Blog

Find our latest articles, reports, and weekly editions at Children's Defense Fund.

  • Keeping the Charge

    On June 6, Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) celebrates Founder’s Day. This date was chosen to honor the birthday of our founder and president emerita, Marian Wright Edelman.

    | National

  • For Our Children: We Owe them Peace of Mind

    I spent most of the month of May on the road. From community celebrations with our state office and civil rights partners in New York, to stops on the State of the People Tour in Newark, Detroit, and Richmond, to keynotes and commencement addresses in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Baltimore.

  • Early Childhood

    Take Action Today to Oppose SB 1798

    If passed, Senate Bill 1798 would amend the Texas Education Code to reclassify students whose presence in the United States is “not authorized under federal statute” as non-residents.

    | Texas

  • Immigration

    Tell Your State Representatives to Vote NO on H.B. 1554 and S.B. 1005 

    If passed, House Bill 1554 and Senate Bill 1005 would endanger children, separate families, and lead to violations of the right to due process by prohibiting public funding for legal services in immigration matters for people who are considered “unlawfully present.”

    | Texas

  • 100 Days...and Counting

    Last week, the Trump Administration marked its first 100 days. Since Franklin D. Roosevelt, the first 100 days of a presidential administration have been measured as an indicator of either anxieties or celebrations to come for the country. As child advocates, we had little to celebrate.

    | National

  • Immigration

    Oppose SB 8 and HB 5580: Protect Texas Children and Families

    Two harmful bills, Senate Bill 8 and House Bill 5580, are moving through the Texas Legislature. If passed, these bills would require sheriffs in counties with populations over 100,000 to request and accept agreements with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that authorize local officers to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in carrying out federal immigration enforcement.

    | Texas

  • Child Poverty

    New York State must stand with children this year

    In one of the richest states in the U.S., 1 in 5 New York children are experiencing poverty. This is a policy choice, and this year’s state budget illustrates what is at stake for our children and families.

    | New York

  • Education

    For Our Children: Let’s Protect Progress in Education and Child Well-being

    After a March 4 Presidential Address to a Joint Session of Congress, which both commodified and exploited children, on March 11, the Secretary of Education announced a reduction in force cutting the department’s team—responsible for ensuring educational excellence and access for all America’s children—from 4,133 to 2,183 workers.

    | National

  • Child Welfare

    In congressional address, American children were commodified and exploited

    At the first Presidential Address to a Joint Session of Congress in his second term of office, President Donald J. Trump was, as my sons would say, ‘in his bag’ as showman-in-chief. Beyond the jokes, antics, and partisan division belying the historic decorum of the Chamber, the tradition of storytelling through special guests—popularized by President Bill Clinton—has become a project in propaganda. This time it both exploited and commodified our children.  

    | National
Starsky Wilson stands at a podium in front of a crowd.

Featured Blog Series

For Our Children

From the desk of President and CEO Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, discover a new take on child well-being and advocacy. Read to learn more about shaping conversations, policies, and actions for improving the lives of our nation's children and youth.

Learn More