Causha Spellman-Timmons is an incoming PhD student at the School of Social Policy and Practice. They graduated with their BA in Child and Adolescent Development in 2014 from San Francisco State University, and in 2016 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with their MSW. Causha has been working with youth, young adults, and families from various backgrounds, and in various capacities, for 20 years. Before joining the PhD program, Causha worked as a peer support supervisor, a lecturer at the UH-Manoa school of social work, policy coordinator for GLSEN-HI, and provided DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) training and consulting for agencies and organizations looking to create safe and affirming work environments and services for SOGIE minority staff and consumers. Their research interest is on the experiences of Black and Indigenous youth at the intersection of the child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice systems.