**MEDIA ADVISORY**
CASA of Los Angeles Celebrates African American History Month At
Mayme Clayton Museum
Event to Take Place Saturday, February 23rd
African American CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Los Angeles will be hosting a community event highlighting the critical need for more African American volunteers to give a voice to children in foster care. The gathering will also be a celebration of African American culture, and will be held at the Mayme Clayton Museum, which houses the largest collection of African American artifacts west of the Mississippi.
Featured speakers will be the Honorable Judge Marguerite Downing, Los Angeles Superior Court, Juvenile Dependency Division and Dr. Anissa McNeil, Educator, CASA Board Member & CASA volunteer.
CASA is a non-profit organization that trains and supports volunteers from the community to serve as advocates for children in the highly-overburdened foster care system of Los Angeles County. CASA volunteers bring the voice of the community into a child welfare system that is often overly-bureaucratic and legalistic. Studies have shown that children with CASAs receive more assistance and support than children without, are more likely to be adopted, and are less likely to reenter the child welfare system. For more information, please visit the CASA website: www.casala.org.
African American children currently comprise 26.5% of the youth in foster care. There is a need for additional African American volunteers to better offer cultural affinity between volunteers and children.
WHAT: CASA of Los Angeles African American History Month Celebration & Information Event
WHEN: Saturday, February 23 from 11:00am – 1:00pm
WHERE: Mayme Clayton Library and Museum
4130 Overland Avenue
Culver City, CA 90230
Those interested in attending can RSVP to: Kaylee Wilmovsky, kw********@ca****.org / 323-859-2888 x6304
