​TASHIMA DUKES
​
Wife, full-time international traveler, believer, foster care advocate, over achiever. 
Likes: Traveling to exotic places, oversized jewelry, shopping, boiled peanuts, waterfalls, rompers, spending time with family
Dislikes: Inconsiderate people, traffic anywhere, disrespect, confrontation, liars, coffee, tea

Tashima is a former foster child who was placed in care in both Philadelphia and California. She was placed in more than 13 different foster homes before aging out of the foster care system. Today she is author of Truth Be Told: A Foster Child’s Recollectionand an internationally recognized expert trainer for foster children, foster parents, and foster care administrators regarding some of the major problems in the foster care system from the foster child’s perspective.

Tashima has been a keynote speaker for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and many other local and national foster care agencies. She has more than 13 years of counseling experience with children and families in both urban and suburban environments. She holds a certification in sexual abuse counseling and grief counseling, three advanced Master’s degrees along with 110 Graduate Psychology credits towards a PhD in Psychology. In addition, she has worked extensively with orphans and vulnerable children both nationally and internationally.

Tashima has appeared on the John Walsh Show on NBC, TV 48 Update with Catherine Pugh, internet radio with Dr. Bryan Post, and internet radio with Pat O’Brien. Tashima has lectured at The California State University and was featured in Your Powerful News, International, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Gadsden Times, The National Foster Parent Association, Fostering Perspectives, Gospel Praise Magazine, Booking Matters Magazine, The Pennstater, The Delta Voice (a publication of Delta Community Supports), and numerous other publications. She currently provides sexual abuse counseling to women and children.