Article by:
Keith E. Wingate
Are you aware that there are over 3,000 children in foster care in Clark County, NV, with 51% of them being male? There is a law that says that every child in care should be assigned a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer to advocate for an abused, neglected, or abandoned child. Although the population of Clark County is 11.5% African American, a staggering 32% of children in care are African American. This sad reality means that these children are underrepresented by advocates who look like them and share similar backgrounds. Of the 435 CASA volunteers in Clark County only 14% of them are African American while 15.5% are males. Given this data, there is a critical need for African American volunteers and males to serve this impacted population. These volunteers are not placements for the children but serve somewhat as a project manager of the case on behalf of the court.
Consider this, four years ago my life was transformed when I was sworn in as CASA volunteer for the Eighth Judicial District Court here in Las Vegas, NV. As a CASA volunteer, I am responsible for making recommendations to the court about the safety, permanence, and well-being of my assigned child. The role has empowered me to become a quarterback for this child’s care by researching the facts of the case to get a full understanding of the situation at hand, collaborating with other parties on the case to ensure the case is progressing as planned and being the voice of the child as to their wishes and best interests.
My first assignment paired me with my kid, DK, when he was 13 years old. DK and I have grown very close as we navigate his teenage years in preparation for adulthood and independent living. DK is a well-mannered, focused kid who has hopes of being successful in a career in computer science, technology, and gaming. He hopes to become a gaming animator and developer and is currently taking classes to put him on track. In addition to being his CASA volunteer, I am also his Educational Decision Maker, where I advocate and make decisions on the best educational options for him.
It has been easy to integrate DK into my life as he has often become a companion when it’s time to run errands, complete coursework for a certification course that I am taking, and often when we take cultural excursions to the library, various parks, and attractions throughout the city. I have learned so much from him over the years and marvel at his courage, resilience, and mental fortitude.
I encourage you to join me as a CASA volunteer today. The goal is to have one CASA volunteer to serve every child in foster care and we are only 1/3 of the way there. Giving back is its own reward and I appeal to you to make a difference in a child’s life that is both meaningful and purposeful. The time that you invest in a child could change the trajectory of their lives and make the difference between their success and failure. Make a call to (702) 455-CASA to join an information session today.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Keith E. Wingate is a Senior Marketing Consultant with COX Media—a subdivision of COX Communications. He has over three decades of industry expertise in advertising, marketing, entertainment, and event promotions. Keith has strong ties in the Las Vegas community where he is a dedicated Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for the Eighth Judicial Court in Las Vegas, NV, and a volunteer Educational Decision Maker (EDM) for the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. Prior to these roles, he served as a former board member of Big Brother Big Sisters of Southern Nevada and as a Mentor Coach to several current and former students of UNLV and the College of Southern Nevada.