SWS Award Winner Dr. Bonita Carr Changes Foster Care in Illinois

Dr. Bonita Carr, a passionate advocate and transformational leader, is on a mission to make a difference in the foster care landscape for children and youth in Cook County. As CEO of Cook County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Dr. Carr led unprecedented growth, increasing the number of children served from 1% to 11% in just five years. Her path is rooted in a deep commitment to social justice, honed over 17 years of working in mission-driven organizations, and extends beyond her current role. Dr. Carr’s career demonstrates her commitment to empowering marginalized communities, from raising awareness of urban educational inequalities to advocating for volunteer participation. An SWS Award winner and a true visionary, Dr. Carr brings tenacity, insight, and a relentless drive to the fight for justice, showing that leadership is as much about compassion as it is about action.

What is your profession, what is the name of your company, what are your responsibilities and why did you choose your career?

Bonita Carr is the CEO of Cook County Court Appointed Special Advocates. She is responsible for developing and implementing strategic plans to improve the organization’s mission, leads and participates in fundraising efforts from donors, partners and stakeholders, monitors the organization’s overall performance, financial condition and manages the organization’s day-to-day operations. organizing and working closely with the board of directors to define and review policies, goals and long-term strategies.

As a black woman, what do you consider your superpowers to be?

As a Black woman, I believe my superpowers are transformational leadership, diverse problem solving, resilience, prayer warrior, and intuition.

What key skills or qualities make you a unique African American woman leader?

The unique skills that make me unique as an African American woman leader are my perspective, prayer life, resilience and determination.

Why is it important for women of color to serve in leadership and decision-making positions?

It is important for women of color to serve in leadership and decision-making positions because our experiences add value and mean progress in transformation. Representation in leadership is critical because it signals to young Black girls and women that leadership roles are within reach. This validates their ambitions and emphasizes that despite obstacles, they have the ability to achieve greatness. It’s a message of empowerment and potential, shattering stereotypes and demonstrating that black women are fully capable of leading at the highest levels. Every Black woman of influence lays a foundation for others to build upon. Our lived experiences, challenges, and aspirations deserve attention and action in the policies that shape our organizations.

If you could thank any black woman for her contributions to history and society, who would it be and why?

Without a doubt, I would thank the intrepid Harriet Tubman. Her contribution in leading hundreds of enslaved people to freedom in the North to escape the horrors of the cruelty and inhumanity of slavery is worthy of Shero. Harriet Tubman’s courage, resilience, and dedication to ending slavery make her a powerful symbol of faith, resistance, and freedom.

Why is it important for black women to reach out and help young women?

Black women have a long history of fighting for their rights and overcoming systemic barriers to success. Racial bias in the workplace can be demoralizing, emotionally draining and distracting. Having a mentor as a support system who can listen and help a young woman navigate professional territory is essential to creating the next generation of successful leaders.

Share 3 career highlights:

When I took over as CEO of Cook County CASA, we served only 125 children. In 6 years we have served 1,200 foster children and youth. Additionally, Cook County CASA revenue was increased by 243%, increasing the number of child welfare specialists in the state to better support and protect the children and youth CASA serves.

As the national director of education for PUSH Excel, a subsidiary of the Rainbow Push Coalition led by civil rights leader Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., I led the “Tale of Two Schools” initiative highlighting the vast disparities between urban and suburban schools in Illinois. Oprah Winfrey became involved in the cause after seeing footage of a show focusing on inequality in urban education funding. The success of this initiative resulted in significant improvements to the facilities at Harper High School, the city school we shared with New Trier High School.

As a successful woman in business, what is your biggest or biggest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment is leading a mission-driven organization that combats the overrepresentation of Black children in the child welfare system, resulting in results that safely reunite Black children with their parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that family separation “can cause irreparable harm by impairing a child’s brain or architecture and affecting his or her health.” Parents also experience harm and trauma from such separation. There is no prouder accomplishment for me than helping to reunite black families.