Shifting Power to Equitable Partnerships with Sandra Gasca

In this episode, Elliot and Tecoria sit down with Sandra Gasca to talk about the family well-being movement and Thriving Families, Safer Children from the national perspective. Sandra is the Vice President of the Center for Systems Innovation at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which is one of the Thriving Families national partner organizations.  Thriving Families has a guiding principle of centering the work in communities. It’s also an initiative that involves five national partners working in partnership with lived expert leaders. So, to engage in community led work requires national organizations to practice power sharing in a way that is a departure from the norm, creates challenges and tensions, and it takes time to develop the ability. In this conversation, you’ll hear from Sandra about what she and the Foundation are learning about leading with communities, sharing power, and taking the time to build equitable partnerships.

In addition to our site partners across the country, the following people and organizations have come together to show that it is possible to fundamentally rethink how America protects children and supports families.