I had found a lump.

That discovery led to the mammogram and ultrasound where I asked the technician a question that most people are afraid to ask.

“Can you tell whether it’s cancer?”

She paused before answering. “Usually, yes.”

I asked how she could tell. She explained that certain features—spiculated (spiky) margins—often signal malignancy. Then she said something I will never forget: “I’d say this is a five.”

To everyone out there doing this work — the real, messy, beautiful, heavy work — this is for you.

Let me start with something simple:

I see you. And I get it.

For more than a decade at Be Strong Families, I’ve walked beside parents, caregivers, youth workers, social workers, and community leaders who carry so much and keep showing up anyway. I don’t just do this work because it matters. I do it because I need it, too.

And right now — as BSF steps more boldly into who we are becoming — I want to say this clearly:

We are building a movement.

A movement grounded in truth-telling, connection, and dignity — built one conversation at a time.

Cafés are conversations.

Our trainings are conversations.

And conversation is how relationships grow strong enough to carry real change.

When Illinois youth in care identified hair care as a priority, they didn't just raise awareness—they made history. Through Youth Advisory Boards, young leaders partnered with Be Strong Families and Loyola University Chicago to draft, refine, and pass HB 5097, the nation's first Hair Care Bill. From testimony at the state capitol to co-leading the Annual Hair Care Symposium, these youth transformed lived experience into law. Now, their model shows what's possible when young people lead and adults truly partner.

“The Café starts on the bus,” says Sam Blue of Vision for Children at Risk (VCR), capturing how connection begins long before families sit in a circle. More than a decade ago, while parents gathered to talk, listen, and build community through Parent Cafés, children watched from the sidelines—absorbing lessons about belonging, leadership, and shared strength. One of those children was Sam’s son, Abraham, who today stands at the center as a youth leader and trained host of youth-led #WoWTalk Cafés, carrying forward the same peer-to-peer model he grew up witnessing. His story reflects the quiet, generational ripple of Parent Cafés: when children grow up seeing trust, reflection, and community in action, they don’t just remember it—they become it.

On Saturday, August 9, more than 850 people filled the Robert Crown Community Center for our 3rd Annual Evanston is Family Strong Back to School Family Fun Fest, and it was a day to remember!

From the minute doors opened, families were lining up for backpacks and books. By the end of the day, we had given away 1,000 backpacks and 500 books to make sure kids were ready to head back to school strong. The smiles on children’s faces (and the relief on parents’) said it all.

Parental engagement makes a powerful difference in a child's education. Research consistently shows that when parents get involved, students earn better grades, stay in school longer, and are more likely to pursue higher education.¹ When parents actively participate by attending school events, communicating with teachers, and supporting learning at home, students of all backgrounds benefit.

Recognizing this impact, Parent Universities and Be Strong Families have partnered to strengthen family engagement in three school districts in Illinois.