I’m thrilled to announce the official launch of —a space dedicated to empowering foster care professionals through impactful speaking, training, and consulting!
With years of experience as a child welfare advocate and leader, I’m here to equip social workers, group home staff, and child welfare organizations with the tools to create real, lasting change for foster youth.
Services Offered:
🔹 Keynote & Conference Presentations – Inspiring insights on trauma-informed care, invisible trauma, and mentorship.
🔹 Facilitation & Training – Interactive workshops for foster care professionals and child welfare teams.
🔹 Guest Appearances & Discussions – Bringing expert perspectives to podcasts, panels, and interviews.
Let’s work together to transform foster care and uplift the next generation. Visit CrystalMcClain.com to learn more!
#CrystalMcClainConsulting #FosterCareAdvocate #TransformingFosterCare #ChildWelfare #TheInvisibleBackpack
Preparing for the next assignment that God has blessed me with. I can’t wait to celebrate with the graduates of the University Wisconsin Whitewater. 💜🎓 #UWW #CommencementSpeaker2024 #ProudMoment
🌟 Exciting News 🌟 Set your alarms for 9 am! 🕘 Join me on Channel 4 - The Morning Blend as we celebrate Foster Care Awareness Month and the release of my new book, “The Invisible Backpack.” 📚✨ Let’s raise awareness and spark important conversations together! See you there! #FosterCareAwareness #TheInvisibleBackpack #AuthorInterview 🎥📺
They didn’t just show up—they came correct 🎤✨
If you know my twins, then you already know… they’re the real deal. From the Jackson 5 to MJ, they know the songs, the moves, and the energy like they lived it. 🕺🏽🕺🏽 #michaeljackson #jackson5
Atlanta was all good vibes this past weekend ✨
Attending my first Sundress & Seersuckers was everything—a perfect blend of elegance and fun. I also had a chance to connect with family. Prefect weekend.
First time… but definitely not the last. SNS you showed out … until next year 💛 #SNS26 @originalsns
When your community recognizes your purpose… that’s a different kind of honor.
Honored to be recognized at the Black Excellence Awards this year. Watching this event grow into such a powerful celebration of leadership, impact, and culture in our city has been incredible.
To now be among those being acknowledged by my own community is truly humbling.
This work has always been about purpose, service, and lifting others along the way. I’m grateful for the journey, the people who walk beside me, and a community that continues to recognize and celebrate excellence.
And the mission will always remain the same…
Revive. Restore. Renew. ✨🏆
#BlackExcellence #LegacyOfExcellence #CommunityImpact #BeGreat #MilwaukeeExcellence
Today we honor Twenty-two extraordinary women who made a conscious decision to become women of action, women of purpose, women of change.
Their boldness to organize with intention, intellect, and impact laid the foundation for others to follow. Becoming an organization was not accidental—it was visionary. And that vision continues to ripple through generations.
So yes, today we celebrate.But more importantly, we remember who dared first, who set the standard, and who made room for everything that followed.
With gratitude and reverence, we honor the Founders of my sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. 😉🥰💃
This past week I had the honor of joining the BLMA Lit Circle at Washington High School, where a group of brilliant young men engaged deeply with The Invisible Backpack. Hearing them read aloud, ask thoughtful questions, and connect pieces of the story to their own experiences reminded me why I wrote this book in the first place.
Literacy. Healing. Leadership. Voice.
These young men embodied all of that in one room.
A huge thank you to Angilique J-Cornelius and the entire BLMA team for creating such an intentional space for our kids to grow — academically, emotionally, and as young leaders. Your commitment to SEL and literacy is changing lives.
I walked away inspired, grateful, and excited to continue the Invisible Backpack journey.
I can’t wait to hear the thoughts of these young people once they finish the book! 📚💫
Words can’t describe how proud I am of my sister, Brooke Bell Burns — a national champion sprinter, record breaker, and Hall of Fame legend for the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. 💜
Brooke dominated the track from 2008–2010, earning five conference titles, multiple All-America honors, and a national championship in the 200-meter dash — becoming the first national champion in outdoor women’s track in UW-Whitewater history. She still holds the school’s 200m outdoor record (23.89) and remains ranked among the top 10 in the 60m, 100m, and 200m dashes. 🏃🏽♀️🔥
Our grandfather, who was also inducted into the Hall of Fame for his record-breaking track legacy at North Division High School, always dreamed that one of his grandkids would follow in his footsteps. Brooke didn’t just follow — she ran beyond his wildest dreams. I know he’s in heaven beaming with pride, saying, “That’s my girl.” 👑✨
I remember running on my lunch breaks just to find a TV so I could watch her NCAA meets — heart racing, watching my baby sister fly across that track, making history.
The McClain family name continues to shine at UW-Whitewater, and I couldn’t be prouder of how my sister has contributed to our legacy. One of my proudest titles will always be Big Sister — to a phenomenal woman who continues to blaze her own trail. 💜💫 @thebookofbrookeb 😘
✨ I’m honored to be presenting at the Conference on Child Welfare and the Courts 2025!
🗓 Thursday, September 25, 2025 | 1:45–3:00 PM
📍 Kalahari Resorts & Conventions – Wisconsin Dells
💻 In-Person & Virtual Options Available
My session, “More Than Hair: Honoring Identity, Culture, and Belonging,” will explore how hair connects deeply to identity, culture, and a sense of belonging for the children and families we serve.
There’s still time to register and join us — as we come together with leaders across the state to preserve connections to family, culture, and community. 💜
#ChildWelfare #FamilyServices #IdentityAndCulture #Belonging #WisconsinConference
Being in Chicago is always like being home. This weekend at the 40th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest, Chicago truly showed up and embraced The Invisible Backpack. To see so many people connect with the message, pause to reflect, and share their own stories filled my heart with gratitude.
This was more than an event—it was a celebration of literary excellence, healing, and community. Each author brought something powerful, and together we created a space that was unforgettable.
A special thank you to @niatheauthor for coordinating the details and curating such a beautiful group of authors. Your vision and leadership made this possible, and I am so grateful. 🙏🏾
Chicago, thank you for welcoming me, for embracing The Invisible Backpack, and for reminding me that home is not just a place, but a community, a connection, and a spirit that lives in the people we encounter. Every handshake, every hug, every word of encouragement poured back into me, and I don’t take it lightly.#theinvisiblebackpack #printersrowlitfest2025
✨ Chicago are you ready?! ✨
I’m honored to be one of the featured authors at the 40th Annual Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago! 📚✍🏽
Join me and seven other amazing authors at Tent F (near Harrison & Dearborn, landmark: Hotel Blake) for an unforgettable celebration of Black Literary Excellence. Come meet us, hear our stories, and be inspired!
📅 Saturday, September 6 & Sunday, September 7
🕙 10 AM – 6 PM
🌧☀️ Rain or shine!
This event is FREE and open to the public — I’d love to see you there! 💫
#PrintersRowLitFest #BlackLiteraryExcellence #TheInvisibleBackpack #ChicagoEvents #Authors
