Bonus Babies
The Anthem Award winning BONUS BABIES podcast is the only one of its kind that features the compelling true-life hard-hitting stories of those with a lived foster care experience and the people who care for them––all via the unique 360* lens of a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer. Through raw first-hand accounts, BONUS BABIES reveals the daunting complexity of the foster care world while documenting the challenges, failures and successes of the system as well as the people and the agencies involved. The creator and host, Jayne Amelia Larson, is a CASA - a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer for youth in foster care. In the same way a CASA works, she explores all things in the foster care maze by talking to kids, parents, caregivers, attorneys, social workers, therapists, adoptees, adoptive parents, members of community and social programs...anybody and everybody who will speak to her to keep the conversation open and the information flowing about all things CASA––to give a forum to help people understand what it's like to have a lived foster care experience. Original music by Christina Apostolopoulos. Emma Karpman is our Social Media Manager. Audio engineering and mixing by Adam "Yukon" Harr of Blue Oak Mastering. Executive Producer is Jake Eberle. Cover art by John Crowther.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 50 minutes
- Episodes
- 100
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Elizabeth Garcia Herrera: I've Got To Do My Part Of Not Repeating The Same Mistakes As My Family
Jayne Amelia speaks with foster alum Elizabeth Garcia Herrera. Liz and her sisters (America's story is Episode 16 of Season 3) were placed in foster care when their mother could no lon…
America Gutierrez: I Am Not Going To Be Silenced Anymore
Jayne Amelia speaks with foster care alum America Gutierrez. America is a passionate advocate for mental health, firmly guided by the belief that our voices are our most potent tools.…
Georgette Todd: That's When Everything Changed
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth and now child advocate Georgette Todd. Georgette is a speaker, author, and a foster care and child abuse prevention advocate. Georgette spe…
Ron Jenkins: One Of The Reason Kids Don't Get Help Is Because They Don't Learn How To Trust Again
Jayne Amelia speaks with child advocate and mentor Ron Jenkins. Ron is a former foster youth who along with his siblings was placed in foster care after his mother died of cancer when h…
Lorry Leigh Belhumeur: What's Happened To You, How Can I Help?
Jayne Amelia speaks with Dr. Lorry Leigh Belhumeur, a renowned leader in the field of mental health and wellness, with over 30 years of experience serving children and their families. …
Paul Freese: Who Are You, Why Are You Here, What Will Become Of You, What Impact Will You Have?
Jayne Amelia speaks with advocate Paul L. Freese, Jr. Paul has worked as a public interest attorney for more than 25 years and provides consulting on holistic innovations and solutions …
Jeremy Buchanan: I Was Thirsty. I Think Anybody Who Wants To Make It... Be Thirsty.
Jayne Amelia speaks with creative and foster care alumni Jeremy Buchanan. Jeremy was raised in Illinois, Georgia, and California. He moved around a lot as a kid and attended more eleme…
Barbara Lane: They Did Everything They Could To Break My Bonds To My Sisters But It Didn't Work
Jayne Amelia speaks with Reverand Barbara Lane. Rev. Lane is the author of "Broken Water: An Extraordinary True Story."
Barbara is the ninth of eleven sisters, abandoned by their bir…
Charity Chandler-Cole: I Am Capable Of Achieving Whatever I Want To Achieve
Jayne Amelia speaks with Charity Chandler-Cole. Charity is an author, scholar and activist and "... the CEO of CASA of Los Angeles, Court Appointed Special Advocates for youth impacted …
Mike Wiskar: Music Saved My Life As A Kid, Teenager, Adult...Totally
Jayne Amelia speaks with award-winning musician and adoptee Mike Wiskar. Mike is a Leo-nominated composer, songwriter, independent music producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. H…
Peter Mutabazi: My Role As A Dad...I Can Do As Much As Momma Can Do
Jayne Amelia speaks with adoptive dad to one and foster dad to many Peter Mutabazi. "As a child I ran away from an abusive home and was helped by the kindness of strangers. As an adult …
Steve Pemberton: You Need To Speak To Them In The Language Of Their Dreams
Jayne Amelia speaks with foster care alumnus Steve Pemberton. Steve is a best selling author, philanthropist, businessman and acclaimed speaker. Steve's "story is about defying seemingl…
Noah Nash: We All Are Special In Our Own Ways
Jayne Amelia speaks with Dr. Noah Nash. Noah is a foster care alumnus from very early childhood, as well as an educator and creative web designer-developer who is amplifying stories, pr…
Jacqueline Robles: I Saw People Die, I Saw People Get Addicted To Drugs And Fall Victim To The Streets
Jayne Amelia speaks with Jacqueline Robles, a former foster youth, and a relentless determined powerhouse of a young woman who aged out of the system and made her own way... jumping thr…
Regina Louise: I'm Done With That Carrot-ing Love
Jayne Amelia speaks with foster care alumnus and abolitionist, Regina Louise. Regina is a sought-after speaker, teacher, coach, and author. Recently she was the recipient of the prestig…
Elle Fox: It's So Worth It Even With The Pain That You Feel At The End
Jayne Amelia speaks with artist and foster sibling, Elle Fox. Elle, a high school student, has been sketching for as long as she can remember. Growing up in a family that fostered child…
Adisa: The Tenacity To Live Is Greater Than The Scars From The Struggle To Live
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth, Adisa. Adisa compares himself to a lion cub who had to fight for survival all his young life against the bigger badder lions all so hungry …
Mimi Savage: Be Of Service...Share...Give
Jayne Amelia talks with therapist Dr. Mimi Savage.
In this episode Mimi describes her upbringing: "My parents are not who I am. My mother's a white woman, my father's a black man. I am …
Jeremiah McWright: Sorry You Guys Got To Go
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth Jeremiah McWright. Jeremiah is from Sacramento, California. At 15, his four siblings and he were removed from their family and put into the…
Jennifer Stern: I Can't Imagine Anything Worse Than Losing Your Child
Jayne Amelia speaks with foster and adoptive mom, Jennifer Stern. Jennifer and her husband decided to become a foster family after realizing their dinner table was too quiet and knowing…