Program & Schedule

Emcee: Jameel Rasheed Patterson

Introduction

1. Frederic Stasek- CPS impacted parent
2. Rachel Freitas - retired federal child support officer and volunteer TJCS facilitator
3. Michelle D. Chan- impacted parent, writer, and founder and director of California Families Rise

Maintaining the Parent-Child Bond, increasing visitation, & TPR reform:

*CPS sets parents up to fail by alienating parents from their children. 

1. Christine Coggins- her case, in re Caden C. set the parental-benefit precedent 
2. Natalia Velasquez-Chang is a CPS impacted mother and parent leader.
3. Sabrina Williams, CPS impacted mother and parent leader.
4. Shonte Foster- co-founded Parents Against CPS Corruption

Child Support Injustice & the Oppression of Noncustodial Parents

*Not “deadbeat” but “beaten down”. Our Child Support system is unfair and in many ways actually counter to the purpose of helping children to thrive.

1. Felicia Clark is a CPS & Child Support impacted mother and organizer who has been a loud and consistent voice for CPS reform here in Sacramento.
2. Jason D’Souza is a child support impacted father.
3. Mark Zekanis has been impacted by child support for 30 years.
4. Bob Saunders- veteran activist who has been fighting for his children and for father’s rights for over a decade.
5. Paul Guevara is a child support impacted father.

CPS Injustice:

*When houselessness & housing instability intersections with parent & children’s rights

1. Crystal Sanchez, Western Regional Director for the National Union of the Homeless/ President Sacramento Homeless Union and Families Resist co-sponsor.
2. Jessica Gilbert: a Sacramento Homeless Union Lead and impacted mother.
3. Shannon Jones: (Sac Homeless Union Lead) Shannon’s son and other children were taken by CPS cuz she was living in a trailer unhoused trying to jump through their hoops. 
4. Vanessa De La Cruz. CPS made Vanessa homeless and now lack of housing is only thing keeping Vanessa’s children from her.

Conservatorships of Elderly & Disabled

*another form of family policing

1. Venus Gist- founder of California Justice and conservatorship-impacted daughter
2. Families United for Equity

Stories of Resistance from Impacted-families

1. Barbara Barnard, CPS impacted mother from Colusa County.
2. Susan Schoeffiled Cabana- impacted mother and creator of the Schoeffield Truth.
3. David Coleman- CEO of Sacramento Dads, Inc.
4. Crystal Williams: former foster youth & CPS-impacted parent.
5. Stefanie Felix- Stephanie’s parental rights were terminated because the agency claimed the parent-child bond had deteriorated.
6. Ben Winger- impacted parent from Yolo county.
7. Dorothy Hill- A grandmother whose attorney, Russel A. Robinson,  has been disbarred.
8. Kathy Lester- Monterey gramma fighting for her grandchild