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** For Our Children: We Owe them Peace of Mind
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Dear John,

I spent most of the month of May on the road. From community celebrations with our state office and civil rights partners in New York, to stops on the State of the People Tour ([link removed]) in Newark, Detroit, and Richmond, to keynotes and commencement addresses in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Baltimore. In every place we paused long enough to hear young people raising their voices—clearly, powerfully, and persistently—pleading for peace of mind.


Perhaps the sound was more resonant because May was Mental Health Awareness Month. Maybe the first stop on this journey opened my ears to hear. On May 1, Dr. Ramesh Raghavan of New York University’s Silver School of Social Work joined CDF’s Board of Directors for a learning and strategy session about children’s mental health. While we have work to do to ensure young people are free from anxiety and stress, he shared a message of hope from within our community.


An April 2024 article from Pew Research Center ([link removed].) analyzed the rising Black adolescent suicide rate, which at a 144% increase from 2007 to 2020 among 10–17-year-olds, is pacing higher than other racial or ethnic groups. Using the 2019 Ring the Alarm Report ([link removed]) from the Congressional Black Caucus, researchers identified barriers to care as “systemic inequities including racism and poverty...deeply rooted stigma around mental health and well-founded cultural mistrust of the health care system.” Pew highlights the need for culturally competent healthcare providers as another barrier. Other scholarship, including a Journal of Public Mental Health March 2025 article, Promoting
mental health equality by investing in organizations ([link removed]) , identifies the barrier of access to funding and capacity for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led organizations positioned to address youth mental health in community.


Dr. Raghavan—no stranger to CDF, having spoken at our national policy forum and attended the CDF Freedom Schools® National Training—suggested we are delivering helpful medicine for children’s mental health. In his 2023 book, Investing in Children’s Mental Health, ([link removed]〈=en&) Ramesh and his colleague, Daniel Eisenberg, call a “social vaccine” a powerful, preventive force that builds individual and collective resilience in the face of structural harm.


The morning celebrations at CDF Freedom Schools sites—marked by song, dance, laughter, reading, and joy—are just what the doctor ordered. Harambee is a social vaccine…and it’s time for a summer dose.


In June, young people transition from school, and we acknowledge Gun Violence Awareness Month. In town halls across the country, we hear how violence, which often spikes in the warmer months to come, is disturbing a sense of peace. The Department of Labor’s shutdown of the Job Corps Program ([link removed]) for youth working to get on track will only exacerbate the problem.


Young people deserve support and a sense of peace: environments that affirm their identities, honor their voices, and ensure their safety and well-being. They are calling for culturally responsive care, safe spaces in schools, and policies that affirm their full humanity.


We are listening to help create the world they deserve. In 30 states this summer, CDF Freedom Schools staff, Servant Leader Interns, volunteers, and community partners will build spaces where children play and find peace.


This is a debt we owe to our young scholars and every one of our children. Let’s work together to ensure they receive this inheritance.

For our children,

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson
President and CEO
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** TAKING ACTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
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CDF is mobilizing child advocates, policymakers, faith leaders, caregivers, and funders from Washington, D.C., to virtual convenings, and across the nation, to push back against harmful policy shifts and advance a vision of flourishing for all young people.


** Help us Protect Basic Needs Programs ([link removed]) for Children
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Sound the alarm as the Senate considers devastating cuts to programs that keep young people and their families fed, housed, healthy, and safe. Amplify the efforts of CDF’s hardworking Policy team by taking immediate action to oppose these harmful budget proposals. Contact your Senator to speak up for children today.


** Take Your Faith to the Streets
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On Tuesday, June 10, people of faith will gather at the U.S. Capitol for A Pentecost Witness for a Moral Budget. ([link removed]) We are witnessing against a proposed federal budget that slashes life-saving support for the most vulnerable. Together, we’ll sing, pray, and speak truth to power. This is a moment for moral courage.

📍 U.S. Capitol – Washington, DC
📅 Tuesday, June 10 | Morning start
✍️ Sign up now to join us:[link removed]

#PentecostWitness #MoralBudget


** State of the People Power Tour ([link removed])
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CDF is a proud national partner with The State of the People Coalition, a national movement rooted in care, culture, and long-term strategy for the Black community. The State of the People Power Tour ([link removed]) is making its way across the country through June. We are traveling across12 cities bringing healing spaces, workshops and trainings, cultural activations, and providing resources directly to our people.

Ready to join us? Here’s how you can plug in: Register ([link removed]) for a Power Tour ([link removed]) event in your city!
Take Action With Us! ([link removed])


** CDF IN THE NEWS
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Children's Defense Fund continues to bring attention to issues impacting children and youth in local communities and state capitols across the country. See how our staff and volunteers are keeping young people in the conversation.


** Monitoring Conditions at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall
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CDF-CA continues to advocate for the rights and well-being of incarcerated youth as Los Angeles County officials prepare to present plans for relocating detainees from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. The facility has faced ongoing scrutiny for unsafe conditions and a lack of adequate services for young people in custody.
Learn More ([link removed])


** Calling for a Working Families Tax Credit
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In a recent op-ed for City Limits, CDF-NY joined advocate surging New York lawmakers to pass the Working Families Tax Credit. This proposal would merge and expand existing state tax benefits to deliver consistent, monthly support to families with children.
Read Op-ed ([link removed])


** Sacramento CDF Freedom Schools® Equipping Youth Through Literacy
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The Roberts Family Development Center, in partnership with Children’s Defense Fund, is set to serve approximately 840 students this summer through its CDF Freedom Schools program in Sacramento. The initiative focuses on literacy and cultural education, aiming to combat summer learning loss and inspire a love for reading among students.
Read More ([link removed])


** UPCOMING CDF EVENTS: JOIN US!
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** The 2026 Federal Budget: What's at Stake for Young People
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June 10, 2025 | Webinar (Zoom)

This is a critical moment. The budget that federal lawmakers are now deciding will impact child health, education, economic security, and youth justice. Learn about the budget reconciliation process and how the decisions being made on Capitol Hill right now will impact children and young people, families, and communities across our country.
Register Now ([link removed])


** A Celebration of Joy: Honoring 30 Years of CDF–Southern Regional Office
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June 27, 2025 |Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Join Children’s Defense Fund-Southern Regional Office (CDF-SRO)for an evening of reflection, recognition, and renewed commitment to children and families across the South. As we mark 30 years of CDF-SRO, we also honor more than 50 years of national impact by Children’s Defense Fund in advancing the well-being of children and communities.

Honoring Legacy

During the evening, we will recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals who have advanced the movement for child well-being with the Advocate for Joy award. These champions embody the values of justice, compassion, and community that have shaped CDF-SRO’s impact over the last three decades.

Advocate for Joy Honorees:
* Dr. Robert Smith: A pioneering physician and civil rights activist, Dr. Smith has dedicated his life to improving healthcare access and equity for underserved communities in Mississippi.

* Rev. Rims Barber: A longtime advocate for social justice, Rev. Barber has been instrumental in advancing civil rights and supporting marginalized populations through his ministry and activism.

Learn More ([link removed])


** CDF Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry
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July 21-24,2025 | Clinton, TN

This July 21-24, join faith leaders, advocates, seminarians, and community organizers at Alex Haley Farm for the 2025 Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry ([link removed]) . With the theme Building Beloved Community: A Place for Play & Laughter, this year’s gathering centers the spiritual, emotional, and leadership development of children and youth.

Through prophetic preaching, spiritual renewal, and hands-on workshops, participants will explore how faith communities can be powerful engines for justice and joy.

Offerings include:
* Plenaries on Civic Education, Health Equity, and Family Economic Mobility featuring national thought leaders like Dr. Darrick Hamilton, Dr. Norbert Wilson, and Professor Kimberly J. Robinson
* Workshops on youth leadership, faith-based advocacy, restorative justice, narrative change, and the Black teaching tradition
* Cohort sessions and spiritual formation spaces designed to nourish those working for justice in local contexts

Whether you’re seeking to launch a CDF Freedom Schools® site, deepen your theological framework, or support young leaders in your community, Hall-Proctor offers tools and inspiration to help you act on your faith for children’s well-being.
Join Us ([link removed])


** WHAT WE’RE READING: RESOURCES, RESEARCH, AND REPORTS
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Investing in Children’s Mental Health ([link removed]〈=en&) by David Eisenberg and Ramesh Raghavan

Investing in Children's Mental Health investigates and addresses three interrelated questions:1) What are some of the best available investments to improve the mental health of children and adolescents in the United States? 2) To what extent are these investments being made? 3)What can practitioners, child-serving organizations, policymakers, and other stakeholders do to promote such investments?

Addressing the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Crisis ([link removed])

The Aspen Institute’s Health Strategy Group released a comprehensive report highlighting the urgent need to address youth mental health challenges. The study offers actionable recommendations for health sector leaders to support children and adolescents.

Extending Tax Breaks to Early Childhood Educators ([link removed])

Early Learning Nation discusses the need for tax reforms to benefit early childhood educators, advocating for the extension of deductions currently available to K-12 teachers.

State of the People Black Papers ([link removed])

The State of the People Black Paper Policy Project transforms complex policy challenges into accessible knowledge that our communities can use to defend democracy and build power. Papers tackle topics from healthcare and economics to education at all levels, from housing and entrepreneurship to digital equity and disability justice. They address housing, reproductive justice, immigration, aging, transportation infrastructure, tax policy, gun safety, gender justice, and national security. They examine Black farmers and land ownership, HBCU excellence, and the transformative power of early care and education.

Stay connected ([link removed]) with us for more updates on our advocacy efforts and initiatives.


Thank you for your continued support in advocating for children’s rights and well-being. Together, we can create a more just and joyful future for all young people.
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