Mark Daley describes his life as a series of wrong doors at the right time. Tune in as Mark shares his remarkable journey from growing up closeted and steeped in shame to political campaigns to pioneering LGBTQ+ rights, becoming a foster parent, and then reshaping foster care for at-risk youth. This episode will challenge everything you think you know about risk, family, and the power of unexpected moments to lead you home. Mark's story is a masterclass in turning the unexpected into the unforgettable. Tune in to uncover the life lessons hidden in unexpected places and learn why sometimes, the wrong door can lead you to exactly where you need to be. Don't miss this beautiful conversation with a man who found his voice, his purpose, and his family by embracing the twists of fate.

Connect with Mark on his Website and Instagram. Learn more about The Foster Parent here. And grab a copy of Marks best selling book, Safe. Listen on Spotify Premium for free or support Indie bookstores and listen on Libro.fm.

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• More about Heather via @heather_vickeryandco on Instagram, @Braveheather on TikTok, and listen to The Brave Files
  


• More about Alan via @theatre_podcast on Instagram and listen to The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales
  

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• Mark’s life has been all about “wrong door, right time.”


• Working on an election campaign is crazy because you know you’re going to lose your job at some point.


• Mark started as an intern working on The Hill while still a college student. This led to eventually working on Hillary Clinton’s first presidential campaign.


• Being around politics as a teenager sparked this interest in public office.


• Safe was about telling Mark and his family’s story and seeing if it could make a difference for other families.


• Several members of Mark’s family had come from Foster Care and it always held a special place in his heart.


• Growing up Gay often comes with a sense of shame, especially for people growing up in the 80’s.


• What is One Iowa - The idea came to Mark in the shower (where all good ideas start). The message was not really about equality, it was about fairness.


• Thefosterparent.com was founded because Mark knew he could really offer was a way to recruit more foster parents and get more awareness of this issue. They do this via very targeted micro-campaigns. 


• Foster Care should always be about reunification but sometimes that simply is not possible.


• Mark connected with Lara Love Hardin as a Foster Parent who was empathetic towards the parents who have had children entered into the system.


• Taking risks is a major part of parenting but as a foster parent, it’s more difficult because of all the rules. 


• FINAL page of the book


• Failure always leads to a lesson, or perhaps the opportunity simply wasn’t the right thing for you.

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