The duo (foster care alumni LaTasha C. Watts & Tanisha A. Cunningham, discuss the realities and various aspects of being apart of the foster care system. Youth and adults will take this journey by following the two panelist through their amazing life stories; from being in care, homeless teens to battling cancer. Youth and adults will be empowered and captivated as they learn of the successful outcomes of their lives and where they are today. Audiences will also have the opportunity to have a question and answer session with the panelist to help motivate their own successful ventures.

Panelist Bios

LaTasha C. Watts & Tanisha A. Cunningham

About LaTasha C. Watts:

LaTasha C. Watts is a Philanthropist-Foster Care Advocate, Author and Motivational Speaker. She spent her entire life in the foster care system; living in a variety of foster homes, until eventually “aging out” of the foster care system at the age of 18. After her emancipation, LaTasha would then find herself struggling to survive, facing homelessness, subjecting herself to abusive relationships, being diagnosed with OCD, having a baby, becoming a single mother and battling Cancer all by the age of 23.However despite her adversities, she maintained a determination to change the negative outcomes of children in the foster care system and beyond. Currently she has over 10 years experience in working with youth in a variety of settings. She prominently holds the positions of Founder and Executive Director of The Purple Project (www.thepurpleproject.org), an online and offline support and resource network for anyone linked to the foster care community. She is also Founder and CEO of Cummings Watts & Associates,LLC, a lifestyle management and consulting firm. LaTasha has received numerous recognitions, including a Proclamation from Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio, in honor of her immeasurable contributions to the foster care and adoption community. She has currently completed on her first book “I’m Not Broken Just A Little Twisted”, scheduled to hit bookshelves in November 1, 2010. Latasha travels nationwide educating and motivating youth and adults, who are linked to the foster care community and beyond.

About Tanisha A. Cunningham:

Making a way out of no way, Tanisha A. Cunningham has beaten the odds and redefined the stereotypes associated with children in foster care. Coming from a troubled and abusive home and then entering into an environment that would later question her success in life, she was determined to take control of her destiny. Today, Tanisha holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services, a Masters degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University, and has over 17 years experience working in government agencies including the New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services. With a strong passion for children in foster care, Tanisha has recently become the Founder and Executive Director of The Underground Railroad to Success (www.railroad2success.com), a nonprofit organization that has allowed her to give birth to her vision to assist youth aging out of foster care to achieve independent success. Having survived the foster care system herself by successfully transitioning to her own independence, she truly understands the fear of not knowing what's going to happen next. Now it's time for her to go back and help others through that same journey of success. Mirroring the same passion and determination to help others as her role model, Harriet Tubman, Tanisha’s goal is to lead as many youth in foster care as she can through the tunnel of success where they will find their ndependence as adults while becoming an integral part of our society. Tanisha is also working on her first book titled “A Rose Can’t Grow in a Garden of Weeds due out in 2011.