A Conversation with Jenny Serrano

Jenny Serrano, Director of Special Projects, Department of Children and Family Services

In anticipation of A Night of Stories: A Promise Fulfilled at the PLUS ME Storytelling Center, we spoke with Jenny Serrano about the power of owning your story. With decades of experience in policy and education—and her own lived experience in foster care—Jenny offers a rare and personal perspective on what it means to move beyond labels:

What drew you to your work in child welfare and education?

Jenny Serrano:

I was drawn to a career as an administrator in child welfare because of my personal experience in foster care. I wanted to work specifically on behalf of youth like me who needed support as they exited care. I wanted to do system work, not direct service, so my job is to think, develop and manage programs, projects, policies, and ideas about how to improve or expand on what we have available for youth to find success and create the lives they envision for themselves. After nearly three decades of doing that work, I am very happy to see how much things have changed, in part because of my advocacy and work, from the time I left foster care in 1995.

Initially, I started off as a drug and alcohol counselor, then case manager for runaway/homeless youth and then moved into management positions at the Children’s Court, nonprofits, and eventually the County of Los Angeles. I was drawn to my other career as a professor in higher education because of my personal experience making my way through community college (Los Angeles City College) and California State University Northridge (CSUN) for my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Now, I am celebrating my 20th year as a professor and I teach at CSUN, Loyola Marymount University and Pierce College.

What is your perspective on the term “at-risk”?

My position is we have to be very thoughtful about the words we use. I understand why we use that word. Most often these terms are linked to funding or adherence to policy. They are a way to define or identify particular sub-groups of young people with specific needs. However, those labels can be rigid. They can be harmful when they’re not coupled with positive reinforcement of a young person’s potential or experience. I would prefer something like “underestimated” because I think that’s more accurate than at-risk or under resourced or opportunity youth.

An example I can think of is when a youth has been in foster care for years and then becomes justice involved. A new case is opened as a probation youth and those two categories in lots of programs or places (school, housing, jobs) would be looked at or responded to differently, more negatively typically. More sympathy for the foster youth, none for the probation youth. Defining you by your worst day and negating your history of child abuse or neglect.

Why is this panel conversation important—and who should attend?

It fosters community, togetherness. Being able to be in relationship with people with similar life experience can be cathartic and provide safety and connection in a completely different way.

Everyone should care about youth, including system-impacted youth, because we are all connected and we all share the human experience with lots of similar twists and turns. My kids went to school with, were friends with, and have dated youth that have been system involved, so even if you have never thought that you were affected, we need to rethink that.

Why is storytelling important?

Storytelling is key to understanding who we are and shaping our identity. As a person of Indigenous and African ancestry, sharing our history, traditions, culture and experiences orally is a way of life. I take great pride in being able to continue to do that, sharing stories about my life and my parents and children. Using my voice and curated words to share, inform, teach, make others laugh or cry and think is a privilege.

My being able to control my own story and share what I wanted was important in my development as an advocate and as a person in policy/administration and as an instructor. There is power in being able to shape your own narrative and not have it shaped or directed by others. At home, it is a way to keep my parents, who passed away decades ago, alive for my children.

Join Us This Saturday

A Night of Stories: A Promise Fulfilled
📍 PLUS ME Storytelling Center, Highland Park
🕓 Saturday, 4–6 PM
🎟 RSVP on Eventbrite