What inspired you to become a CASA volunteer, and what continues to inspire you?

I grew up on my mom’s side of the family which was a big Mexican family with lots of cousins. While not everyone is super close, I always knew I had family all over the place. Even if we weren’t in regular contact, I always knew they’d show up if I needed them. I wanted to be that for someone else.

I earned my Master’s degree in Forensic Behavioral Science with a concentration in criminal behavior and am currently earning my Master’s in Social Welfare at UCLA. I was looking for volunteer work that aligned with my social welfare studies as I wanted hands-on experience in the field. I found CASA through the DCFS website. It’s been chaotic over the past year and a half, but it’s also been one of the most learning-rich experiences I’ve had.

What continues to inspire me is my mom. She’s one of the hardest-working people I know. She’s recently retired, but was a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in the NICU at LAC+USC Medical Center, now Los Angeles General Medical Center, for 35 years. She remembers when the safe surrender program was being formed with the help of Judge Zeidler, who also swore me in at my CASA graduation! Watching her taught me how to be hardworking. She always taught me to respect everyone, from the top down to the bottom, everyone is equally important. If you really want to understand how a system works, talk to the secretaries and the janitors. I come from a family of public servants.

I can fully listen to someone without judgment, and that’s rare. You have to find your biases and set them aside. Sometimes the youth we work with have never had a consistent, nonjudgmental ear. The fact that CASA volunteers are unpaid makes a huge difference! It shows these kids that someone is showing up for them simply because they care. Seeing the little milestones, the small things, is often more inspiring than the big ones.

We’ve heard so much about the impact of your advocacy. Which moment has made you the proudest?

What makes me proudest is when a youth reaches out in a harder way than they’re used to, when they’re choosing the right thing over the easy thing. I see the effort they put in, and I mirror that. If they put in a ton of effort, I will too. I’m going to be there regardless, but let’s get things done together.

It’s powerful when they reach for something better.  That’s so hard, going against those automatic norms.

One moment that stays with me: my youth was sleeping in an abandoned house, but he still made it to his first day of school the next day. It didn’t matter what was happening, he wanted to be there, and he wasn’t going to let his situation change that.

What would you say to someone who’s a new CASA volunteer?

I’d say: once you have a foundation for right and wrong and learn the acronyms, the rest is less about the application and more about just showing up, even when you don’t know what you’re doing. Even when you’re in crisis mode and can’t get ahold of the CSW. That kind of support matters, even if you don’t have all the answers.

Learn to communicate. Learn what makes [your young person] laugh, and what calms them down.

Just being there is the most important thing. It’s not about finding the perfect placement; it’s about being a consistent presence, especially if they don’t have anyone else who’s steady in their life.

And don’t be afraid to ask for things! If you don’t know how things usually go in the system, all the doors are open. Most people in these jobs genuinely want to help youth and make sure they’re not missing out on necessities.

For example, I didn’t know how to enroll a kid in school, but I called around and found a continuation school. They made an appointment for us, and even though they knew [my young person] didn’t qualify, they gave me a ton of useful information. That’s when you realize there are so many humans in the system. You can go anywhere you want, and once you do, you end up with more options than you knew existed.

You can’t be afraid to ask questions you’ve never asked before. If one way doesn’t work, you will find another. There’s always another way.

Thank you so much Tiffany, we’re so grateful for your commitment to CASA/LA

Here’s a list of free activities to do across Los Angeles, provided by the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.

Click here to learn more. 

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