Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children of Essex County
“The learning sessions greatly enhanced our ability to challenge the hierarchy of who gets to write history.”
CASA Essex developed a plan to capture and give voice to the stories of people who have lived experience in the child welfare system. They worked closely with community partners to convene an Advisory Committee with expertise in child welfare, Essex County history, and philanthropy to consider how to focus their historical research, allow participants to maintain ownership of their stories, and lead lasting change. The Community History Program helped CASA Essex learn how this kind of community-based history and storytelling can provide new ways to achieve their goal to help the broader community understand the circumstances families face that lead to involvement with the child welfare system.