Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Bob Sanborn.
Hi Dr. Sanborn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in Puerto Rico and was a first-generation college student. I was fortunate enough to do my graduate work and get my doctorate at Columbia University. My first job out of my doctorate was at Rice University, and ever since I have remained dedicated to serving students like me who were first-generation college students, and grew up in poverty – that is what led me to CHILDREN AT RISK almost 18 years ago.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Coming from a broken family that didn’t have a lot of money, there were some tough things early on. Going to college and growing my support network of friends, and my loving wife and super-cool child really have made my life a true joy.
I have been so lucky in my career, and I think that has always been a fantastic aspect of my life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
When we talk about children in the state of Texas, what I and the team at C@R do is all about systems change. The idea is that we can grow awareness about what’s happening with our kids, but moreover, that we can go to legislators in Austin to ensure that we are enacting legislation and creating laws that help make our kids more successful.
I find great joy in talking about the plight of our children and fighting to make sure that we’re doing everything we can for our kids in regards to better schools, better health care, and greater safety & opportunity. How cool is it that we get to be an activist for kids? In a sense, we’re fighting for the future of our state.
What I am most proud of is that our organization is incredibly collaborative – we have relationships with other children/family non-profits around the state and across the country as well as research collaborations with several universities in Texas. As a team, we’re very proud of some specific legislation pieces, like: kids from low-income families getting free school breakfast, full-day high quality pre-K, and legislation to stop child trafficking in Texas.
What are your plans for the future?
Looking to the future, as the state of Texas continues to change – we have to fight for new groups of kids, including immigrant children and equity-focused legislation. Texas consistently ranks at the bottom for children’s mental health support, and that is another area of focus – we need to do a better job there. Most importantly, the success of every single child means a better future for all of us – we cannot pick and choose who we support.
Contact Info:
- Website: childrenatrisk.org
- Instagram: @childrenatrisk
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/childrenatrisk/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/childrenatrisk
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChildrenAtRisk
