CDF Founder's Day to honor Marian Wright Edelman
Dear John,
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Children's Defense Fund
(CDF). But today is exceptionally special as it's the birthday
of CDF's Founder and President Emerita, Marian Wright
Edelman. To honor Mrs. Edelman's vision and legacy, CDF is
proud to designate June 6, 2023, Mrs. Edelman's
birthday in CDF's 50th year, as the first CDF Founder's
Day.
Rooted in the Civil Rights Movement, Mrs. Edelman has stood
alongside children and youth in the fight for racial justice since the
organization's conception. Inspired by the Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Mrs. Edelman knew the importance of
Black youth taking a stand against segregation that assaulted their
"dignity and lives." The prints of Mrs. Edelman and SNCC
can be seen throughout CDFs work.
In 1990, CDF founded the Black Student Leadership
Network (BSLN) to address the layered systemic injustice facing
low-income Black communities. This immense engagement and mobilization
effort focused on training Black students and youth "in direct
action organizing, social movement building, voter education, child
advocacy, and teaching methodology," as Dr. Sekou Franklin notes
in
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After the Rebellion: Black Youth, Social Movement Activism, and the
Post-Civil Rights Generation. Our founder laid the groundwork for us.
Today CDF continues to amplify young Black leaders' vision and
voice for a more just democracy and economy.
Giving youth a voice in the fight against racial injustice has also in
turn birthed CDF programs that provide youth with agency and the tools
needed to thrive. Through the Beat the Odds® Program, for
instance, which transformed young lives and emboldened youth on their
path to adulthood, CDF directly provided high school graduates from
marginalized communities with the funds and tools they needed for
success. With current programs like the NBA HBCU
Fellowship and CDF Freedom Schools®, we continue to
champion the rights and agency of youth, creating pathways for them to
overcome obstacles and thrive in a society that too often overlooks
their potential.
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Mrs. Edelman never hesitated to speak truth to
power, maintaining an authoritative presence on
Capitol Hill. Among many examples of her successful
advocacy, the Foster Care Independence Act of
1999 improved the lives of foster care youth by providing them
with vital resources and support as they transitioned into
adulthood. Inspired by that legacy, CDF's current
efforts in several states ensure that young people exiting foster
care can access support to build independent
lives. CDF's Vice President of operations, Sheri Brady, said it
best: "There is not one piece of major federal legislation
related to children that does not have CDF's fingerprints on
it."
While we elevate youth through programs and advocate on the Hill, CDF
always comes back to its roots: service. We are servant-leaders
focusing on the growth and well-being of children and youth. Our
servant-leadership is rooted in our founder's vision of the CDF
Freedom Schools® program. Mrs. Edelman and her sister, Olive
Wright Covington, founded the CDF Freedom Schools program in 1993 to
provide safe, nurturing, literature-rich summer and after-school
environments where children can learn, bloom, and serve. CDF,
supported by a team of esteemed reading specialists and through
rigorous training for college servant leaders at CDF Alex Haley Farm,
has dedicated extensive time and effort to the development of the
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CDF Freedom Schools program. We share power, put others first, and
help them develop to be the best versions of themselves. Through
service, CDF is able to take lived experiences from classrooms and the
community to inform its programs and policy agenda. In turn, we can
amplify community power.
Thank you, Mrs. Edelman, for your unwavering dedication to defending
and uplifting America's children and youth. Your commitment for
the past 50 years has brought us closer to a nation where marginalized
children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being and communities
wield the power to ensure they thrive.
For our children,
Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson
President and CEO
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