Community Conversation with Yolanda Johnson of CASA Prince George's County

Co-presented with the Prince George's County Office of Human Rights

The Prince George's County Office of Human Rights and the Prince George's County Memorial Library System are excited to host Yolanda Johnson of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Prince George's County.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/ Prince George’s County, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization that partners with the juvenile court to improve the lives of children living in foster care who have suffered from abuse and neglect. With a strong commitment to diversity, CASA/ Prince George’s County trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child’s individual needs. By providing a voice to children in the foster care system, it is our goal to help children and promote the timely placement of those we serve in safe, permanent homes.

By sustaining and strengthening the capacity of our program and the competency of our diverse community of volunteers, CASA hopes to continue to expand until all children who have suffered from abuse and neglect and live in foster care in Prince George’s County are matched with CASA volunteers who will help them navigate their experience in foster care until they are placed in safe, nurturing and permanent homes. 

Registration not required. Click on the YouTube video linked below to stream the program live or watch the recording later.

About our guest:

Yolanda serves as the Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Prince George’s County, a role she has held for the past two years. She has been pivotal in positioning the organization in a post-pandemic landscape, maintaining CASA's core mission of serving youth in foster care while also expanding its services to provide resources for former foster youth. Her leadership has been defined by intentionally strengthening community partnerships, building equitable organization practices, inclusion of people with lived experience, program development, and vision planning within a changing funding landscape. 

A proud graduate of Bowie State University, Yolanda utilizes her personal experiences and background in vocational education, juvenile justice, and civic and legal education to increase access to services for those who are most impacted by injustice. When she's not working, Yolanda enjoys volunteering, traveling, spending time with family, cooking, or sitting quietly with a hot cup of dirty chai tea.