This week on It’s OK that You’re Not OK:
A Place Called Home: a conversation with child welfare advocate, David Ambroz
The scene is 1990’s New York City. Young David Ambroz and his two siblings are homeless, sleeping in bus shelters and bathing in public restrooms, under the care of his mentally ill mother. The child he was is still evident in the person he grew up to be: a nationally recognized expert on child welfare, and a staunch supporter of the foster care system. In this episode, we discuss both the horror and the joy of his childhood, landing on a vision of hope for the future that everyone (yes, you!) can help bring into fruition.
Sensitivity note: this episode explores the realities of being a homeless child, including brief examples of cruelty and non-graphic mention of sexual assault.
In this episode we cover:
- The terrifying, liberating power of putting your personal story out into the world for everyone to see
- “Occasional angels” and how they helped young David survive the cruelty of his upbringing
- The intersections of mental illness, homelessness, and poverty
- Beyond fostering: how anyone can take action to create the kind of world where kids are safe and loved and cared for
Looking for a creative exploration of grief? Check out the best selling Writing Your Grief course here.
About our guest:
David Ambroz is a national poverty and child welfare expert and advocate. He currently serves as the Head of Community Engagement (West) for Amazon, coordinating with non-profits and community leaders for social good. David’s memoir, A Place Called Home, is a heart-wrenching yet inspiring story, depicting childhood poverty and homelessness as it is experienced by so many young people. Find him at davidambroz.com, on IG @hjdambroz, and on LinkedIn
Additional resources:
- Just talking about foster care can help foster care. Check out FosterMore, the foundation David co-founded with his sister, Jennifer Perry.
- Want to talk with Megan directly? Join our patreon community for an inexpensive monthly open video Q&A clinic for grieving people
- Want to speak to her privately? Apply for a 1:1 grief consultation here.
- Check out Megan’s best-selling books – It’s OK That You’re Not OK and How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed
Books and resources may contain affiliate links.
For more information, including clinical training and consulting and to share your thoughts, visit us at megandevine.co
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