Honoring Juneteenth
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the bill that had been passed by unanimous consent in the Senate and 415-14 in the House to establish Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19, as a federal holiday.
Uncategorized
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Education Equity
Rewriting the Rules: New Federal Policy Threatens Broadband Access for MS Children, Young Families
This new federal policy shift forces Mississippi to scrap its broadband expansion plans, jeopardizing rural families’ access to reliable, affordable internet and prioritizing corporate interests over community needs.
| Southern Regional Office -
Child Welfare
CDF-CA: Military Presence in CA Communities Poses Threat to State's Children
Children’s Defense Fund–California has issued the following statement in response to recent actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the National Guard in California.
| California -
Child Health
CDF Urges U.S. Senators to Reject Harmful Budget Cuts Threatening Families’ Health, Food, Financial Security
Today, the national youth advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) delivered a letter to U.S. Senators urging them to reject proposed cuts to critical health, nutrition, and financial stability programs as part of the budget reconciliation process.
| National -
KIDS Count
2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book: Minnesota Ranks 5th Overall in Child Well-Being, Racial Disparities Persist
Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota (CDF-MN) welcomes recent news from the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book that Minnesota ranks as the fifth-best state in the nation for child well-being. However, while Minnesota ranks high in health and economic well-being of children and young people, the state continues to lose ground in educational outcomes.
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KIDS Count
Ohio Ranks 31st in 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book for Child Well-Being
Data shows Ohio’s child poverty rate remains unchanged, affecting child well-being, the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds.
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Immigration
CDF-Texas, Partners Warn U.S. DOJ-TX Dream Act Lawsuit, Settlement Will Harm State’s Immigrant Students
Children’s Defense Fund-Texas, youth and immigrant advocates, faith communities, and members of Texas’ business community warn a recent lawsuit and settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the state could harm both immigrant students and Texas’ economic future.
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CDF's Ella Baker Child Policy Training Institute to Bring 1,500+ Youth Advocates to Knoxville
The conference prepares leaders from 200+ CDF Freedom Schools® nationwide to deliver summer and after-school enrichment for K–12 students and families.
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Gun Violence
Gun Violence Awareness Day
The day after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who was running for President, appeared at a Cleveland event and said instead of talking about politics he had to speak about the “mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our lives.”
| National -
Early Childhood
Sixty Years of Head Start
Head Start began as an eight-week summer program; it has since served nearly 40 million children and families across the United States. But today, like other basic needs programs millions of children, young people, and families rely on, Head Start has been under attack.
| National