Color Lines July - August 2008 Issue

Kicking Kids Out of Foster Care  p. 14-15

In the July/August issue of Color Lines magazine an article entitled “Kicking Kids Out of Foster Care” written by Toni Naccarato and Iliana Hernandez addresses the issues youth face as they exit the foster care system. Unfortunately, the 20,000 teens that leave foster care at age 18 do not always possess the real life skills and financial resources needed to survive on their own. The article addresses why and how the system might be improved to ensure the success of the youth leaving the system. Naccarato and Hernandez also address the need for other organizations to provide services and resources for foster care teens. In addition, they question the age at which foster care should exit the system. We will discuss the issues foster care youth have a higher risk of facing: homelessness, incarceration, mental health issues, substance abuse, not finishing high school. In addition, we will engage in a dialogue on whose responsibility it is to serve this population and identify current organizations or programs that might be of service.

Home from the Military p. 16-21

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The stark reality of half of the 20,000 active-duty military women being women of color is illuminated as three women share their stories in Michelle Chen’s article “Home from the Military.” The prevalence of sexual assault, how the military responds to, and, the repercussions for these women is addressed in the article. Veterans often experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – a mental health disorder that can impact all areas of one’s life. Female veteran’s who have been victims of sexual assault have additional mental health problems and an even more severe form of PTSD. We will discuss why and how so many women of color join the military and the need for support and mental health services during and after their time in the military.

If you cannot read the articles that will be discussed, please still join us on Thursday for an introduction to the articles in the current issue. The discussion is this Thursday, July 17 from 6 PM to 8 PM!




Currently in its 9th year of publication, ColorLines is the leading national, multi-racial magazine devoted to the creativity and complexity of communities of color. ColorLines features the best writing on the issues that affect these communities.