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A Season for Change | December 2014
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Democracy Cannot Breathe
The California Beat the Odds® Awards ceremony took place in the wake of the grand jury decisions in Ferguson and New York and the tragic death of a 12-year old Black boy shot by police in Cleveland. CDF President Marian Wright Edelman addressed the recent killings of unarmed Black men and boys by police officers, and delivered a powerful message for all,
“Democracy cannot breathe, indeed will die, if those enjoined to protect it and uphold the laws snuff it out — with no consequences.”
Over 400 celebrities, public officials and change makers in Los Angeles
gathered on December 4th to hear additional remarks from longtime
friends and supporters Conan O’Brien, J.J. Abrams, Jordana Brewster and
others to honor five outstanding high school seniors who have achieved
academic excellence and given back to their community despite tremendous
obstacles.
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Chase Moore
Elizabeth Lopez
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Sequoia Canada
Timothy Walker
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Zachary Byrge
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Each received a $10,000 college scholarship, access to academic and career readiness support, and an invitation to join CDF’s leadership ladder thanks to generous donors. The event proceeds also support CDF-CA programs and advocacy to ensure a level playing field for all California children.
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Joe Worthy and Cleveland Organizers
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Change in Cleveland
When 12-year-old Tamir Rice, a Black boy with a toy gun, was fatally shot by police last month in Cleveland, organizers from CDF-Ohio's New Abolitionist Association, launched a nonviolent campaign demanding police reform and a city hall that better serves the entire community. Since then, the young leaders in Cleveland have demanded a voice at the table, interrupted City Council meetings to demand change, and met with four City Council members to negotiate for those changes. “We are going to show that we as young Black people in Cleveland are no longer going to allow these tragedies to happen,” said Joe Worthy, CDF'S National Youth Organizer.
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White House Attention to Children
The month of December brought two special White House events focused on children. We urge policymakers to make 2015 a season of change for children.
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Foster Care Announcements
On December 8, 2014, Vice President Joe biden and his daughter Ashley who directs the Delaware Center for Justice opened a special prorgram at the White House for alumni of foster care and youth in care. Both the Vice President and Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack commended the young leaders for their commitment to “staying in the game” and giving hope to children left behind them in the system.
The White House announced a number of new steps the Administration and its partners are taking to support children and youth in foster care — detailed in this Fact Sheet: Improving Outcomes for Our Nation’s Foster Youth. They will help ensure access to free school meals, strengthen departmental efforts to protect the welfare of Indian children, build financial security, prevent cross-over youth and help to keep children and families together, create clear pathways to employment, support educational success, and develop public service and private investment opportunities. It was an exciting event that included a conversation with the cast of “Annie” and a screening of the new movie.
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Summit on Early Education
On December 10, CDF participated in the White House Summit on Early Education hosted by President Obama. The summit featured the President, Vice President, senior administration officials, business leaders, researchers, advocates and celebrities — all working together to improve access to high-quality early childhood opportunities for children across the country. During the summit, President Obama announced the launch of a new campaign that challenges leaders across sectors to build a better nation through high-quality early childhood education — an initiative in which CDF is excited to participate.
Check out the #InvestInUs Twitter conversation that happened around the event.
Watch the summit here.
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Welcome Patrick Bresette
With great pleasure we welcome Patrick Bresette to CDF as our new Executive Director in Texas. Bresette brings with him more than 23 years of leadership in policy and advocacy and a broad understanding of how to work with and within the public sector for positive social change. For the past 10 years, as executive director of Public Works, he traveled to dozens of states to help advocates, nonprofits, community leaders, public officials and organizers defend public programs and the role they play in the lives of children, families and communities. “I am energized to return to the kind of work that started my policy and advocacy career two decades ago being a voice for the children of Texas. One in ten children in America call Texas home and there is so much more our state can and must do to ensure they each have a bright future.”
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Service is the Rent We Pay for Being
As we end a tumultuous year with protestors in cities across the country proclaiming “#BlackLivesMatter,” change is in the air.
Please pledge to #MakeADifference by giving as generously as you can to the Children’s Defense Fund so we can better serve our nation’s children.
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A New Look for a New Year
We hope you like our gift to you: a fresh look for our website with all the latest information responsive to all the newest mobile devices. The Communications team and all of us at CDF wish you a happy and healthy New Year. We hope you will check in often and take action with us and together we can create changes for children today to build a stronger America tomorrow.
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