What happens when a café not only serves a warm cup of coffee but also a helping hand to young adults who have aged out of foster care? In this episode, we hear from Kamal Marell, executive director of The Monkey and The Elephant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Monkey and The Elephant is a job and life skills program that seeks to equip youth who’ve aged out of foster care with the tools necessary to make the transition to self-sufficient adulthood. Please review the transcript.

Resources:
Pennsylvania Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness at Center for Schools and Communities

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The Monkey & The Elephant

About Our Guest
Kamal L. Marell is a Philadelphia native with over a decade of professional experience in fields of child welfare, public education, youth advocacy and community partnership. In his previous role as program manager of a shelter for women and children, Kamal was responsible for the implementation, oversight, and budgeting of quality assurance for onsite, trauma informed programming provided to residents by community partners and stakeholders.

Kamal earned a B.A. in sociology from Clemson University in 2010 and received his master’s degree in urban education from Temple University in 2018. Kamal is passionate about leading and serving young adults in the community by providing them with access, education, experiences, and opportunities beyond their past and present circumstances.