Jovida J. Hill

Although "kinship" care is on the rise, Jovida's film aims to address the lack of understanding of the needs of these care providers (focusing mostly on African American grandmothers) and the children in their care. Having herself been raised by an auntie and grandmother, her film will show the vital role kinship care plays in keeping families together and out of the foster care system, celebrating the contributions of these relatives, while exploring the issues of race, gender and class that impact the access kinship caregivers have within institutions, schools and so on. The film provides caregivers and children in their care an opportunity to tell social service providers what they need to improve their lives. This information will be shared with the providers, educators and policy makers, providing information on how to be more socially and economically supportive of nontraditional families.