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Leslie Lacy Delivers Convocation at The Governor’s Academy
Oct 30, 2023
On February 2, 2023, Trustee Leslie (McCant) Lacy ‘91 shared the story of her non-profit, Fostering Hope Louisiana, with the Govs community. Students, faculty, and staff gathered in Bergmann Theater for her Convocation talk, which was a part of the 50 Years of Women at Govs celebration. Fostering Hope Louisiana provides free orthodontic care to children in Louisiana’s foster care system.
After a decade of advocating for children in foster care as an attorney, Lacy discovered her next calling. “I had a young, 16-year-old client, Brittany Butler, who was incredibly bright and struck me as having great potential,” she recalls. “Despite being dealt a rough hand, she never succumbed to frustration or despair.” Sadly, Lacy continues, there was one thing about the young woman that made her cringe—her teeth. “It was heartbreaking because I knew Brittany was being adversely affected by a situation she couldn’t control.”
Lacy enlisted the help of Baton Rouge orthodontist Dr. James Frugé, and after transforming Brittany’s smile, the two knew they were onto something. Realizing she couldn’t continue bankrolling the effort privately, Fostering Hope Louisiana was born. “The way it’s come together has been nothing short of miraculous,” Lacy enthuses. “People in our community have rallied, donating their time, money, and services to help these children. It’s been amazing.”
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My name is Jocelyn and I’m 17 years old. My playlist consists of Korn and Metallica. In my free time I like playing Pokémon, watching Anime, reading Manga and listening to music. They are the things I do to practice self-care. I have crooked teeth. I think that it would help me with my speaking because I have a lisp. I just want straight teeth. I’m probably going to work at like the mall or something. I’m thinking at Hot Topic. I don’t know if I want to go to school or anything. I came into care because my mom was mentally ill. She’s schizo-affective bi-polar, some other things like that. My bio dad died when I was like 3. After high school I'm probably going to work at the mall or something. I don't know if I want to go to school or something. My foster care experience overall was probably like okay but my first one was bad because they didn’t know anything about mental health and stuff like that. They were just like really hateful. They would compare their experience, or my old foster mom would compare her experiences and childhood trauma with ours. She was overall super childish and inappropriate. I have ADHD, she acted like I didn’t have it. There just wasn’t an effort to be compassionate or educate themselves about mental health. In my current foster home, they’re patient and the they know about mental health, like taking medication and know about that type of stuff. Foster care has made my life better because I feel like I opened up better (with my current placement), I am learning how to be an adult – like driving practice. If there was one thing I would change about foster care it would be mental health awareness. I feel like there can be more done with how the foster homes are chosen, like educating them about autism, disorders, and trauma and stuff like that. I wish my first foster home were more educated and understanding like my current home.
My name is KH. I’m 11 years old and in the 5 th grade. On my playlist you will find Zydeco music. I like to play Xbox in my free time. I also like playing basketball and football outside with my brother. I want to go to high school then college. I want to be a mechanic. Foster care was kind of horrible and boring cuz you can’t’ go outside on the weekends. If you want to go to your friend’s house, you can’t even go. I wasn’t comfortable where I was. I was used to being with my mother. I used to sit in the room with my brother and draw. The good thing about foster care is that I spent time with my brother. He tells me not to do that and to do this, but he’s helping me to not get in trouble. It feels good to be with him and back with my mother. If I needed help, the one adult I would call is my grandmother. January 17, 2024 – Bonding Day! I wanted braces to close my gap so people would stop judging me. People made fun of me. It doesn’t happen a lot anymore because my mom went to the school. Braces will make my teeth straight and nice. I might have my braces for 24 months. That’s fine. I want my teeth straight, so I’m going to keep them for how long it takes. I felt comfortable with the wait because I needed to give Ms. Leslie enough time to get my braces. I waited ten months, but the time has been flying by. It felt faster. I knew Ms. Leslie would do it because she promised in Brace Class that you would get us some braces. The one thing I didn’t like about getting braces is that they had to keep my mouth dry. Last Thoughts: It hurst when they tighten them. Your mouth gets sore.
My name is Snow and I’m 16 years old. In my free time I like to listen to Lemon Demon, Hamilton Soundtrack. I really like musicals, Marina and the Diamonds. Playing games like Pokémon, Watching Anime, Reading Manga and Classic Literature (1984, The Great Gatsby, Animal Farm). I think that I need braces – not desperately but it would help. My teeth are crooked and don’t align and it kind of bothers me, it’s a little uncomfortable. I think that braces will improve my speech. I have to go to speech therapy and I think that if I got braces it would help fix my speech. I came into foster care because my mother was physically abusive and yelling at us (sister). One day in Oklahoma she attacked me and then we moved to Louisiana. Almost immediately after getting to Louisiana, we were placed into foster care, maybe 3 days after. My father (bio) is dead. He died whenever I was 2. My foster care experience has been okay. Well, it was like the fact that well it was good for a while because we weren’t in like a bad situation anymore. The household was cold. When we got home no one would really be there so we would wait around. So when they did come back they really wouldn’t say anything to us. I’m very social and I talk a lot so… My first placement was okay but this one is good. The parents that we’re with now are always willing to talk. If I started a conversation they’re going to listen and say something back or tell me that it’s not the time. You know, they communicate. They’re reasonable. You know if you do something wrong, they’ll give a punishment that’s reasonable and not down talk you. If I could change one thing about foster care, not from personal experience but from the experiences of others, I wish that there were more ways for children to get without getting disbelieved. Because I’m always hearing stories about how these kids they have scars on them and stuff like that and no is listening to them. I guess I wish that people would believe them more and more and that people would listen. What I like to do if I am in a like a stressful situation is think I guess – not about the situation- but things that’ll make me happy. Like the music in Hamilton. When I was younger, I would try to think up music videos in my head and it works very well with Hamilton.
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