Media

" We Are Works In Progress"

Interview with Madeleine Nelson and Lauren Restino of the Child Advocacy Clinic - Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law

Donetia Meshack, AKA Lady D entered foster care when she was 11 months old. She was in care for 17 years, where she transitioned through many homes and had only intermittent contact with her birth family. Between elementary school and graduation from high school, Donetia attended seven different schools. Despite the instability that she faced, Donetia loved to learn, and she went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree from SMU and a Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School. After law school, Donetia worked as a deputy city attorney in Los Angeles and operated a private practice as a criminal defense lawyer. She also worked for twenty years as a municipal governmental employee. She is now a self-published author and graduate of the Loyola Marymount University Extension Youth Peer Support Specialist Program.

In this podcast, Donetia describes her time in foster care and the “umbilical love” that connects her to her biological family, despite the hardship and trauma they have endured. Donetia shares about the community and support she found as she navigated the challenges that came with foster care, and she offers insight about the way community allowed her to realize her untapped potential.

In her own words, “We are more than our circumstances. We are more than our fractured families. We are more than our missed marks. We are more than the unwise decisions we have made. We are more than our setbacks. We are works in progress, and we have everything we need to rise above our circumstances."