Policy & Practice | Summer 2024

Maya Angelou said, “Life offers us tickets to places that we unknowingly ask for.” As I reflect on the past 10 years raising my grandchildren, I have to agree with that statement. This story is about the power of authentic lived expert voices, passion for change, the need for patience and perseverance, and the importance of both data and dreams to make life better for our children.

There are a lot of titles to describe who I am. The most important in my life now are that of a mother, wife, sister, daughter, and grandmother. In my advocacy life, I am a kinship caregiver, kinship advocate, a lived expert voice—also known as a person with lived experience—President of the Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky, 1 and a Grand Voice with Generations United. 2 For the purpose of this article, I will just refer to myself as a kinship caregiver and person with lived experience.