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Reasons Want to Serve Board #1 <br />I have channeled my experiences and connections to initiate changes, but there remain problems outside <br />of my current scope that I hope to address... As a result of the abuse perpetrated against one particular <br />client, Child Protective Services (CPS) removed her children from her custody. She then secured full-time <br />employment, which meant that she qualified for a family public housing voucher. However, the housing <br />voucher was contingent upon having full custody of her children. And in order to regain custody of her <br />children, CPS required her to obtain safe housing. Thus, the client was caught in a catch-22: no kids <br />without housing, no housing without kids. There was no communication between CPS and the housing <br />agency and no effective advocacy on her behalf. As a result, she lost her housing voucher and could not <br />regain custody for another year. This example is emblematic of an avoidable system failure that resulted <br />in trauma to the family and the client, who probably lost any belief about the system being there to help <br />and not harm. This experience is just one of many that propel me to serve on the Orange County Housing <br />Authority Advisory Board. <br />Diversity of Viewpoints Board #1 <br />For the last 6 years, I have served clients experiencing violence at the intersection of racism, sexism, <br />homophobia, poverty, and various other forms of oppression. My work has afforded me the opportunities <br />to train UNC nursing and medical students, first responders, faith leaders, and CPS social workers. I am a <br />white, cisgender, heterosexual woman from a middle-class family. My privilege inevitably impacts my <br />experience of the world and the way the world experiences me. However, my direct practice experiences <br />critically inform the systems I desire to impact and my hope to serve on the Advisory Board for the <br />Orange County Housing Authority. <br />Conflict of Interest Board #1 <br />N/A, UNC Masters of Public Administration and Social Work <br />Relevant Experience Board #2 <br />Reasons Want to Serve Board #2 <br />Diversity of Viewpoints Board #2 <br />Conflict of Interest Board #2 <br />Reasons Want to Serve Board #3 <br />Relevant Experience Board #3 <br />Valerie C Sauer <br />11