Carlos Watson to Moderate Virtual Event on Tuesday, November 17
News Release
Voices for Children Contact: Amanda Schaap
Phone: 858-598-2213
Email: amandas@speakupnow.org
(October 28, 2020) SAN DIEGO—In honor of its 40th anniversary of service in San Diego County, Voices for Children will host a Real Word “Reunion” panel of former foster youth. The virtual event on Tuesday, November 17, will be moderated by Emmy-winning journalist and co-founder of OZY media, Carlos Watson.
EVENT: Real Word “Reunion” Speakers Panel
DATE & TIME: Tuesday, November 17, 2020 (5:00 to 6:15 p.m.)
LOCATION: Virtual Event (Zoom Info Provided Upon Registration)
Admission is free, but online registration is required to attend. To register, and for more information, visit the Voices for Children website at: www.speakupnow.org/real-word. Adults (age 18+) only, please. This event is not appropriate for children.
The Real Word, a program of Voices for Children, is a panel comprised of individuals who have spent time in foster care after being abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents or caregivers. Real Word members share their experiences in the foster care system, such as what it is like to move from home to home or how it feels to be separated from their siblings. The “Reunion” panel will feature Real Word alumni who will look back at their time in foster care, how foster care shaped their lives, and the ways in which their Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) impacted their lives.
Carlos Watson is an entrepreneur and Emmy-winning journalist based in Silicon Valley. Watson brings to OZY Media a textured background in both business and media. He is the host of some of OZY’s Emmy-winning prime-time TV shows: Black Women OWN the Conversation (Oprah), Defining Moments (Hulu) and The Carlos Watson Show. Watson also anchored shows on CNN and MSNBC, hosted a series of Emmy-winning interview specials, and is one of the youngest members on the board at NPR.
As a businessman, Watson built Achieva College Prep Services into one of the nation’s largest college prep companies before selling it to The Washington Post/Kaplan. He also worked as the Global Head of Education Investment Banking for Goldman Sachs and as a consultant at McKinsey & Company.
The son and grandson of teachers, Watson graduated with honors from Harvard and Stanford Law School, where he was editor of the Law Review. Once named one of People magazine’s hottest bachelors, Watson is a “would-be Steph Curry” and an “aspiring Steven Wright.” His favorite TV shows include Peaky Blinders, Fauda and The Same Sky.
Voices for Children is the local nonprofit organization appointed by the court in San Diego and Riverside Counties to recruit and train Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers. CASAs serve as consistent, trusted adults for children who are in foster care after experiencing abuse or neglect. In addition, CASAs have the opportunity to advocate on behalf of foster children by providing critical information to judges making decisions about the children’s futures.
Real Word panelists are trained and supported by Voices for Children, and have spoken both locally and nationally about life in the dependency system.
For more information about the event, contact Voices for Children at 858-598-2210. To learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer, visit the Voices for Children website at www.speakupnow.org.
###
ABOUT VOICES FOR CHILDREN
Founded in 1980, Voices for Children (VFC) transforms the lives of abused, neglected, and abandoned children in foster care in San Diego and Riverside Counties by providing them with trained, volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs). CASA volunteers advocate for a foster child or sibling group in court, school, and in the community to ensure their needs are met. VFC believes that every child deserves a safe and permanent home, and strives to provide a CASA volunteer to every child in the foster care system who needs one. Last year, VFC CASAs and staff served more than 3,600 foster children across San Diego and Riverside Counties. For more information, visit www.speakupnow.org.
