“Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.” Marian Anderson
The Foster Friendly Podcast was excited to welcome the recent guest, Rapid City Mayor Jason Salumun to the show. Jason Salamun’s path to becoming mayor was fueled by a deep-seated desire to serve and give back to his community. Elected twice as a city councilman and serving as council president, his leadership journey culminated in his election as mayor in 2023.
Mayor Salamun’s vision for Rapid City is clear: a place where children thrive and families flourish. His commitment to foster care is evident in his efforts to engage churches and community organizations in better supporting foster families. Salamun credits South Dakota Kids Belong for their impactful work and mentions that their advocacy is one of the reasons he is involved in these initiatives today.
By promoting awareness on how to support foster families across faith communities and local businesses, he aims to ensure that every child has a place to belong and an opportunity to flourish. In an age of so much polarization and division, his message is one of hope and action and it gives Americans a powerful cause to come together on and help one another. Which is also a beautiful secondary bi-product of Foster Friendly Communities.
Listen to episode here or watch below:
Quotes From Mayor Salamun:
“My measure of success is whether kids thrive and families flourish.”
“Public safety starts in the heart and the home.”
“These kids need love, a safe place, and to belong.”
“Heroic actions require sacrifice, and that’s what foster families do.”
“Foster care is a great way to put our faith in action.”
