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** The CDF Freedom Schools® model is rooted in Beloved Community.
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Leaders,

As someone who has spent my career fighting for educational equity and the well-being of our nation’s children, it has been my honor to serve as Secretary of the Children’s Defense Fund Board of Directors since 2020. I believe deeply in CDF’s mission—and in the power of communities to ensure every child can flourish.

Every day, CDF’s work changes lives. In 2025 alone, Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® served 11,582 scholars, trained 1,448 staff, and hosted 186 sites across 97 cities in 26 states and the District of Columbia.

That impact is evident not just by the numbers but by the glimpse of Beloved Community it provides. When scholars sing our motivational song, “Something Inside So Strong,” when Ella Baker Trainers share Sankofa Stories — passing wisdom down through generations, that community comes to life.
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As our nation continues to face deep challenges in education, including inequitable resources and attacks on public education, Children’s Defense Fund’s work has never been more urgent. We have important efforts ahead in 2026 to defend children’s learning environments and uplift joyful, liberatory education, and we look forward to bringing our community with us.

Your support this season is not just appreciated—it is essential.

Support Children’s Defense Fund and the joy, learning, and leadership we cultivate nationwide.
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In community,

Deborah Jewell-Sherman, Ed.D.
Professor Emerita, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Board Secretary
(Massachusetts)
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