Our Voice for Children
June 2020
Over the last month, the urgent need to address racism and inequity in America has been made especially clear: by the murders of Black people at the hands of law enforcement and white supremacists and by Black communities disproportionately bearing the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic. To stand up for children, especially Black children who are too often held back from reaching their potential, we must dismantle the racist policies and systems that perpetuate these injustices. Here’s how we’ve been fighting for our children this month as they face the impacts of our parallel pandemics of COVID-19 and structural racism.
Justice for Impacted Families
Visit our new COVID-19 Action Center and join the fight to provide relief to families now, while talking steps to abolish systemic barriers that hold our children—especially Black children—back at every step.
Tell Your Senators: Children Need Help Right Now
Last week, the White House and Senate GOP leadership claimed their next COVID-19 relief package would be about “making sure we take care of our kids.” We couldn’t agree more! The good news is that we already know exactly what our kids and families need to weather this crisis—we just need our leaders to act.
Help us hold Senate leaders accountable: the next COVID relief package must include meaningful action to take care of our kids NOW.
Help make sure vulnerable children will not get left behind as our country responds to this pandemic. Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund >
Celebrate through Resistance
Earlier this month, we shared a reflection from a member of our staff about how to mark this year's Juneteenth commemoration with a mixture of celebration and determination to bring about long-overdue change. Joshua Stewart, Communications Associate for CDF, urges us all to take the time to both reflect and take action by standing up for Black lives—not just on Juneteenth, but every day of the year.
Our Advocacy for Children
As our country faces two parallel pandemics—COVID-19 and systemic racism—our children are being harmed each day that our leaders fail to act. Over the past month, we've continued advocating for policies to help our children weather the pandemic and, at the same time, take steps to dismantle racist systems that have held our children back for generations.
We issued a statement in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and far too many others, calling on Congress to immediately pass meaningful police reform legislation and to confront deeply rooted racism that harms children and families of color.
Our latest analysis illustrates how the country's housing crisis is a racial justice crisis that demands solutions for children and families.
We joined over 2,000 organizations in urging Congress to expand SNAP benefits amid COVID-19.
We called on Congress to pass a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Fund to help families experiencing economic crisis afford basic needs like groceries and rent.
We joined our partners in endorsing an agenda of civil rights principles for safe, healthy, and inclusive school climates.
We celebrated the Supreme Court's decision to protect Dreamers and their children by rejecting the Trump Administration's termination of DACA.
CDF Freedom Schools in the House!
With children across the country having their school year—and their learning and growth—disrupted by the pandemic, the CDF Freedom Schools program is more important than ever this year. Thanks to our committed partners, we’ll be delivering the CDF Freedom Schools experience to scholars all over the nation this summer—even if it looks a little different from past years. Yesterday, we celebrated the conclusion of the 2020 CDF Freedom Schools Ella Baker Child Policy Training Institute, which this year was held entirely online, with an inspiring virtual graduation ceremony. Now our newest class of Servant Leader Interns are off to nurture, mentor, and lead our scholars through a summer like no other, and we can't wait to see how they thrive!
Join Us as the CDF Proctor Institute Goes Virtual!
While we cannot gather in person for the 2020 CDF Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry, instead we will host an inspiring, fully virtual, free event that will be held over two days—Tuesday, July 21, and Wednesday, July 22. Click below for more information, and we hope to see you there!
Child Watch Roundup
In a Child Watch column published this month, Marian Wright Edelman shared a story from one of our long-standing CDF Freedom Schools partners that gives her hope and strength during this turbulent time.
Catch up on the rest of Marian Wright Edelman's recent Child Watch columns:
Be sure to look for a new Child Watch column every Friday afternoon.
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