Politics & Policy

August 22, 2016

In this era of political disagreement, it’s unusual to see political parties put aside their differences, join hands and work together for the greater good. But that’s exactly what happened recently in Minnesota around efforts to improve and increase access to healthy and affordable food. Minnesota...

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Stephanie Vaughn

Politics & Policy

August 19, 2016

To all victims and survivors of sexual violence, I hate that you have been, once again, re-traumatized by the force of patriarchy. I see the many statuses, comments, blogs, and articles in my timeline, and I am reading and digesting them. I completely understand why you are now either conflicted,...

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Byron Hurt

Childcare & Early Education Politics & Policy

August 12, 2016

Do your children love the books on their summer reading lists? Are your children reading about diverse cultures and books that reflect their experience or history? Children of color are now a majority of all public school students and will soon be a majority of all children in America yet children’s books and the publishing industry have failed to keep up with the rainbow of our children’s faces and cultures and needs. Every summer our Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools® curriculum is focused on a superb collection of diverse books that reflect children’s own images and a wide variety of cultures and experiences. For some children it’s the first time they’ve seen books with characters who look like them. For others the storylines draw them in, teach them about moments in history they may not have studied in school, and allow them to fall in love with reading in a way they’ve never experienced.

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Marian Wright Edelman

Environmental Health Health Care Politics & Policy

August 8, 2016

For months, public health officials have warned that the Zika virus eventually would show up in the continental U.S. They warned of this back in the winter, months before the mosquitoes that help transmit Zika were on most people’s radar screen. They warned of this in early summer, when Congress opted to recess for a very lengthy vacation and campaign season, without passing desperately needed funds to help fight Zika. They warned us. And now Zika is here.

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Lecia Imbery

Gun Safety Politics & Policy

August 8, 2016

A month and four days have passed and I’m still on edge. On July 4th my family and I traveled to Carowinds, a very popular amusement park that borders the line between North and South Carolina. As a Black American I have never believed in actively celebrating a holiday based on freedoms not...

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Epyana Smith

Politics & Policy

August 5, 2016

Bryan Stevenson, the brilliant founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, believes it’s possible to change our nation and world despite the inequality and violence that sometimes threaten to overwhelm us. He’s thought long and hard about the steps needed and believes a key to changing America’s future is changing the narrative we tell ourselves about our shared past. This is especially true about our legacy of Native American genocide, slavery and Jim Crow, and the injustices throughout our history that linger and simmer under the surface then boil over again and again. He speaks often about the urgent need to confront our historic narrative including recently to young servant leaders preparing to teach children in Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® programs across America.

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Marian Wright Edelman

Childcare & Early Education Politics & Policy

August 4, 2016

With a new school year upon us, it seems a good time to give you an update on our effort to ensure Florida's public elementary school students receive the 20 minutes of daily recess they so desperately need and deserve. While our recess bill made it through the House last session, Sen. John Legg,...

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Angela C. Browning

Health Care Politics & Policy

August 3, 2016

Nancy Knighton, the best mom ever, a successful IT professional that did so well she was able to retire early to raise me and my brother, a breast cancer survivor, a public servant, a single mother, a super volunteer, a role model, a woman of faith, a good friend, all around one of the finest women...

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Jeffrey Knighton

Politics & Policy

July 22, 2016

[The summer] brought racial disorders to American cities, and with them shock, fear and bewilderment to the nation. The worst came during a two-week period in July, first in Newark and then in Detroit. Each set off a chain reaction in neighboring communities . . . What happened? Why did it happen? What can be done to prevent it from happening again?

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Marian Wright Edelman

Gun Safety MomsRising Politics & Policy

July 21, 2016

Today I mourn. Yesterday I mourned. I mourned for the history that has brought us to these days. I mourned for slavery, for lynching, for Rodney King to Philando Castile and everyone in between. I mourn for the officers killed in Dallas last night. I mourn for the African-American man who's heart...

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