Welcome to The [Inclusion] Conversation Podcast!

Our guest this episode is Dawn J. Post, Founder of Themis Youth Law & Advocacy, in conversation with our host, Grace Yung Foster. 

This podcast dives into the world of work, careers, and life for Adoptees, Foster Care Alumni, our allies, parents, child welfare professionals, policy experts, and all within the Adoptee and Foster's orbit.

Dawn J. Post is the Founder of Themis Youth Law & Advocacy. The purpose of Themis is to fight for abandoned and discarded youth, and to achieve this, they engage in legal services and advocacy to address broken adoptions, sibling visitation, and institutional child abuse and neglect in residential facilities for youth nationally and abroad. Dawn is an expert in children’s rights, advocacy and litigation. 

We do need to inform you that this episode does discuss topics of child abuse, neglect, abandonment, and trafficking. Please find the support you need if this is something you or someone you know has experienced. And if you would like to know how you can be in touch with licensed professionals who can help, please reach out to us directly at contact@theinclusioninitiative.com or visit National Child Abuse Hotline https://www.childhelphotline.org/ or call them at 1.800.422.4453. To report human trafficking, you can also Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or Text the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 233733. Message and data rates may apply. Please call 911 if there is an emergency situation with a child experiencing abuse or trafficking. 

We dive into Dawn’s journey starting at 10-years-old and deciding to help abandoned Adoptees and Fosters. Incredible. She shares about her breakthrough policy work within the child welfare system in NY, and her many years of service in advocating for and legally representing Adoptees and Fosters who have been abandoned by their adoptive families - including those who experience formal and informal broken adoptions. One high-profile case she is involved in litigating is the case of Jonah Bevin, adopted son of Matt and Glenna Bevin. Matt Bevin is the former governor of Kentucky. The couple adopted Jonah from Ethiopia when he was five years old, and Jonah says he was abandoned by them when they sent him to a boarding school in Jamaica and stranded him there when the boarding school shut down, never coming to pick him up or helping him get back home. Jonah is one of hundreds of Adoptees that Dawn has represented and supported throughout her career. 

Dawn also talk about what we can do, how we can be allies, and the small steps of support that make a big difference. She urges us to take action and hold systems, institutions, and people accountable so that innocent and vulnerable youth in the adoption and foster care systems are treated fairly, humanely, and are seen as real people.

We end the show with “Rapid Fire” questions which brings levity and also some fun facts about our guest. This is an incredible episode and we hope you enjoy learning about our guest. 

Dawn J. Post

Support her nonprofit: https://www.themisyouthlawadvocacy.org 

Support her client, Jonah Bevin: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-jonah-and-others-in-crisis 

Follow her work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-j-post-5a530956 

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Our executive producer is Grace Yung Foster. This show is brought to you by The Inclusion Initiative Media Studio.