Finding Strength Through Community: A Client’s Journey from Fear to Hope

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In order to remove the shame, stigma and silence often associated with domestic violence, we opted to share a client’s story of strength & survival. As this client mustered up the courage to share her story, her hope is that in doing so, it gives others the courage to share their stories and heal in the process.

When I look back on my life, it’s hard to believe how much has changed in such a short time. Not long ago, I was trapped in a cycle of fear and abuse, unable to see a way out – not even really understanding what I was experiencing was abuse. Today, I stand with a renewed sense of hope, strength and a determination to help others find their own path to freedom & safety.

My story began, like many others, one of excitement. I was in a relationship with someone I loved and when we found out we were expecting a child, we took the next step and moved in together. But it was then that the cracks started to show. My partner’s behavior became increasingly aggressive, something I initially blamed on the daily stresses of life, especially after our child was born. My partner struggled with addiction and while there were moments of peace, they were momentary.

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic only worsened the situation. The isolation, job loss and the impacts on mental health associated with the pandemic took a toll on both of us which caused him to spiral and quickly. His habit of drinking returned aggressively, strangers from the street would frequently show up at our doorstep and the environment became dangerously unpredictable. On top of it all, his abusive behavior had intensified.

Despite my best efforts to keep my child safe and hold our young family together, the situation reached a breaking point. One night, after a particularly violent outburst from my partner where he threw me against a wall, my partner unexpectedly kicked us out of the home.

Thankfully, my parents took me and my child in but the cycle of abuse from my partner continued for another two years. There were periods where he seemed to get better, only for his abusive behavior to intensify. It wasn’t until one night, after finding him passed out and covered in blood in the kitchen, that I finally saw the reality of the situation. I tried to handle the situation myself but as usual, I was met with his aggression – to the point that my partner nearly ended my life in that moment. He wasn’t just hurting himself; he was endangering my life and my child’s life. When he woke up and tried to end my life, I knew we had to escape for good.

Filing a police report brought Child Protective Services (CPS) into my life and through them, I was connected to Children’s Institute. My goal was to find counseling for my child, who had witnessed far more than any three-year-old should ever have to see but what I found at Children’s Institute was more than just help for him – it was a lifeline for the both of us.

At first, I was hesitant to accept the help offered. I had always been the kind of person who believed I could handle things on my own, but this time was different. I was exhausted, scared and felt utterly defeated. I took a leap of faith and enrolled in the domestic violence and parenting classes, not knowing just how transformative this decision would be.

During the group session at Children’s Institute, I was connected to other people who understood my pain in a way I had never experienced. For the first time, I learned that the things I had been through weren’t just part of life – they were signs of abuse. This realization was both shocking and liberating. And what was key for me was that I wasn’t alone and that this wasn’t my fault. Prior to this, I blamed myself for the abuse I experienced. Somehow, I told myself that I put myself in these situations.

The support I received at Children’s Institute allowed me to start rebuilding my life. I learned about self-care – something I had never considered important before – and the importance of setting boundaries. These weren’t just abstract concepts; they were tools that helped me protect myself and my child from ever falling back into the cycle of abuse.

Additionally, it was through my therapy sessions that I was encouraged to find a community of friends outside of therapy. So, with some courage, I started getting involved in a church. That’s where, for the first time, I found a community of people & friends who embraced and understood me. The love and acceptance that my child and I felt were incredible. Before getting therapy and becoming involved in my church, I was never able to connect with others and form friendships. I even got to throw a friend their baby shower – and for me, I felt like that was a huge success.

Today, I am a different person. I’ve built a strong support system that I can rely on. I have the support system through my church and through it, I have friends who accept and love me and my child unconditionally. I’ve learned how to find joy in life’s little things. The constant state of fear has been lifted off my shoulders and replaced by a newfound sense of peace and purpose.

But my journey isn’t just about surviving – it’s about thriving. I want to share my story because I know there are others out there who are afraid and feel trapped. I want them to know that there is hope for them and that there are people and organizations like Children’s Institute who can help them find their way out of the darkness.

I am forever grateful for the support I received, and I wish I could give back more. I know that one way of giving back is through sharing my story. I hope that my story can be a light for someone else.

*Client’s name has been omitted for anonymity.

 

For more information & resources on domestic violence, please see below:

Community Spotlight: Twinspire

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We recently opened the doors of our Otis Booth campus, in the heart of Historic Filipinotown, to welcome our community partner organizations for a much-anticipated roundtable discussion. Hosted by our Community Relations team, this marked the first community roundtable at Otis Booth since the onset of the pandemic, with partners eager to come together and engage in person.

“There’s been a hunger to reimagine the collaborative spaces we enjoyed pre-pandemic—to welcome back community partners, old and new. It reminded us that there is so much power in simply sharing space, breaking bread, in discussing common experiences and opportunities for partnership in service to families. This was an exciting first step,” says Deborah Riddle, the Senior Community Relations Specialist at Children’s Institute.

The gathering reflected our North Star, which centers on four pillars: educational success, emotional well-being, economic mobility and lifelong health. These pillars ground us as we work in underserved communities and guide us in the relationships we build. And we know that our work cannot be done alone. True impact is achieved through collaboration, which is why we’re so proud of the strategic partnerships we’ve developed with organizations like Wesley Health, Saban Clinic, P.S. Arts and Twinspire.

As we sat down to discuss current challenges, opportunities and to better understand community needs, one thing was clear: while our missions aligned, each of the organizations brought a unique set of strengths and areas for growth to the table. This diversity in experience reinforced our belief that we are better together.

Among the voices at the table was Twinspire, an organization that has become near and dear to us. Not only are they our new partners, but they’ve also recently moved into our campus. Twinspire’s work is transformative, as they advocate for marginalized young adults and foster youth, equipping them with financial literacy and life skills. By empowering their youth to open doors to educational and career opportunities, they break down barriers and elevate voices that often go unheard.

What stands out most about Twinspire’s approach is their intentionality behind the relationships they build with their youth. Not an easy task. The leaders of the organization, often take the first step to connect with the youth on a deeper level by sharing in their own personal experiences as Black men who have navigated similar struggles. Angelo Agunae, Twinspire’s Program Director, shared, “I love the youth we serve, and I relate to them. I relate to their struggles, and I believe it is our duty to invest in youth and kids because when we do that, they become the people they’re supposed to be.”

Their shared experiences form the foundation of trust, allowing vulnerable stories to be told, real emotions to be felt and healing to begin. This relationship-building is just the first step to making their programs so successful and resonant, in topics including financial literacy, career development, social-emotional learning and social justice.

Tae Thompson, Twinspire’s co-founder and Executive Director, eloquently framed it during our discussion. He says, “It’s not about seeing individuals as independently sufficient but rather, as community sufficient.” This powerful mindset highlights the interconnectedness of our work, emphasizing that we all play a vital role in the development of the whole person within the larger community ecosystem.

We’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with Twinspire and as we embark on our new joint initiative supporting foster youth, LAUNCH, aimed at supporting system-involved youth, we can’t wait to share more about the impact we’ll create together. Stay tuned for exciting updates on this partnership!

Suicide Prevention Awareness – Trending Issues & Tips for Families with Youth

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Suicide is a complex issue affecting countless families, making awareness essential for prevention. Our Director of Intensive Behavioral Health, Kelly Hwang, LMFT, shared her insights with L.A. Parent Magazine about how recent societal changes have impacted suicidal ideation, particularly among youth and wants to highlight two major influences including the pandemic and social media. While both issues are attributed to rising mental health concerns, they also provide opportunities for dialogue and support.

The Impact of the Pandemic
The pandemic has profoundly affected youth mental health, resulting in alarming increases in suicidal ideation and self-harm. A key driver of this crisis is social isolation including lockdowns which stripped youth of social interactions, leaving many feeling lonely and disconnected.

Additionally, the anxiety and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic shifted conversations about mortality into the forefront of young minds. Children, who may have previously been unaffected by death, were suddenly inundated with news about COVID-related hospitalizations and fatalities, heightening their anxiety and contributing to feelings of despair. Some even experienced the death of a family member as a result of COVID.

The pandemic, however, also sparked a cultural shift towards open discussions about mental health and wellness. The stigma that once silenced these conversations quickly began to dissipate, creating an environment where people felt more comfortable opening up about their struggles. While this openness may explain the uptick in reported rates of suicidal ideation, it also facilitates supportive dialogue.

The Role of Social Media
Social media serves as a double-edged sword for youth. On the negative side, it perpetuates unrealistic standards, leading to unhealthy comparisons and feelings of inadequacy. Social media users tend to showcase their “best sides,” which skews perceptions of reality and can exacerbate underlying anxiety and depression to certain users. Social media can also promote harmful behaviors in schools including bullying and harassment.

Additionally, easy access to content about suicide poses risks to youth. Despite these challenges, social media can be a source of information for mental health and suicide prevention. Online resources can be life-saving – including for parents, who can benefit
from increased awareness of warning signs and strategies to support their children.

Tips for Parents
If you’re a parent concerned about your child’s mental health, consider the following tips:

1) Recognize Depressive Symptoms
• Loss of Interest: If your child no longer engages in activities they once enjoyed.
• Loss of enjoyment: Notice this sign in activities and things previously enjoyed.
• Changes in Eating and Sleeping: Deviations in usual patterns should be noted.
• Preoccupation with Death: Frequent talk about death or suicidal thoughts should not be dismissed.
• Low Energy and Fatigue: Persistent low energy levels.
• Traumatic Exposure: Past traumas that may affect their mental health.

2) Encourage Open Dialogue
Engaging in conversations about mental health and suicide is crucial.
• Ask Directly: Ask if your child has thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
• Validate Their Feelings: Listen empathetically and acknowledge their emotions.
• Connect Them with Trusted Adults: Encourage seeking support from other family members, mentors or counselors.
• Consult a Mental Health Professional: If concerns escalate, don’t hesitate to involve a professional.

Resources
For additional support, organizations like Children’s Institute offer resources and counseling for qualifying families. For families under Medi-Cal with youth 0-21 years of age that are seeking resources, please see here.

Additional Resources:

Kelly Hwang, LMFT Director of Intensive Behavioral Health at Children’s Institute

Get to Know Your Reporter: Elly Yu, Senior Reporter at LAist

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“Get to Know Your Reporter” is a series of interviews we’re having with journalists covering topics that are both timely and relevant to our audiences. Our aim is to advocate for and highlight the issues & policies that affect the children and families we serve, and one way is by providing information directly from experts in the field.

In continuing this series, we had the opportunity to sit down with Elly Yu, the Early Childhood Senior Reporter at LAist and 89.3 FM (LAist radio).

Thank you, Elly, for taking the time to meet with us. I’m looking forward to learning more about you as an early childhood reporter at LAist. Can you start by sharing a little about your background?

I’m local to Southern California. I grew up in San Gabriel Valley and attended the University of Southern California. I left California for graduate school in New York but I’m now back in my hometown.

I’ve been a journalist for more than ten years, having reported in Atlanta, Washington DC and now, back in LA. Before being on the early childhood beat at LAist, I was on the station’s investigative team, covering healthcare, COVID-19 and immigration-related issues.

While you were sharing about being a journalist and a reporter, could you share what differences there are between the two?

The term, journalist, is an all-encompassing one. For instance, a reporter who goes out in the field is a journalist but so are editors, producers and other roles who aren’t necessarily in the field or on air. I’m out on the field as a reporter but I have an editor on my team to help with the development of my stories.

What motivates you to cover the beat of early childhood? What are you most passionate about as a reporter?

The early childhood beat is such an important one because the early years are critical to a child’s life. Making sure children have the right opportunities and experiences to grow while having access to health and quality education really impacts the trajectory of their lives. The early years set up a foundation for the rest of one’s life. We know about ACEs and traumatic experiences and how those things can adversely affect health outcomes – even decades later into adulthood.

I am also a mother to a three-year-old son. I don’t know if he’s given me a window into the policies I cover but I’m learning firsthand that parenting is hard. The United States is very different from other countries when it comes to things like maternity leave and childcare support.

What makes me passionate about reporting is being able to tell stories of my community. At the same time, it’s also important to hold institutions to account for their policies. We are committed to telling the truth and shining a light on issues impacting people’s everyday lives. I believe journalism is a vital public service for our democracy.

Wow, that’s profound. As a reporter, you do have a quite powerful role in keeping institutions in check for the greater good. To dig deeper into your motivations as a storyteller and reporter, what would be a message you’d like to convey to your readers?

That’s a hard one. I’d say I like to connect people to other people’s experiences within their own communities or the neighborhoods they live in. I want to help people relate to their own neighbors and their stories – stories that they may not have been aware of previously. Also, through my work, I would like to explain how policies affect the lives of everyday Angelenos.

Can you share what you are working on that you’re excited about?

I am interested in exploring housing insecurity for families with young children across Los Angeles County where affordability continues to be such a big issue. I want to look into what is and isn’t working for families and learn about the experiences families are going through to get or maintain safe and affordable housing.

Do you see any major issues affecting children & families impacted by some of the more recent policies affecting homeless and clearing encampments?

I don’t have enough information yet, but I do know that families tend to live more in cars and vehicles than in tents or encampments. A UCLA study reported that the largest predictor of someone living in a vehicle was being a family with children. Family homelessness can be an invisible issue.

We also have a housing and homelessness team at LAist that is following all the changes around encampments and Proposition 1 affecting mental health housing. I want to see how the housing crisis is specifically affecting families with children.

If you’re a family with children, you’ll most likely want a two-bedroom home vs. a one-bedroom for example – which can be a challenge to find.

A New York Times article/Princeton study reported that Americans most threatened by eviction were babies and toddlers, particularly Black children. These are just some of the issues I would like to dig deeper on.

For our last question, can you share something interesting about yourself? And, is there anyone person that has been really interesting to report on?

I guess the interesting thing about me is that I have the opportunity to interview very interesting people.

As for hobbies, I like to explore new restaurants and seeing all the cuisine Los Angeles has to offer with all its diversity. At the moment, I don’t have too much time for hobbies – keeping up with my three-year-old takes up most of my time now but I can say I know ALL the different types of dinosaurs that exists because of my son!

In regards to the most interesting person I’ve ever met. I actually can’t pinpoint one person. Yesterday, I sat in on a class in Fullerton – a midwife class. The professor of that class also works as a midwife at the MLK Community Hospital and I’d have to say that class was really interesting.

Most of my days, I have the opportunity to talk and meet with people from all different walks of lives and getting a peek into their daily lives is such a privilege.

Elly Yu can be reached at eyu@scpr.org

 

See below for articles by Elly:

What is child neglect? Training educators to see beyond poverty | LAist

Transitional kindergarten: What can a parent expect? | LAist

Knock, knock. Who’s there? The Department of Public Health | LAist

Business owners divided over how much a struggle childcare is | LAist

 

LAist is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that is also home to L.A.’s largest NPR station, broadcasting at 89.3 FM. Sign up for LAist’s early childhood newsletter here.

Photo credit: Julie Leopo

2024 Gala Honoree: Erin Westerman

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We are excited about our four “Cape & Gown Gala” honorees, who will be celebrated at our upcoming fundraising gala on Sunday, December 8 at the Skirball Cultural Center. As advocates and supporters of underserved children, families and communities, our honorees were selected for their humanitarianism and impact to society.

Today, we will be sitting down to meet Erin Westerman, Co-President of the Motion Picture Group at Lionsgate to better understand her desire to give back. Hello Erin and welcome to Children’s Institute! Thank you for making time to meet with us. Can you start off by sharing a little about yourself?

I am a mother of two – I have a seven-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. As the Co-President of the Motion Picture Group at Lionsgate, I oversee a team, and our job is to build and manufacture the movies that get put into theaters with the Lionsgate logo on it. That includes Hunger Games, John Wick, Saw and more. Plus, there’s a lot of other smaller, original movies that we make throughout the year.

My proudest accomplishment to date, outside of having my children, is how I impacted Lionsgate’s maternity leave policy. While I was negotiating my contract, I found out that our maternity leave policy was the state minimum. While this is not uncommon for corporations given that that’s what the government suggests as a starting place, having just had a child, I was super aware that it wasn’t enough time off.

I decided to put into my contract that the company change their policy to allow for longer maternity leave if I was going to accept the offer. What’s amazing about Lionsgate is that, when faced with the data that supports all the good that a longer maternity leave can have and how little it actually costs the company, they changed their policy to give birth mothers five months of full pay plus four months of pay for the non-birth parent.

I will always feel so good that I found myself in a position to hold up a mirror and see that I helped create real change for the people that work at Lionsgate. I would say this is both the reason that I work at Lionsgate and have worked there for almost a decade.

Our North Star consists of four pillars which include educational success, emotional well-being, economic mobility and lifelong health. What part of our North Star resonates with you?

I grew up in the south side of Chicago and I’m very aware that many of the kids that I grew up with didn’t have what I had, which were parents who had the capacity to provide opportunities for me – not just financially but also emotionally and with their time. My parents put a lot of effort into creating opportunities for me to feel whole, to be challenged and to see opportunities.

That may look different for others but the possibilities that exist for people to succeed are impacted by whether or not they have someone in their life who’s capable of doing that for them. Because of my childhood and because of where I grew up in Chicago, I’m hyper-aware that the biggest indicator of my success has been having parents who believed in me. I can now look back on a lot of the kids I grew up with who were no less smart, no less deserving but who have not found themselves to be as lucky as me. One person who believes in you can change their life.

What’s amazing about Children’s Institute is that they look at the whole child, the whole family and can create capacity for parents to create those opportunities by filling in the holes or pointing people in directions to provide resources that that child or family need.

If you had a message to share with those who are better off and have more resources, what would it be?

I think that, especially if you have children, you become very aware of how important it is to provide for your children. It’s something I feel all the time. Whenever my children need something, nothing will stop me from helping them. No amount of money, resources, or time would stop me from doing what I can for them. Unfortunately, a lot of mothers, fathers and caregivers are not able to do that.

Now, for a more lighthearted question. If you were granted one wish, for the people we serve, what would that be? And why?

That’s a hard question! Well, I wish that we were more child friendly. I think that there are countries in Europe where everybody lifts up families and children. And I think in a lot of places, children are seen as being a burden. Even as somebody with resources, I feel like it’s still hard to raise children.

So, my wish would be that we had a community that did more of that.

One last question! When we were looking at the dresses we collect and hand out for our annual Prom2Go event, I noticed you had a reaction to them. Can you share what you were feeling in the moment?

Oh yeah! I love that you have an event focused on prom, because often, things like prom are deemed as extra and unnecessary. But when I look back on my own high school experience, I remember prom being one of the most joyous experiences I had.

The idea that Children’s Institute would take seriously something in a high schooler’s life like prom and provide resources for that while knowing that a new dress matters gets me very emotional.

 

If you would like to give back to the community while enjoying an evening celebrating our honorees at our 6th Annual “Cape & Gown Gala”, you can purchase corporate sponsorships or individual & group tickets here. Our “Cape & Gown Gala” will take place on Sunday, December 8 from 5-8pm at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Proceeds to the gala will go towards the services and programs helping the underserved children and families in our community.

Advancing Early Childhood Mental Health through Secure Attachments & Interventions

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At the recent Clarity Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Rosette Lee, a Senior Clinical Supervisor for our Behavioral Health and Wellness School-Aged team, led an insightful session that delved into the critical role of early childhood mental health. The session highlighted the profound and enduring impact of secure attachments, positive parenting and early interventions on a child’s long-term development and psychological well-being.

Drawing from her extensive clinical experience here at Children’s Institute, Rosette demonstrated the techniques employed by our therapists in addressing the mental health needs of babies and young children. She emphasized how early exposure to stress, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can significantly hinder a child’s cognitive, emotional and linguistic development. Without timely and appropriate intervention, these experiences may lead to lasting detriments in an individual’s overall health and growth.

The session underscored the importance of fostering mental health during the earliest years of life – a practice that is not yet widely implemented nationally despite its proven benefits. Rosette presented compelling evidence from both research and practice, reinforcing the necessity of early intervention as a protective measure against the adverse effects of childhood trauma.

The primary objectives of the session were as follows:

  1. Highlighting the importance of early childhood relationships and mental health as fundamental to future growth and development.
  2. Understanding the impact of early childhood trauma on cognitive, emotional, and linguistic development.
  3. Raising awareness of protective factors and best practices in treating young children affected by stress, trauma and ACEs.

This session reaffirms our ongoing commitment to pioneering early intervention strategies in mental health care, aiming to promote healthier developmental outcomes for children.

Presented by Rosette Lee, Senior Clinical Supervisor (Behavioral Health & Wellness in Service Provider Area (SPA 6)

About the Clarity Conference: Claritycon is an annual educational conference that explores the internal and external factors that impact the emotional, psychological and social well-being of young people. Since its creation in 2013, the conference has grown to reach over 500 attendees ranging from educators, therapists, nurses, social workers and mental health professionals. The conference is hosted by Clarity.

Get to Know Your Reporter: Elena Epstein, Co-Owner & Creative Director of L.A. Parent Magazine

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“Get to Know Your Reporter” is a series of interviews we’re having with reporters & journalists covering topics that are both timely and relevant to our audiences. Our aim is to advocate for and highlight the issues that affect the children and families we serve, and one way is by providing information directly from experts in the field.

Elena Epstein is the co-owner and creative director of L.A. Parent Magazine and she shares with us how her cultural background and passion for journalism have shaped the trajectory of her career to becoming the co-owner of L.A. Parent Magazine & laparent.com.

Let’s start off by hearing about your background and your journey into journalism.

I was born in Tehran, Iran but when I was nine, which was also about the time the Iranian Revolution started, I immigrated to Los Angeles with my family. I have childhood memories of being an immigrant child and facing some challenges associated with acclimating to a different culture—including when I was an ESL (English as a Second Language) student, but I also had the responsibility of translating for my parents. I am so grateful we settled in Los Angeles, though, because it is such a diverse city.

Growing up in the Mid City neighborhood, I attended Fairfax High School, which is where I discovered my love for journalism. I started writing for the Colonial Gazette, our school newspaper, and though I was a quiet child who worried a lot about her accent, I found my new love. I overcame that feeling of self-consciousness through capturing other people’s stories. Having a reporter’s notebook in-hand gave me the confidence to approach people with questions which has carried over into my career.

After high school, I enrolled in California State University, Northridge (CSUN) where I studied journalism. I met my husband while working for the college newspaper, The Daily Sundial, and upon graduation, we transitioned from journalism into the publishing side, and I furthered my education to obtain a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Pepperdine University and began consulting for nonprofits, including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

During this time, we were raising two daughters and that’s when I became an avid reader of L.A. Parent Magazine. When our daughters were in high school, we heard that the business was for sale and we jumped at the opportunity. After all, my husband and I had dreamed of working together and we both had the desire to one day own our own business. We took a leap of faith, bought L.A. Parent Magazine and now we like to call it our third child.

L.A. Parent Magazine has a large and loyal following among young parents in Southern California. What is your motivation behind it and why do you create and curate the content you do?

For me, being a mother is the most important and challenging yet rewarding thing I have ever done. At the hospital, when the doctor first hands you your newborn child and tells you you’re ready to go home—that moment can be so daunting, especially for a first-time parent.

As a parent, you need support. Many people don’t have the benefit of having family members nearby, so I see L.A. Parent like a trusted friend or a next-door neighbor who is a little older and wiser and has been through this before. Someone who can reassure you by saying, “You know what? We get it. This is exhausting and it’s okay. No one has all the right answers, but you can do this.”

That is how I see every story we produce—that every article we publish should be a resource for parents and ultimately, we want to make parents’ lives easier so they can focus on more important things, including creating a joyful environment to connect with their families.

What is the main message that you would like to convey through your work?

Spend time together as a family. One-on-one time without electronic devices. We are lucky to live in a city with such incredible resources and free events on any given day. You can go to museums, parks, beaches or hiking trails together as a family unit. These are the moments that will create lifelong memories and that is what connects your kids to you, your culture and your family.

L.A. Parent has a huge online calendar of events and we recommend and feature many free things to do in the city. I think our message really boils down to that—spend time with your loved ones because that’s what makes life richer.

 

See below for the Calendar of Events on L.A. Parent featuring fun & free events for families.

Event Calendar | L.A. Parent | Los Angeles, CA

Elena Epstein with L.A. Parent’s Editor-in-Chief Cassandra Lane and Digital Editor Nina Harada at the Getty Museum.

2024 Gala Honoree: Tim Disney

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We are excited to announce our four “Cape & Gown Gala” honorees who will be celebrated at our upcoming fundraising gala on Sunday, December 8 at the Skirball Cultural Center. As advocates and supporters of underserved children, families and communities, our honorees were selected for their humanitarianism and impact to society. Today, we have the privilege of speaking with Tim Disney, Entrepreneur & Philanthropist, to get to know him better and to hear about why he believes in giving back.

Thank you, Tim, for making time to meet with us. We are so grateful for you and all you do to champion the rights of the children and families we serve. Could you please start off by sharing about your illustrative career as a creative, filmmaker and also as a philanthropist? Please tell us about yourself.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a varied career or a variety of different careers – some in creative fields and I’ve been able to go devote a fair amount of time and attention to nonprofit work which has been extremely gratifying. Through that, I’ve met some truly incredible people like the folks here at Children’s Institute and that’s a part of my life that I’ve devoted more energy to as the years have gone by.

As for my involvement in philanthropy – well, I’d say I have an ambivalent relationship with the philanthropy idea. It’s something that’s, deeply part of our social structures in this country. I wish it wasn’t the case. I wish that we structured our government and society to take care of these core needs, families and children, rather than relying on the private sector to give or not give to support them but that’s not the way it’s structured right now.

So, I feel like, I am hesitant to use the word obligation, but it does feel imperative that folks who have the means support organizations such as Children’s Institute because otherwise these children and families would go without the help they need. At the same time, I think I have to keep in my mind, and we should all keep in our minds that it doesn’t have to be like this, and we ought to work for a more sustainable solution to these problems while also doing what needs to be done in the moment.

There’s something problematic about the implied hierarchy of donor and patron and the recipients of that and I don’t feel comfortable with that. I would call myself an enthusiastic and simultaneously, a reluctant philanthropist in that sense.

You’ve talked about kindness as a way out of a dark place. Could you expand on that and share what it means for you to be that source of light or kindness in dark places?

The ultimate human characteristic is others-directedness that exists along with the urge to look out for ourselves. We’re all battling in this middle ground – between both instincts that we all have. I find that, especially as the years have gone by, I try to be of service to other people and that my life is better when I serve others. It’s a counterintuitive idea that if I follow that principle, my life gets better but of course, that’s not my first instinct.

When I wake up in the morning, my first thought is, “how do I get what I need today?” That’s my first thought and probably everybody else’s first thought. Especially when things are challenging or scary, that’s the place that we go and so those are the moments where I really have to make an intentional, mental shift and be others-directed.

Now, for a more lighthearted question. Could you tell us about yourself and your contributions to California Institute of the Arts and SCI-Arc?

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) was created by Walt Disney – it came from an idea that he had towards the end of his life to create a college, that brought all the arts together in one place. This didn’t really exist at the time and he died before he was able to realize that dream. My grandfather who really was not an arts guy but because of his loyalty to his brother, Walt, he followed through on that idea to create CalArts in the early 70s. There’s a family connection to it – my father served on the board for many years and when I was about 30 years old, he said, I’m tired of doing this so why don’t you do it and that’s how I first got connected to it.

I was always aware of CalArts and I was an art history major myself, so I felt a strong connection. But it wasn’t until that moment that I became directly connected to it. I served on the board for 29 years and that was one of my most enriching experiences. I also served on the board of another college called the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) which reflects my connections to education and college.

Could you highlight a certain involvement you’ve had in education that you’re proud of?

I’d say that it would involve making it possible for folks without a lot of money to attend school. Art school is maybe the most expensive form of education. You can’t have large thousand student lectures – art requires small classrooms consisting of a highly qualified mentor teacher or artist and that classroom format is very expensive to deliver.

Additionally, art school requires all sorts of specialized equipment. As we field applications, we go based on portfolios rather than grades and scores as grades and scores are strongly correlated with socioeconomic status. By looking at portfolios or assessing people’s talent, you can kind of get away from the socioeconomic correlations that most colleges are looking for.

We think that we identify the kids as the most talented who also represent the general demographics. It’s evidence to me that when at birth, in the delivery room, when God is handing out gifts, he’s doing that equally. That, and all of the stuff that happens between then and the 11th grade where the kids are applying for college – that’s where the differentiation takes place for lack of opportunity, proper nutrition, resources, etc.

That’s why I’m very interested in Children’s Institute because they’re addressing those needs from the earliest phases where the pathways get set for kids and families and at the same time, the time when most help is needed. By the time students are in 11th grade and applying to college, lots of things happen. On one end, there are extraordinary kids who managed to do extremely well despite challenging circumstances early on but those are the exceptions.

If you can get involved in a family’s lives very early on, like what Children’s Institute is doing, you can set kids up for success – to reach their full, natural potential. I think it’s a tragedy in this country that we’re essentially squandering 60% of the human capital of the country by under-investing in very basic things including housing, education, health care and other basic needs.

Children’s Institute is a large organization for its type, but it serves a tiny fraction of the overall need. It’s very important that Children’s Institute succeeds because it sets a model that other people and organizations can follow.

What connects you to Children’s Institute and what is your message of encouragement you’d like to share with other donors?

Children’s Institute’s model appeals to me because it addresses the entire family system and the community, more broadly. It’s wonderful if organizations operate programs for children and address children’s needs because those are essential, but I don’t think that’s going to be successful unless you are also supporting families and communities at the same time. Unless you’re helping the whole family succeed, it’s not going to work or at least as well as it should.

I’m proud to be associated with Children’s Institute and the work they’re doing. I’m flattered and honored that I am an honoree. I would encourage other folks who have the means to support nonprofits such as Children’s Institute to support this organization. If you care about the health of society, in general, and you care about economic development, public safety, public health, and related issues, this is really where it all starts.

It starts with families, homes, children and education. All of the other things that we’re trying to address, including housing issues, are symptoms of what happens with families and children in the home. I believe in the model that Children’s Institute is using because they are addressing those issues in a holistic way and sticking with people and giving them the broad range of services that they need so that they can go out there and succeed.

And I think this kind of work has a multiplier effect. Families that are on the lower end of the economic spectrum that are able to launch their kids into life successfully – those kids go on and they have kids and they bring these values and these skill sets into their family’s lives, and it grows from there.

 

If you would like to give back to the community while enjoying an evening celebrating our honorees at our 6th Annual “Cape & Gown Gala”, you can purchase corporate sponsorships or individual & group tickets here. Our “Cape & Gown Gala” will take place on Sunday, December 8 from 5-8pm at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Proceeds to the gala will go towards the services and programs helping the underserved children and families in our community.

Deskside Chat with the Board: Supriya Batra

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We recently welcomed Supriya Batra, a Partner at Bel Air Investment Advisors, as a member of our board of trustees. Please read below to learn more about Supriya and what motivated her to join Children’s Institute.

Welcome aboard, Supriya! We are so excited to have you join our board of trustees.  Could you please start by sharing more about yourself? 

I am a child of an immigrant father who moved from India to the United States with only $20 in his pocket, seeking a better life for himself through education. Growing up, he instilled in me the values of responsibility, frugality and the importance of education. He worked tirelessly, commuting by bus to ARCO in downtown Los Angeles. I remember my siblings and I would eagerly wait at the bus stop to welcome him home each day, witnessing firsthand his dedication and work ethic.

He followed traditional Indian customs, including an arranged marriage to my mother who immigrated with my father. In Indian culture, women are not raised to work, but rather, to become mothers. Despite the cultural norms that often limit women to domestic roles, my family was different. My father had three sisters, all professionals – including two doctors and one entrepreneur. This environment broadened my perspective on what women could achieve beyond motherhood. My father encouraged me with a friendly, supportive approach, urging me to pursue my ambitions, and unlike many of my family friends, I was raised with the belief and notion that I could – and should – aspire to a fulfilling career.

My father’s entrepreneurial spirit eventually led him to leave ARCO to start his own company. Watching him navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship and the tough road of not having a steady income and working well into the middle of the night, taught me invaluable lessons about hard work and perseverance. Fast forward to today, I’m a financial advisor, and similar to my father, I co-founded a successful business with another female leader, starting from nothing to building it into what it is today. My father’s positive role-modeling played a crucial role in my career.

What makes you excited to be a part of our Board of Trustees? Is there anything specific about our North Star that speaks to you? 

Reflecting on my childhood, I recognize the immense support I received from my immediate and extended family and community. I realize that this is in stark contrast with the experiences of children facing extreme poverty, who often lack the resources, time and love that are critical for their development. This disparity deeply resonates with me and is the reason why I am a part of the board.

Children’s Institute’s North Star emphasizes the importance of self-empowerment and the pillars necessary for it: educational success, emotional wellbeing, economic mobility plus love and resources necessary for lifelong health. I believe these elements are fundamental to surviving and thriving in today’s world, and they align with my own values and experiences. This is what draws me to Children’s Institute and excites me about contributing to its mission.

What is one piece of advice you’ve received that has helped you – that you’d like to share with the children we serve?

Never give up on yourself. Always advocate for yourself, even when others don’t believe in you. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.

What type of legacy of success would you like to leave behind?

I aspire to leave a legacy of authenticity behind. Everyone thrives when they are true to themselves, rather than pretending to be someone they’re not. Authenticity is not only less exhausting but also more positively received by others. I hope to be remembered as someone who was genuine and who did what I said I would.

Do you have any fun facts about yourself you’d like to share?

My biggest hobby is fitness! I enjoy all types of personal fitness classes and have tried nearly every one of them. Recently, I started weight training class through the encouragement of my friend. Just a year ago, I began lifting almost nothing but now I can bench press my body weight!

Get to Know Your Reporter: Jenny Gold, Staff Writer at The Los Angeles Times

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“Get to Know Your Reporter” is a series of interviews we’re having with reporters & journalists covering topics that are both timely and relevant to our audiences. Our aim is to advocate for and highlight the issues that affect the children and families we serve, and one way is by providing information directly from experts in the field.

To launch this series, we are honored to have had the opportunity to sit down with Jenny Gold, a staff writer at The Los Angeles Times, covering the Early Childhood Development & Education beat.

Q: Thank you, Jenny, for your willingness to be interviewed. I’m sure as a reporter, being the interviewee isn’t the usual spot you’re in, but we’re thankful for your time and would like to learn more about you. Could you start off by telling us about your background in journalism?

I’m a long-time reporter, having covered health care for a large portion of my career, including maternal and child health. Over a year ago, I joined The Los Angeles Times to cover the early childhood beat, so now, I write exclusively about kids aged 0 to 5 and their families. It’s just such an amazing beat—so interesting, so varied and so important. 

Q: What motivates you to report on early childhood, education and development?

What drew me to the early childhood beat was becoming a mom myself. I have two little boys, ages two and five, both of whom I am completely in love with. Going through the experience of being pregnant, giving birth and then all the joys of early parenthood—including the ups and downs—have been so fascinating to me. This beat has given me the opportunity and the excuse to explore all these issues that I was already really interested in and passionate about and report on them.

Getting to both live and report on my beat has been such a gift. This experience provides a constant flow of ideas, a deeper understanding of child development and insights into the issues facing parents in finding education and childcare for their young children.

Q: What makes you most passionate about being a reporter?

I am passionately committed to truth and accuracy. I see so much misinformation out there, especially on social media, and I’m driven to correct the record and ensure that families, caregivers and people in power have the correct information to understand how things are playing out on both a state and national level, in terms of young children. 

As more research comes out, we know more and more about how important the early years of life are for a child’s brain development, happiness and even earning potential. The first few years are such a significant period in a child’s life, when more than a million neural connections are forming every second. It’s also a vital time for families who are fully hands-on in caring for their children.

It’s important to me that people have accurate information about what’s really going on during a time when families are just trying to figure out what’s best for them—and I think it can be hard to get accurate information about what’s really going on. I care deeply about making sure people have the information they need. 

There’s an education part to this to make sure that the truth is out there, and that families and caregivers are informed. The second piece to this is to hold the people in power accountable. We need to ensure that the changes and commitments we make to children and families are effective. 

There are always unintended consequences to policy decisions, and as a reporter, I track how these policies are impacting real people so that necessary adjustments can be made. That impact piece really matters to me. 

Finally, I want to alleviate the pressures and guilt that parents and caregivers often feel from the constant stream of information on social media about how to parent. I feel it myself. Parents log onto social media and there’s a constant stream of content telling you how to parent and what your child needs and what you’re doing wrong. Through my stories, I try to avoid that kind of pressure and guilt because it can be counterproductive. Parents are doing their best, and the last thing they need is someone wagging a finger at them.

Q: Are there any future projects you’re working on or plan to work on?

A: We’re coming up on an important election with a lot on the ballot locally, statewide and nationally. We’ll be following these developments closely and equipping our readers with information so they can be well-informed when they go to the ballot box.

Q: Is there anything interesting about yourself or any hobbies you’d like to share?

I secretly aspire to be a children’s book writer and hope to add that to my list of accomplishments someday. I love reading children’s books with my kids and would love to create some for others to enjoy. I’ve written a few but have never tried to get them published—they’re just sitting in my computer. I hope one day to have the opportunity to share them.

I’d like to note that I’m grateful to everyone who reads our stories on The Los Angeles Times and I hope our stories resonate with our audience. My door is always open and I love hearing directly from parents about their experiences with parenting, what they feel is important and what other issues they think I should be writing about, including questions they have and would like answers to.

Jenny Gold, staff writer at The Los Angeles Times can be reached at jenny.gold@latimes.com

 

See below for articles written by Jenny:

Phoning for Medi-Cal help? You may face hourlong waits

LAUSD faces penalty for transitional kindergarten staffing violations 

LAUSD wants transitional kindergarteners to test, parents in uproar

Should I enroll my child in Transitional Kindergarten?Â