When Joel Rakow first told his CASA youth that he’d gotten tickets for them to attend the LA Times Book Festival, the teen looked, “horrified.” Joel said, “It was the funniest conversation I’ve had with *Tito. I had to step back, paint the big picture about how this is not a dusty library we are going to, but rather a discussion of new ways of thinking about the world. I reminded him of all the things we’d done together that he enjoyed. I got tickets to four different author discussions. The one by the crime detectives was a big hit and the others were good enough that he gave me a pat on the back at the end of the day.”

Joel has been a CASA volunteer advocate for over six years and has mentored five different youth throughout that time. He speaks fondly of each of them and radiates tremendous pride when talking about his current youth’s accomplishments. 17-year-old Tito lives in the back room of a foster home with two other boys who, according to Joel, rarely get out of their beds or even talk. Joel says, “Tito’s two roommates have just shut down. Tito, on the other hand, uses a dim light over a small desk to do his school work. He’s a diligent, nice kid. He’s in high school and will graduate in the top 15% of his class.”

Tito has defied the odds faced by many youth in foster care and will graduate high school and go on to college. Joel proudly shares that Tito has been admitted into the architecture and engineering program at USC. The two recently toured the campus and Joel describes their day together, “We walked the engineering section of the campus where we found two seminars and a women’s tennis match between USC and Minnesota. I had to tear him away from our shady seats located within 30 feet of the tennis courts. He enjoyed seeing the women play. We visited the philosophy and engineering panels and experienced college-level conversations on campus. This was Tito’s first encounter with the USC campus and it really filled his mind with memories and ideas.” 

Joel helped guide Tito in writing his college application essays by asking him several prompts during their drive to the top of Ortega Highway one day. He explains, “I asked him specific questions and took notes on what he said: ‘When you're doing stuff and you start to feel good about yourself. what are you doing?’  ‘When you're doing stuff and you feel proud of yourself, what are you doing?’ And, ‘When you feel joy or exhilaration, what are you doing?’ Tito used his replies to shape the starting point for each of his university application essays.”

Joel says he uses a similar tactic in his professional life where he coaches a group of 15 CEOs. He says, “The idea is, if you’re not self-aware, you can get in your own way, and then wonder why you did not achieve all that you wanted.”  Joel and his wife split their time between Orange County and his wife’s family ranch outside of  Amarillo, Texas. When he isn’t working with his CEOs or volunteering with CASA, Joel enjoys writing and is working on a novel featuring a CASA advocate woven throughout the story line.

He also applies his writing talents to penning a poem for each youth he serves. He says, “I write a poem after getting to know each youth. It’s very specific to them and who they are. I share what I see that's good about them. It’s a unique thing they don’t get elsewhere and they seem to like it a lot.”  

When asked how he thinks Tito defied the odds and made it into USC as a youth who grew up in a very challenging environment, Joel says, “His mother was a good mother whose life got out of control. The family’s delicate balance involved his older sister who was working and contributing to the household finances. But she was older and wanted to have her own life and go to nursing school. When she moved out, that destroyed the financial foundation of the family and the mother couldn't make enough money to survive, so they ended up living out of a car. That sent the family into a downward spiral. She has two children who are building a good life for themselves. We honor her by helping Tito do well in life. We hope to foster ongoing relationships between Tito and his sister as well as his mother. Yes, it’s complicated.” 

Andy Jacobson has served as Joel’s CASA Advocate Supervisor throughout Joel’s time as a volunteer. She says she nominated Joel as the Advocate of the Month due to his dedication to his youth. Andy says, “Joel has been a CASA for over six years and has demonstrated a deep passion for supporting our youth. He has worked with 5 different youth including one match that lasted five years. He generously agreed to support two youth at the same time. He brings so much to the table for these kids and his current youth, Tito, is engaging with all the opportunities Joel has presented to him. Tito is very academically driven and has been accepted to many universities including USC. Joel has played a pivotal role in helping him with his college application essays, visiting campuses and guiding him with a level of commitment that is wonderful to witness.  Joel is very articulate and has always spoken very highly of all his youth and always focuses on their strengths and potential. He makes great efforts to plan outings that are enriching, educational and specific to the interests and needs of each child.”  

When asked why he chooses to volunteer with CASA Joel says, “I see it as an opportunity to help a child who got a bad start in life and find ways to make up for that start. It’s a wonderful experience. The work is always moving, and it’s always real life. I’ve had Andy as my supervisor since the beginning and we really enjoy working together, she’s great.” He adds, “My experience as a CASA gives me up-close experiences with people who live with tremendous challenges on the edge, where things can go bad so easily. I see the struggles to sever the threads that keep you tied to that edge. Even as these kids move away and the number of threads decrease, each thread requires focused effort.” 

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a CASA, please email Norma Mendoza or sign up to attend an upcoming Information Session. 

*Name changed to protect privacy