Dear ,
We are delighted to announce that Sixto Cancel, Founder and CEO of Think of Us, will be a keynote speaker at the 2024 CTData Conference on October 17! As data people committed to driving social impact, we recognize Sixto's innovative approach offers invaluable insights into leveraging data for systemic change.
About Sixto Cancel and Think of Us:
Sixto Cancel is a visionary leader spearheading transformative change in the foster care system through Think of Us, a trailblazing organization with a mission to, "create a foster care system where every child has a loving home."
Think of Us is a Research + Design Lab at the forefront of revolutionizing child welfare policy and practice. They develop trusting relationships with individuals who have lived experiences within the child welfare system, such as current and former foster youth, parents, and families. By deeply engaging with those directly impacted and creating, "proximity at scale," Think of Us can better understand the systemic challenges faced by these populations and incorporate their voices and
insights into influencing practices and policies across the entire child welfare system. This collaborative approach ensures that the solutions and advocacy efforts are more effective, relevant, and impactful in driving meaningful change.
At Think of Us, Cancel champions the importance of capturing and utilizing lived experiences as data. Through collecting detailed information
from thousands of current and former foster youths, Think of Us can identify systemic issues and advocate for policy changes. During the pandemic, Think of Us gathered data from 27,000 youth about their housing, employment, and basic needs, uncovering common problems and challenges across the foster care system nationwide. This powerful data set led to securing $400 million in aid for youth in foster care.
Cancel's team embraces a "co-design" approach, actively involving those with lived experiences in creating data collection tools. This collaborative method leads to higher completion rates and ensures that the tools accurately capture the nuances of their experiences. Leveraging this data, they reframe problems through a systemic lens, revealing that poverty, housing insecurity, and addiction—not solely "child" or "parent" issues—are often the primary driving forces
behind families entering the child welfare system. By correctly identifying the root causes, they can help develop solutions that increase the likelihood of every child having a loving home.
Mark your
calendars for October 17th and join us to hear Sixto Cancel's powerful insights on driving change by centering the voices of those with lived experiences through data-driven strategies.
We look forward to your attendance and engaging in thought-provoking discussions on leveraging data for meaningful social impact.
Best regards,
Sarah Eisele-Dyrli
Assistant Director, CTData
