The Special Meaning of Mother’s Day
As families throughout Minnesota celebrate various traditions during the spring season, one holiday that carries special meaning for many adults and children is Mother’s Day.
Ahead of Mother’s Day festivities this year, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy (MNCWTA) Northeast Regional Trainer Addie Trettel took time to share some of her most personal life experiences.
Addie Trettel is not only the Northeast Regional Trainer for the Training Academy, Master’s degree in Social Work graduate, or a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She is also a daughter, a step-mom, a proud woman, and identifies as a person of color of mixed races.
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Addie Trettel
she/her/hers
Northeast Regional Trainer
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This year’s Mother’s Day will be different for Addie as her mother passed in 2025. She stated that too comes with a mix of emotions in addition to being a step-mom, which can also bring a mix of feelings
as well. Trettel said parenting is about hoping you are doing the right thing and trying to have a positive impact on your child. “I think it is a unique challenge to support a child as a step mom, especially as a woman of color and as a woman of mixed races,” said Trettel.
Trettel added that her identities as a step mom and a woman of color are positive identities for her. “Though my step daughter is white and I grew up in a predominantly white community, I have been reminded that I am a woman of color at many points in my life,” said Trettel. “As I grew up, things were a little confusing at certain points of my childhood,” added Trettel. Trettel’s mom identifies as White and her father identifies as Black and Native American.
Trettel explained that her childhood was not always easy, but she has learned and continues to learn how to accept and celebrate her personal identity.
“Depending on the setting or situation, there are still certain times that I feel a little discomfort about my identity, but my family has always made me feel comfortable and confident about who I am.”
Trettel continued by sharing that she makes it a routine to celebrate her identities as a woman, mother, and person of color. A few ways that Trettel celebrates her identity are by being the president of Junior League of Duluth and by being an active member of the People of Color Employee Resource Group, which is hosted by and for state government employees. Addie is the first woman of color to be the President of the Junior League of Duluth in their 105 years as an organization.
Before concluding her final thoughts, Trettel also highlighted the intersectionality of personal identity and mental health or mental wellness. “I wish the term ‘mental health’ did not have such a negative connotation,” said Trettel. “I think mental health or mental wellness is very important and people should look at it as a journey rather than as a diagnosis.”
Trettel not only acknowledged the intersectionality of mental wellness with personal identity, but she also highlighted the need for more support and resources for families of color throughout Minnesota. "Families should be the ones who determine what is and what is not culturally responsive or culturally appropriate,” said Trettel.
"I think that there are a lot of limitations that workers have when serving families (those of color and those who identify as White). I think more creativity and non-traditional approaches could help a lot of families with their needs today."
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CPS Staff Resources
AANHPI Heritage Month
Books by Author Kao Kalia Yang | Born in a refugee camp, Kao Kalia Yang’s Hmong family resettled in St. Paul when she was six years old. She works to center belonging, family, and community.
“A Home on the Page”
“The Rock in My Throat”
“The Blue House I Loved”
Conferences in April and May
CASCW Spring Conference | “Immigration and Child Welfare” - April 22, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Virtual & In-Person, Heritage Center, Brooklyn Park, MN
Training | Human Trafficking and Sexually Exploited Youth Virtual Training - May 5, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Virtual, MNCWTA
- Event | “From Power Struggles to Peace: Rewiring Relationships” - April 23, 9am-3pm, Owatonna Eagles, 141 E Rose St, Owatonna, MN 55060, Get Tickets
- Event |“Healing Happens at Home: When Love Is the Intervention” - April 24, Owatonna Eagles, 141 E Rose St, Owatonna, MN 55060, Get Tickets
Child Protective Services Worker
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Filial Piety as Love, Care, and
Commitment
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is celebrated among many individuals and families throughout Minnesota during the month of May each year. In honor of this year’s celebration, staff from MCNWTA met with Jennifer Duong, co-chair of the People of Color Employee Resource Group (MN-DHS), to discuss the importance of this special time of the year.
Many state government employees know Jennifer Duong as a business solution office coordinator and support specialist. Many also know Duong as the co-chair of the People of Color Employee Resource Group. What many may not know is why or how important the term “filial piety” is to Duong and her family.
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Jennifer Duong
Co-chair of the People of Color Employee Resource Group (MN-DHS, Left) pictured with Shay Marlowe Learner Development Specialist (MNCWTA, Right)
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“Filial piety” is a common value within many Southeastern Asian cultures today and in the past. The practice of term emphasizes showing deep love, respect and compassion toward parents, elders and ancestors.
This term is extra special to Duong and her family because it is one of the ways that they show love, care and commitment with each other on a routine basis.
“When my parents and I moved to Minnesota in the early 2000s, we wanted to live in a community that not only had other Vietnamese families, but a community that would support our culture, our values and our traditions,” said Duong
Today, Duong honors the life and legacy of Duong’s of her father, whom passed away a few years ago, by making it a priority to spend time with and take care of her mother on a daily basis.
“I feel that it is important to stay connected to my family and my ancestors on a regular basis,” said Duong. “Though I really enjoy meeting new people who have different and similar cultures to mine, I deeply value being close to my family and want to do whatever I can do bring honor to my family and my ancestors as often as possible.”
We thank Jennifer for sharing a small part of her family’s story for this April newsletter. We also wish all those celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month a joyous celebration during the month of May and beyond.
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Minnesota State Statute 260.69 under the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act requires cultural competency training for all individuals working with African American and disproportionately represented children in the child welfare system. The Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy will be providing a monthly curated selection of resources and trainings that can be utilized to satisfy this training requirement while the statewide training is being developed.
Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy (MNCWTA), 1711 County Road B West, Suite 200N, Roseville, MN 55113, United States | The Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy (MNCWTA) is a collaboration between the Child Safety and Permanency (CSP) Division at the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and the Multidisciplinary Institute for Child Welfare (MICW) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
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