In this deeply personal episode of Outreach with Reggie, Reggie reflects on grief, closure, motherhood, and the reality of navigating life after the passing of his mother on Mother’s Day 2024.

Continuing his foster care journey from last episode, Reggie opens up about the psychology of loss, the weight of last conversations, healing without closure, and what it means to keep showing up for others while grieving privately yourself.

This episode is a love letter to his mother — and to anyone learning how to carry loss while still moving forward.

In honor of National Foster Care Month, this episode of Outreach With Reggie is one of the most personal I’ve ever recorded.

This is more than awareness—this is my story.

From entering foster care as a child, being separated from my siblings, and navigating constant instability… to facing trauma, loss, and mental health battles during my teenage years—this episode walks through the reality of growing up in the system.

I share what it felt like to: • Be placed into foster care for the first time • Reunite with my mother—and lose that stability again • Move from home to home and struggle to build relationships • Experience deep grief while still trying to survive • Have my story publicly shared through FOX 5’s Wednesday’s Child • Face suicidal thoughts and identity struggles as a teen • Lose an adoption opportunity at 17 • Age out of foster care during college—and experience homelessness

But this isn’t just a story about what I went through.

It’s about who I became.

In this episode, I also open up about: • Rebuilding relationships with my family • Reconnecting with my sister and my mother • Graduating from college against the odds • Finding purpose through advocacy, storytelling, and impact

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt overlooked, displaced, or misunderstood.

And it’s for those who want to truly understand foster care—not just as a system, but as a lived experience.

Because behind every statistic… there’s a story like mine.

🎧 Listen. Learn. Share.

In this thought-provoking episode of Outreach with Reggie, I sit down with educator, author, and speaker Kevin Cripe for a powerful conversation on what it really takes to help young people succeed—both inside and outside the classroom.

With over two decades of experience working with students from diverse and often underserved backgrounds, Kevin brings a perspective that challenges how we define intelligence, measure success, and support the next generation. From building a nationally recognized after-school chess program to shaping the lives of first-generation college students, his work goes far beyond traditional education.

We dive into the realities of public education today—where it’s working, where it’s falling short, and what needs to change. Kevin also opens up about his personal journey through adoption, offering insight into identity, family, and the deeper emotional layers that shape who we become.

This episode explores:

• Why intelligence can’t be reduced to test scores

• How parents and educators can better nurture cognitive and emotional growth

• The role of empathy and moral development in raising strong leaders

• How tools like chess can unlock critical thinking and life skills

• What meaningful, long-term change in education actually looks like

This conversation is for anyone who cares about young people, systems change, and building a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

🎧 Tune in and rethink what learning, leadership, and impact really mean.