<p>On this episode, MaBinti sits down with powerhouse D.C. lawyer Angela Thornton. Angela pursued a career in law to combine her interest in child welfare with government practice. She passed the Bar in Massachusetts, District of Columbia, and Georgia and later returned to her native D.C. to work as the Disciplinary Hearing Counselor with the Youth Services Administration. Later, she transitioned to the Civil Protection Prosecution team in the area of Child Abuse and Neglect. She currently works as the Chief Advancement Officer with the Center for Children and Young Adults.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Angela worked hard to give her office a voice at the table regarding decisions involving the courts and the U.S. Attorney's Office, Her office plays such an integral role in day-to-day law since the District of Columbia does not have statehood. They launched several different courts to make the court less divisive and more focused on the welfare of the child. During Angela's tenure, the federal government was willing to send their shareholders to work closely with the local, private, and community courts in D.C. in order to create a bigger impact. The government needs a neutral place to ensure the child in question is being cared for psychologically, physically, and academically. Thus, bringing all the different groups and courts together and keeping an open line of communication is a key piece of child welfare.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Angela learned through her work in management that it's key to maintain continuity and presence. You can't launch a great program and walk away from it because you risk losing ground. Homeless youths who can't vote and are considered less-than still need a level playing field. So, developing a skillset to work with the community and the underdogs is integral to success in Angela’s current position. There's no prestige in this work, but a lot of compassion and helping these youths grow up to be contributing members of our community.</p> <p><br></p> <p>One of the major changes that have taken place during Angela's career in the in D.C. government has been a push in pay. When she came into her field, the average salary was less than that of social workers. This meant that D.C. often saw quite a talent gap because other states could attract better talent with better pay. Recruiting can also pose a problem, and it helps to know someone on the inside because there's a lot you can't glean from resumes and references. In addition, inclusion is essential to government and child welfare, and open-minded teammates are critical to continued development. Since starting in her field, the key difference Angela has seen is diversity on the hiring committee and the evolution of experience to see where the gaps were in hiring.</p> <p><br></p> <p>D.C. is also limited by its lack of statehood and representation in Congress, which directly impacts the flexibility of the talent its agencies take on. In addition, the city doesn't fully control its budget and funding and it relies t on many of their federal counterparts to be their voice in Congress. Angela argues that agencies need to work with others from the bottom to the top. We tend to focus on the top, but we have a responsibility to focus on the bottom rung of society. We owe it to them to assist them in getting appropriate promotions and guidance to become contributing members of society. We also need more transparency between agencies and to increase the mentoring process.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Things You Will Learn:</p> <ol> <li>Background on Angela Thornton's background in government and child welfare.</li> <li>How federal, local, and private courts work together to advocate abused, neglected, and at-risk youths.</li> <li>How D.C.'s lack of statehood and representation in Congress impacts their budget funding and their work.</li> </ol>