Children's Defense Fund

Children’s Defense Fund builds community so young people grow up with dignity, hope, and joy.

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We envision a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive.

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Hall-Proctor Institute of Child Advocacy and Ministry 2025

Building Beloved Community: A Place for Play & Laughter

Join us at the Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry—a place where faith, action, and joy come together to build a better world.

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Young People Lead Podcast

Young People Lead Podcast

The podcast aims to demonstrate how young people can and should lead by telling their stories of how youth are transforming policies for the better and examining research on the policies that most affect them.

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Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson speaking at a podium.

CDF Celebrates 50 Years

Children's Defense Fund's 2023 Policy Forum and Celebration of Joy at Howard University, Washington, D.C., marked our 50th and 30th Anniversaries of CDF Freedom Schools®. This event, focusing on health, early childhood development, communities, economic mobility, and civic engagement, united various community members for two days of learning, networking, and growth.

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Recent News

  • Women’s History: Vision and Light

    Forty-five years ago, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation designating March 2-8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week. …

  • Child Health

    CDF-Texas, Partners Respond as Trump Administration Reopens Child and Family Detention Centers in Texas

    Children’s Defense Fund-Texas (CDF-Texas) and its youth and immigrant advocacy partners warn that President Donald Trump’s decision to reopen detention facilities in Texas to jail immigrant families could create an array of negative physical and mental impacts for children.…

  • Remembering Selma

    Sixty years ago, on Sunday, March 7, 1965, John Lewis and Reverend Hosea Williams set out on a nonviolent march with a group of 600 men, women, young people, and children headed from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital in Montgomery. …

  • Dr. Alvin Poussaint

    Harvard Medical School scholar Dr. Alvin Poussaint, who passed away February 24, was a renowned psychiatrist and educator whose research included studying the ways racism and discrimination impact African Americans’ self-esteem and mental health, including Black children and young people.…

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Young boy laughs with his friends at a CDF Freedom Schools event.

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Find a CDF Freedom Schools® Site

At CDF Freedom Schools, we’re not just educating. We’re nurturing lifelong learners and advocates for progress. We’re sculpting a brighter tomorrow where we celebrate every young person’s potential, and affirming their impact on the world is profound. Find a CDF Freedom Schools site near you.

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Young boy laughs with his friends at a CDF Freedom Schools event.

Dr. Starsky Wilson speaks into a microphone.

Subscribe to “For Our Children”

Sign up to receive the weekly column by Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson.

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For Our Children

CDF’s President and CEO, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, shares insights, challenges, and hopes for the future in “For Our Children.”CDF’s President and CEO, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, offers a personal perspective on challenges, victories, and the path ahead in “For Our Children.” Delve into a unique narrative that guides our mission, celebrates milestones, and navigates the journey toward a brighter tomorrow. Explore now for an inside connection to our vision—where the story of our commitment to children and youth unfolds.

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