Bonus Babies
The Anthem Award winning BONUS BABIES podcast is the only one of its kind that features the compelling true-life hard-hitting stories of those with a lived foster care experience and the people who care for them––all via the unique 360* lens of a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer. Through raw first-hand accounts, BONUS BABIES reveals the daunting complexity of the foster care world while documenting the challenges, failures and successes of the system as well as the people and the agencies involved. The creator and host, Jayne Amelia Larson, is a CASA - a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer for youth in foster care. In the same way a CASA works, she explores all things in the foster care maze by talking to kids, parents, caregivers, attorneys, social workers, therapists, adoptees, adoptive parents, members of community and social programs...anybody and everybody who will speak to her to keep the conversation open and the information flowing about all things CASA––to give a forum to help people understand what it's like to have a lived foster care experience. Original music by Christina Apostolopoulos. Emma Karpman is our Social Media Manager. Audio engineering and mixing by Adam "Yukon" Harr of Blue Oak Mastering. Executive Producer is Jake Eberle. Cover art by John Crowther.
Episodes
103 episodes
Traci Gurley-Tomashosky: You Just Have To Be Consistent
Jayne Amelia speaks with child advocate and executive director of CASA of the Ninth in Colorado, Traci Gurley-Tomashosky. Traci is a distinguished educational leader and advocate with over 22 years of experience dedicated to the developm...
Dana Hargus: And Nobody Is Bothered By This But Me?
Jayne Amelia speaks with therapist and founder of Restore Of Ada, Dana Hargus, M.Ed., LPC. Dana is a foster mom and adoptive mom, and now a grandmother of many children. Dana was raised in the Ada area and has a bachelor's in education a...
Jenny Serrano - My Family Needed Intervention
Jayne Amelia speaks with Jenny Serrano, a former foster youth and now administrator at DCFS. Exiting foster care in the 1990s after spending six years in the child welfare system left an indelible mark on Jenny Serrano. Ill-prepare...
Lucretia Taylor: You Don't Have To Change The World In One Day
Jayne Amelia speaks with Dr. Lucretia “Cre” Taylor, a seasoned strategist and consultant with over two decades of experience leading and supporting organizations across the nonprofit and public sectors. Her expertise spans strategi...
Renee Santos : I Never Unpacked My Bag
Jayne Amelia Larson talks with performer and former foster youth, Renée Santos. Renée is a fierce multi-hyphenate performer — actor, writer, comedian — whose work lives at the intersection of raw truth and bold humor. In 202...
Mark Daley: How Do We Address The Smoke Rising From Families
Jayne Amelia speaks with social activist, entrepreneur, and foster turned adoptive father, Mark Daley. Mark has over two decades of experience in message development, communication strategy, and public policy, including as a communicatio...
Greg Brake: Foster Warriors 24-Hour Challenge
Jayne Amelia speaks with Greg Brake, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Foster Warriors. Greg has built companies including a 200+ person legal & technology team that have handled some of the nation's most critical matters such...
Andrew Bridge: Tear It Down
Jayne Amelia speaks with attorney, child advocate, and bestselling author Andrew Bridge. Andrew spent 11 years in Los Angeles County foster care, before earning a scholarship to Wesleyan University and graduating from Harvard Law School....
Alexis Longmire: I Made Me, Who I Am Today, I Did This
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth Alexis Longmire who is an entrepreneur and fashionista. Lex is a fashion journalist, stylist, traveling wardrobe consultant and a proud Los Angeles native. When she was 10, she discovered her ...
Shimeka Lott: The People Coming In For The Rescue Don't Need to Be Perfect But Need To Operate With A Perfect Heart
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster mom, Shimeka D. Lott. Shimeka is the visionary Founder and CEO of the Ashlynn B. Jackson Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting the lives of young people and underserved communi...
Greg Rosenmerkel: I Am Glad That I Can Try To Help A Little Bit
Part II - Jayne Amelia talks with Colonel (Retired) Gregory J. Rosenmerkel who is a CASA in Colorado and was recently assigned a sibling set of three boys. Rosie grew up in Waukesha, WI and earned his commission and degree in Civil Engin...
Nicole Goswami : Your Daughter Will Always Know You
Jayne Amelia talks with foster mom, Nicole Goswami, hoping to adopt a baby who she has raised since weeks old. Nicole does many things but most importantly a foster mom. This is her first time fostering and Jasmyn has filled her he...
Greg Rosenmerkel: Based On Our Life Experience We Tend To Think What The Necessary Elements Are For A Child's Physical and Emotional Safety, And They're Not The Same
Jayne Amelia talks with Colonel (Retired) Gregory J. Rosenmerkel who is a new CASA in Colorado and about to start his CASA training. Rosie grew up in Waukesha, WI and earned his commission and degree in Civil Engineering from the U...
Christine Goddard: I Now Realize Why You Were There Always In My Life
Jayne Amelia speaks with CASA Christine Goddard shortly after the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles took the foster home of her CASA kiddo as well as her bio family's home.Christine Goddard, has been a Court Appointment Special Advocate (...
Danisha Keating: What Purpose Do You Have, What Passions Do You Have That We Can Encourage
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth and now child advocate Dr. Danisha Keating. In this conversation, Danisha shares her challenging journey from being a child in the foster care system to earning her PhD. She discusses the sign...
Jeanette Yoffe: You Need To Go Into The Grief, Into The Loss, Into The Trauma To Heal
Jayne Amelia speaks with Jeanette Yoffe, M.A., M.F.T., who is a therapist specializing in adoption and foster care and the Director and Founder of Celia Center, the non-profit she named after her first mother, Celia. *In thi...
Glenda Wright: I Don't Match A Stereotype
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth, advocate and attorney Glenda Wright. Glenda recently graduated from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, where she received her Juris Doctorate in May 2022. Glenda has also earned her Bachelor...
Dr. Bruce Sogolow: Children Do Everything They Do To Try To Meet A Need
Jayne Amelia speaks with therapist Dr. Bruce Sogolow. Dr. Bruce has been a psychotherapist for nearly 40 years. He relates that “There was a kind of inevitability that led to my practice of specializing in ‘walking along side’ of f...
Warren Press: Elizabeth And I Are The Ones Who Are Unbelievably Lucky To Get To Be Their Parents
Jayne Amelia speaks with her friend and (very loving and proud) adoptive parent, Warren Press. Warren lives in Los Angeles with his wife Elizabeth Mestnik and their 14-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter. Their journey to parenthood wa...
Rachel Elovitz: I Am Going To Do A Damn Good Job Because I Genuinely Care
Jayne Amelia speaks with guardian ad litem and child advocate/attorney, Rachel Aliza Elovitz. Rachel has worked as a family law attorney for more than 27 years. In that capacity, she has represented fathers seeking to legitim...
Tige Charity: There's No Greater Agony Than Bearing An Untold Story Inside You
Jayne Amelia speaks with the powerhouse founder of Kids in The Spotlight, Tige Charity. In Tige's words: As a visionary with a strong faith & a passion for serving others, I have devoted my career to empowering young peop...
Romi Lassaly and Pat McCabe : One Caring Person Can Make All The Difference
Jayne Amelia speaks with Romi Lassally and Patrick McCabe, co-founders of Ready To Succeed which has supported college bound students impacted by foster care or “scholars” (as they call them which is fantastic!) by helping them get...
Chrisie Morris: I Will Not Let The Darkness Change My Heart
Jayne Amelia speaks with artist and animator, and former foster youth Chrisie Morris. Chrisie is a junior at Cal State University Long Beach pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Art in Illustration for Pre-Production. She’s currently ...
Gavin Glynn: You Have Get Them To Trust
Jayne Amelia speaks with single foster dad and entertainment producer Gavin Glynn. Gavin and his then partner fostered to adopt a young boy, then Gavin went on to foster a foursome sibling set when he was a single dad. In ord...
Elizabeth Garcia Herrera: I've Got To Do My Part Of Not Repeating The Same Mistakes As My Family
Jayne Amelia speaks with foster alum Elizabeth Garcia Herrera. Liz and her sisters (America's story is Episode 16 of Season 3) were placed in foster care when their mother could no longer look after them. Liz was 17 and spent sever...