🎄 Dominic Carter Returns to His Roots: Emceeing the Police Athletic League Christmas Party — 50 Years After Being a PAL Kid Himself
This December, Dominic Carter returned to where his childhood journey of resilience began — the Police Athletic League. Wearing a Santa hat and a bright red PAL Christmas shirt, Dominic emceed the annual PAL Christmas Party, celebrating with hundreds of children who reminded him of his younger self. More than 50 years ago, Dominic was a PAL kid enrolled by his grandmother during one of the hardest chapters of his life. Coming back now as a journalist, author, and advocate for children was a deeply humbling full-circle moment. Inspired by his own experiences in foster care and overcoming childhood trauma, Dominic’s children’s books empower young readers to find their voice, believe in their worth, and rise above adversity. The PAL celebration was a reminder that every child deserves hope — and that a single caring adult can change everything.
12/13/20252 min read
When Dominic Carter walked into the Police Athletic League Christmas Party this year — wearing a Santa hat, a bright red PAL Christmas shirt, and the biggest smile in the room — it wasn’t just another event. It was a homecoming. A full-circle moment. A reminder of how far a child can rise when even one caring adult believes in them.
More than 50 years ago, Dominic wasn’t the emcee.
He wasn’t a journalist.
He wasn’t a radio host, author, or national speaker.
He was one of those children — a PAL kid enrolled by his grandmother when she had nothing left to give him but hope.
And hope, sometimes, is enough to save a life.
From PAL Kid to Advocate for Children
Dominic grew up in the Bronx, in poverty, surrounded by instability, abuse, and uncertainty. His mother battled chronic paranoid schizophrenia. His father was never in his life. His grandfather struggled with addiction. Dominic entered foster care, and as a small boy, he survived child sexual abuse — a trauma that followed him into adulthood.
And yet, even in the chaos, there were small moments of safety. One of those safe spaces was PAL.
The Police Athletic League gave Dominic structure, mentors, joy, and belonging — things every child deserves.
So when he stepped onto the stage this Christmas to celebrate the children of PAL, it wasn’t a job.
It was personal.
A Moment of Healing, Joy, and Purpose
As Dominic spoke to the children — laughing, dancing, encouraging them — he couldn’t help thinking:
“I once sat where they’re sitting. I once needed what they need today.”
Dominic knows firsthand how powerful it is when children feel seen, supported, and valued. That moment inspired the creation of the children’s books by him and his family:
Dominic’s Big Voice
Eva the Kid Reporter
Eva the Kid Reporter Coloring Book
A Star Among Stars
These books teach children what Dominic learned the hard way:
✨ Your voice matters.
✨ Your story matters.
✨ You can rise above anything.
Dominic’s Story: Hope for Kids Everywhere
Dominic has spent 40 years as a journalist and public figure — but his mission has always been deeper than news.
He is a child abuse survivor.
He is a foster care survivor.
He is proof that trauma does not have the final word.
Through faith, therapy, accountability, and his wife Marilyn’s steadfast love, Dominic healed. Today, he travels nationwide speaking to children, families, child advocacy centers, and schools about resilience and hope.
Why This Moment Matters
As Dominic held the microphone, surrounded by hundreds of joyful children, he said later:
“I saw myself in them. I was them. And I want every child to know they are more than their circumstances.”
That message is also the heartbeat of every book he writes.
Watch the Video
A short clip of Dominic with the children at the PAL Christmas Party is available here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D2EUw4wvxL8
Explore Dominic’s Children’s Books
These stories don’t just entertain children.
They strengthen them.