortable truth: America’s legacy of family separation persists through our modern foster care system. In 2022, over 390,000 children were in foster care across the United States, with Black children bearing a disproportionate burden of this system. While Black youth represent just 14% of America’s child population, they make up 23% of all children in foster care. This isn’t a coincidence – it’s the predictable outcome of policies that have historically targeted and destabilized Black families.
The racial disparities tell only part of the story. For LGBTQ+ youth, particularly those of color, the foster care system represents another layer of systemic failure. These young people make up an estimated 20-30% of youth in foster care while representing only 5-10% of the general youth population. A Black transgender teen in the system faces the systemic racism that drives disproportionate placement rates and the challenge of finding affirming care that respects their identity. These intersecting vulnerabilities create a trap where those most in need of support often face the greatest barriers to receiving it.
The Pipeline to Family Separation
The journey to foster care often begins with a housing crisis. When a single mother faces eviction from subsidized housing due to missed payments, child protective services may label her housing instability as “neglect,” transforming economic hardship into family separation. This scenario, replayed countless times across America, demonstrates how housing discrimination becomes a pipeline to family disruption.
Historical redlining practices confined Black families to specific neighborhoods, limiting their ability to build intergenerational wealth through homeownership. Today, these same neighborhoods often lack adequate public transportation, making it difficult for residents to maintain stable employment. When families struggle to pay rent, they face a cruel paradox – their poverty becomes evidence of parental unfitness in the eyes of the child welfare system.
Policy Choices, Family Consequences
Three key policies created the foundation for today’s crisis. The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act imposed strict work requirements and lifetime benefit limits on welfare recipients, forcing single parents to choose between supervising their children and maintaining benefits. The Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 implemented “one strike” policies in public housing, allowing entire families to face eviction based on any household member’s alleged criminal activity. The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) requires states to terminate parental rights when children spend 15 of 22 months in foster care – an impossibly short timeline for families struggling with housing instability.
These policies work in concert to create a web of surveillance and punishment that disproportionately entangles low-income families of color. Schools in underfunded districts may report families for children’s torn clothing or missed meals, interpreting poverty as neglect rather than as symptoms of systemic inequality. The recent implementation of technology-based risk assessment tools in child welfare has embedded these historical biases in new technology, perpetuating cycles of poverty and family separation.
A Better Path Forward
Addressing this crisis requires fundamental changes in how we approach both housing policy and child welfare. First, we must understand that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness cannot happen without safe and stable housing. This means implementing robust emergency housing assistance specifically designed to prevent family separation, with prevention-based rapid rehousing options that keep families together while addressing underlying economic challenges.
The criminalization of poverty must end through reformed mandatory reporting requirements. Rather than automatically triggering child welfare involvement when families show signs of economic distress, mandated reporters should first connect families with preventive services and support. This shift would transform community institutions from instruments of surveillance into sources of family support.
For LGBTQ+ youth, particularly those of color, we need comprehensive federal legislation mandating affirming practices in foster care while providing resources for family preservation. This should include funding for family acceptance programs that help parents support their LGBTQ+ children, potentially preventing foster care placement altogether.
The path forward requires more than piecemeal reform – it demands a fundamental reimagining of how we support families. Rather than spending billions on a foster care system that separates families, we must invest in policies that keep them together: universal housing assistance that prevents eviction-based family separation, comprehensive childcare support that eliminates “neglect” charges against working parents, and family acceptance programs that help parents support their LGBTQ+ children.
As we reflect on Black History Month, we must acknowledge that true racial justice requires dismantling systems that tear families apart and replacing them with structures that keep families together. The choice before us is clear: continue funding a system that perpetuates historical patterns of family separation, or invest in policies that strengthen families and communities. The solution isn’t to reform the foster care system – it’s to reduce our reliance on it by ensuring that families have the resources they need to stay together in the first place. Our children deserve nothing less.
Anti-Trans Legislation and Its Immediate Consequences
Across the United States, a surge of anti-transgender laws is having devastating effects on transgender and nonbinary youth. These laws are framed as protecting children while doing the exact opposite. According to a study by The Trevor Project, suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth have spiked by as much as 72% in states that passed anti-trans legislation(Youth Today)(The Trevor Project). These laws—restricting access to gender-affirming care, bathroom rights, and sports participation—send a clear message to young people that their identities are not valid.
The most affected are youth between the ages of 13-17, who often rely on medical and social support systems to navigate their identities. Denying these young people access to gender-affirming care not only increases their risk of mental health crises but can also lead to self-harm and suicide(WGCU Public Media)(The Trevor Project). In states that have enacted these laws, the youngest trans youth are reporting dramatically higher rates of depression, isolation, and hopelessness.
For these young people, anti-trans laws represent more than just legal restrictions—they symbolize societal rejection. When the law invalidates their existence, they feel powerless, unsupported, and unprotected. The immediate consequence is a worsening mental health crisis that could have been prevented through inclusive, compassionate care.
The Intersection of Identity, Racism, and Discrimination
For transgender and nonbinary youth of color, the burden of anti-trans laws is even heavier. These young people face intersectional discrimination, grappling not only with transphobia but also with systemic racism. Studies have shown that transgender youth of color experience higher rates of suicide attempts than their white peers, as they contend with both race-based bullying and laws targeting their gender identity(Youth Today)(Point of Pride).
In states with anti-trans legislation, the complex social environment creates a toxic environment where young people are isolated, fearful, and unable to access the support they need. For many, discrimination in schools, healthcare, and public life reinforces a sense of rejection on multiple fronts. They are marginalized for their gender identity AND their race, making their mental health outcomes particularly dire.
The rejection they face isn’t just social—it’s structural. Anti-trans laws prevent these youth from accessing gender-affirming care, a critical lifeline for their well-being. And because transgender youth of color already encounter racial disparities in healthcare access, these laws deepen existing inequalities. Without comprehensive support, their mental health suffers, and they are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and self-harm(WGCU Public Media)(KFF Health News).
The Long-Term Societal Impact
The passage of anti-trans laws doesn’t just affect the individual youth—they create a ripple effect that impacts society at large. By restricting gender-affirming care and other basic rights, these laws send a clear societal message: transgender and nonbinary people are not worthy of protection or validation. This not only fosters discrimination but also legitimizes transphobia, creating environments where it’s acceptable to reject and marginalize people based on their gender identity(Youth Today)(The Trevor Project).
For young people, these laws heighten the risk of social isolation, poverty, and long-term mental health challenges. Public rejection through legal action reinforces the idea that trans youth are undeserving of equal rights and opportunities. The result is a systemic cycle of exclusion that prevents these young people from accessing education, employment, and healthcare later in life(Point of Pride)(KFF Health News).
Moreover, when trans youth are denied access to gender-affirming care or forced into hostile environments, the entire community is impacted. Studies consistently show that inclusive policies lead to healthier, more productive citizens, while discriminatory laws only deepen inequality(The Trevor Project)(KFF Health News). For society to thrive, all individuals, especially its most vulnerable, must have the opportunity to live authentically and safely.
A Call for Compassion and Action
As the devastating rise in suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary youth demonstrates, the stakes are high. Anti-trans legislation does more than limit access to rights—it actively harms some of our most vulnerable young people, pushing them toward mental health crises and social isolation. The data is clear: gender-affirming care saves lives, and denying it has severe consequences(Point of Pride)(The Trevor Project).
We must take action to ensure these harmful policies are reversed. It’s not enough to simply condemn these laws—now is the time to actively support the organizations that are advocating for transgender rights and mental health services. Groups like The Trevor Project, which provides life-saving support to LGBTQ+ youth, and Point of Pride, which helps transgender individuals access healthcare, are on the frontlines, fighting to protect the lives and dignity of these young people(Youth Today)(Point of Pride).
It’s also critical that we advocate for inclusive policies at every level—whether by supporting local initiatives that create brave spaces for transgender youth or by contacting lawmakers to express our opposition to anti-trans legislation. We need to foster a culture of compassion and understanding, one where every young person is valued for who they are, and have the opportunity to thrive.
This moment calls for more than words—it demands action. We must stand up for transgender and nonbinary youth, ensuring that their futures are filled with hope and possibility, rather than fear and rejection.
Four years after the COVID-19 pandemic, transition-age youth (16–24) nationwide continue to bear the brunt of disconnection from education, employment opportunities, and community. In Louisiana and more specifically, Baton Rouge, fragmented access to education, employment, healthcare, and safe community gathering places has created an environment where youth are susceptible to involvement with the juvenile justice system and foster care. To address these challenges, we need initiatives in each of these areas to expand programming and resources dedicated to this vulnerable group.
The Current Landscape
Transition-age youth in Louisiana face significant hurdles, with data revealing a troubling picture:
Disconnected Youth According to the KIDS COUNT Data Center, as of the most recent analysis, 16% of youth ages 16–24 in Louisiana are classified as “disconnected,” meaning they are neither in school nor working. This is higher than the national average of 11%, underlining the acute challenges faced by this group in Louisiana.
Limited Targeted Initiatives Most statewide programming tends to focus on initiatives that support younger children. Prevention is an absolute must and these services are critical. We also know that for prevention to be successful, it must span all ages. Youth can enter foster care and juvenile incarceration at any age and older youth fare worse outcomes. Foster youth aging out of the system are particularly vulnerable; 23% of Louisiana’s youth exiting foster care end up experiencing homelessness within their first year of independence (KIDS COUNT, 2023).
Increased focus on Juvenile Incarceration Over 40% of youth exiting juvenile facilities in Louisiana are left without any formal reentry program, increasing the likelihood of recidivism and socio-economic instability. Yet, we continue to expand pipelines to juvenile incarceration without increasing diversion services and other alternatives to incarceration.
Early Childhood Focus Across each major agency, transition-age youth remain underrepresented in funding allocations. Yet, research shows that investment in transition-age services yields long-term economic benefits by reducing reliance on public welfare systems.
The Need for Expanded Services
The lack of comprehensive support for transition-age youth has led to alarming outcomes:
Educational Disengagement In Louisiana, 19% of 18–24-year-olds lack a high school diploma or equivalent, significantly reducing their earning potential and economic mobility. Programs aimed at addressing educational deficits are underfunded or inaccessible to many.
Mental Health Concerns The pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues among young people. As reported by KIDS COUNT, 25% of Louisiana youth experience symptoms of depression or anxiety, yet access to mental health services remains limited, particularly for those transitioning out of foster care or juvenile justice systems.
Workforce Integration A lack of job readiness programs leaves many youth unprepared for employment opportunities. Data indicates that 34% of Louisiana youth lack the skills necessary for workforce integration, highlighting the urgent need for training and employment pathways.
Recommendations for Action
To effectively support transition-age youth, the following strategies should be prioritized:
Enhanced Educational Programs
Expand access to GED programs and vocational training tailored to disconnected youth.
Provide alternative education models that include online learning and flexible schedules to accommodate work and caregiving responsibilities.
Establish partnerships with community colleges to offer tuition assistance or fee waivers.
Mental Health Services
Develop mental health programs specifically tailored to youth exiting foster care or the juvenile justice system.
Increase funding for school-based counseling and mobile crisis intervention teams.
Integrate mental health services into existing community-based programs.
Workforce Development
Launch public-private partnerships to create internships, apprenticeships, and job shadowing opportunities.
Offer tax incentives to businesses that hire transition-age youth.
Develop job training programs that align with Louisiana’s key industries, such as energy, healthcare, and technology.
Housing Support
Implement transitional housing programs for youth aging out of foster care or leaving juvenile facilities.
Provide rental assistance and case management to ensure stable housing.
Expand programs like Rapid Re-Housing to include transition-age youth.
Community-Based Reentry Programs
Invest in community-based reentry programs like the Youth Oasis’ Resilient Futures Program, which provides mentorship and skill-building for youth returning to their communities.
Develop peer-led initiatives to foster trust and engagement among participants.
The Importance of Data-Driven Approaches
Utilizing data from KIDS COUNT can help inform targeted interventions. For example, identifying areas with the highest rates of disconnected youth can enable policymakers to prioritize resources where they are most needed. Similarly, analyzing outcomes for youth participating in pilot programs like YVLifeSet can help refine and expand successful models.
Conclusion
Investing in Louisiana’s transition-age youth is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity. Addressing the challenges faced by these young people requires a coordinated, data-driven approach that prioritizes education, mental health, workforce development, housing, and reentry programs. By expanding and enhancing targeted programs through the Louisiana Departments of Juvenile Justice and Children and Family Services, the state can empower its youth to achieve their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
The Injustice of Prosecuting 17-Year-Olds as Adults
Louisiana’s new law, designed to combat teen violence, has once again shown what happens when lawmakers disregard the people most impacted by a law. While lawmakers argue that this law is a necessary response to rising youth crime, the reality is starkly different. A vast majority of the 17-year-olds being swept into the adult court system are not violent offenders. According to recent reports, 69% of the 17-year-olds arrested since the law’s enactment were charged with non-violent crimes such as property damage, minor theft, or marijuana possession(Omaha Daily Record)(Juvenile Law Center). These are offenses typically tied to adolescent impulsiveness and survival rather than criminal intent.
For marginalized youth—particularly Black youth, who make up nearly 90% of those arrested under this law—the consequences are even more devastating. Instead of addressing the underlying causes of these behaviors, such as economic hardship or systemic inequality, this law treats them as criminals before they’ve had a chance to grow through the trauma of living in an environment with little to no protective factors. These young people are denied the protections and rehabilitative opportunities provided in juvenile courts and instead face the life-altering consequences of an adult criminal record.
The case of a New Orleans teen, arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle during a family dispute, underscores the absurdity of this law. In previous years, he would have been handled in juvenile court with a focus on rehabilitation. Now, with an adult charge, his future is shaped by a criminal record, limiting his chances for housing, employment, and stability.
A Contradiction of Pro-Life Values
Louisiana prides itself on its pro-life stance, advocating for the protection and care of young lives. Yet, the passage of this law, which prosecutes 17-year-olds as adults, fundamentally undermines these values. Instead of offering troubled youth the support and rehabilitation they need, the state is now stripping them of their right to growth and recovery.
The juvenile justice system is designed to provide youth with a second chance—a system that acknowledges that youth are still developing the skills that lead to good judgment and focuses on rehabilitation over punishment. Studies show that youth tried in juvenile court are more likely to benefit from programs that are restorative, leading to lower recidivism rates and a greater chance of reintegration into society. This approach aligns more closely with values that prioritize life, opportunity, and long-term success (ProPublica).
However, under this law, 17-year-olds arrested for non-violent offenses are thrown into the adult system, where they face public criminal records and prison sentences that follow them for life. These records severely limit their access to employment, education, and housing—basic needs that are critical to breaking cycles of poverty and crime. For these young individuals, the law represents a life sentence of poverty, homelessness, complex trauma and a host of other societal ills that depress their chance for stability and successful civic participation.
The inconsistency in values is clear: how can a state that claims to protect life deny young people access to the services that could help them build productive, healthy lives? By prosecuting these teens as adults, Louisiana is turning its back on its pro-life promise and, instead, perpetuating a system that sets vulnerable youth up for failure.
Real-Life Consequences for Youth
As a provider in the Youth Services space that manages a transitional living program for 16-21-year-olds, I see firsthand how laws like this leave vulnerable youth without the resources they need to succeed. In our program, we provide critical services—housing, life skills, transportation, and basic needs support—specifically for justice-involved youth. Now, 17-year-olds charged as adults are no longer eligible for these services. Did the taxpayers agree to absorb the financial ramifications of this law?
This means that a 17-year-old, arrested for something as minor as trespassing or theft under $1,000, is now ineligible for non-secure care. Instead of receiving guidance and rehabilitation, they face the cold, harsh reality of adult jail or prison. These young people, who are often still maturing and learning how to navigate life, are denied the support systems that can help them transition into productive adulthood.
Without access to housing or transportation, many of these teens are forced into unstable environments, increasing their likelihood of reoffending. The law essentially abandons them at the exact moment they need help the most. These are not hardened criminals—they are adolescents making impulsive mistakes. But with this law, they lose their chance to learn, grow, and reintegrate into society, which ultimately creates a cycle of recidivism, generational poverty, and disconnection.
The consequences extend far beyond the courtroom. Once these youth enter the adult system, they face lifelong barriers to education, employment, and housing. It’s a system that imposes a punishment that far exceeds the crime. And for youth already facing challenges, such as those who are LGBTQ+ or youth of color, the effects are even more severe.
We’ve Done This Before. It Didn’t Work Then, It Doesn’t Work Now
The long-term consequences of prosecuting 17-year-olds as adults are far-reaching and devastating. Once these young people are thrust into the adult criminal justice system, they lose access to the rehabilitative programs that are proven to help reduce recidivism and support positive development. Instead, they are subjected to harsher sentences, public criminal records, and a permanent label that follows them for the rest of their lives.
Research shows that prosecuting juveniles as adults increases the likelihood of reoffending. Youth who go through the adult system are more likely to commit new crimes, partly because they lack the resources to reintegrate into society after their release.
Instead of receiving education, mental health services, or vocational training, these youth are left with a prison record that blocks access to jobs and stable housing.
There are effective alternatives to this punitive approach. Rehabilitative and restorative justice programs have been shown to address the root causes of youth crime far more effectively than incarceration. These programs focus on providing counseling, life skills, and educational opportunities that help youth make better decisions and build a future outside of the justice system. States that have invested in such programs have seen reductions in youth crime and recidivism.
Louisiana needs to shift its focus away from punishment and toward solutions that support youth development. By providing these young people with the tools they need to succeed—housing, life skills training, counseling—we can help break the cycle of crime and incarceration. This is especially important for vulnerable youth, such as those in foster care, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth of color, who are disproportionately affected by these harsh laws.
We Can do Better by Doing More
Louisiana’s new law does more harm than good. It strips vulnerable 17-year-olds of the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and access the resources that could help them build a better future. As a state that claims to protect life, we must reflect on what that truly means. Rather than funneling teenagers into a system that sets them up for failure, Louisiana should be investing in rehabilitative, community-based alternatives that give youth the chance to grow, reform, and thrive.
We owe it to our young people to be the adults we needed while growing up. We can’t be that if they are behind bars.
Do you have a dream of starting your own business but don’t have the time or money to get started? You know you have a skill, and that skill is in demand, so you start a side hustle as the perfect way to get your business off the ground. Side hustles are popular because they seem like an easy way to help you make some extra money while keeping your day job. What happens when your side hustle begins to take up more of your time? Perhaps your service offerings were timed perfectly with the collective need. Now you must scale. That’s not the article I’m writing though. What I just described were ideal scenarios. Generic and universal, the basic facts are true. That isn’t the average experience. This article is about a small business owner who starts a “side hustle” like plumbing, housekeeping, or lawn care because they can’t get a “mainstream” job. The returning citizen (read: formally incarcerated) has been forced into entrepreneurship because, despite all the movement that has been made towards convincing business owners to hire people with a history of incarceration, approximately 15,000 returning citizens remain unemployed. This article is for disconnected business owners, those individuals providing a side hustle service that needs to be their ticket to financial stability.
What type of side hustles are you describing?
The cleaning lady who comes by once or twice a month, or only for special occasions. The guy who cuts your grass or cleans your gutters. The occasional handyman you hire from TaskRabbit or Handy. These platforms are designed for gig workers, people who occasionally pick up small jobs to earn extra money. The secret is that for most of the individuals advertising on those platforms, this is their only source of income. Whether by choice or by circumstance, if this situation describes yours, you are a small business owner. You are presenting yourself (and your company) to customers every time you accept one of these jobs. How you present your company during that interaction will determine whether they will become a repeat customer or a satisfied (read: referring) customer. Luckily, in business, you get two chances to make a first impression. The first is when you take the time to set your business up for success by ensuring you have a good foundation. The second is when you provide your service like no one else can.
A Strong Foundation
The first step to getting started with your small business hustle is to do some research to begin to envision your place in the market. This means you need to identify your competitors, your partners, your vendors, potential customers, and the community at large. This is known as Market Research.
A Note about Market Research
Not every business that provides similar services is a competitor. They are only a competitor if they serve your target audience. If you offer cleaning services in homes and apartments, you’re not competing against commercial cleaning services. The commercial cleaning services is a potential partner. People who live in homes, work in those commercial buildings. Contact the commercial cleaning companies in your area and negotiate a referral program or offer to become an affiliate of theirs. Likewise, you could purchase cleaning supplies from them or negotiate an agreement to exclusively use their products designed for home use. This “competitor” is now a partner and/or vendor. Many people scare themselves from starting during market research because the competition landscape looks so large. Think holistically while you’re doing your market research.
Next, you will need to create your business plan. There is no right-size business plan. Let’s keep this simple, shall we? Your plan needs to communicate what you’re doing, for whom and why, how much it will cost you to do it, how much you’re going to charge to do it, and when you’re going to recoup the money you put into start the business (profit!). Other relevant pieces of information include whether profit will be delayed by debt and if so, for how long. Are there assets that can be liquidated if the business shuts down (equipment, heavy machinery, etc.)? Think of your business plan as the table of contents for the book that is your business. The other foundational plans (marketing strategy, revenue plan, standard operating procedures, etc.) are all extensions of the basic facts of the initial business plan: what, for who, why, your cost, their cost, and income results.
Now that you have a firm understanding of your business and its place in your local business community, you can confidently go about the work of getting the necessary permits, licenses, and insurance. Set up your business bank account, and your website and put out your first ad.
The Importance of Planning and Process
During your market research, you’re going to take the time to create a plan and process for how you will manage your business. How much money do you have available to fund your business? How long can you reasonably run your business and take care of your home on the income that is provided by your service business? Use that anxious energy to ‘hit the ground running’ and put it into the intentional design of your new life as a business owner. How do you need to structure your business so that it thrives as an organic by-product of your natural time, talent, and ability? Perhaps you’re a parent and time with your family is important. You’ll want to ensure that your business practices support working families, starting with yours. This might be represented as unique working hours, such as weekends and evenings only, or creating a policy that specifies that the workday ends one hour before school lets out in your local community to ensure parents are home to greet their children after school. Here is where you tell me that it’s just you right now out so you’re going to grind and sacrifice to grow the business and then give all those good benefits to your employees when you can afford it. Your children will understand the value of hard work, blah blah.
Nope. We are not doing that. You are your company’s first employee. The best managers are the best modelers. You do not have to wait and pivot to become an evolved employer. You can decide you are one now and build your business as an evolved company.
You have enough to get started. Send me a message and let me know how it’s going. Schedule some time with me if you want to take a deeper dive into the ideas in the article. Fair winds my friends.
