NYC mayoral candidate Kathryn Garcia gets personal, vows to fight ‘systemic racism’ in foster-care system

Mayoral hopeful Kathryn Garcia took a personal tone Monday as she touted her new plan to guarantee a permanent home for every kid in the city’s foster-care system.

She fondly recounted her experience growing up as one of three adopted children in her family while arguing that the next mayor must attack racism and improve conditions for foster kids.

“When I think about my adoption in my family, one thing is clear: Everybody needs a forever family to support them,” Garcia said at a news conference outside Family Court in Brooklyn. “Family is forever, and we need more families like mine.”

Her plan starts with what she called “rooting out systemic racism” in the foster-care system.

That means removing identifying information, including race, about cases the authorities evaluate when considering taking a kid out of his or her home.

Last year, the state directed localities to implement what’s known as a “blind removal process,” but the Big Apple is currently operating under an exemption from that.

Garcia promised to appoint leaders to the city’s long-troubled Administration for Children’s Services “who come from the communities they serve.”

The candidate would also guarantee housing for everyone up to age 25 — a change from the status quo, when youths “age out” of the foster care system at 21 — and work to boost the social safety net through steps like free child care and broadband internet for all.

“I still call my mother every day. We still rely on our parents in our early 20s,” Garcia, 51, said. “We must match as many children as possible with permanent families before they age out. This means encouraging and supporting parents to adopt older children.”

Garcia is widely respected for her policy chops, but has been struggling in the polls, in which entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams have been leading. The Democratic primary for mayor is scheduled for June 22.

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