July 21, 2026 – Event to feature community-led solutions and practical tools for building lasting political influence and systemic change.
Media Contact: John Henry, jhenry@childrensdefense.org, Media Relations Manager, 708-646-7679
LONG BEACH, CA—On Thursday, Children’s Defense Fund-California, the local arm of the national child advocacy organization, will release a new report examining and outlining strategies to improve the well-being of Long Beach youth.
The report “Rooted in Community, Rising Together: A Decade of Advocacy and Partnership in Long Beach” aims to serve as a blueprint for residents in Long Beach, and across Southern California, on how to achieve systemic reform to improve the well-being of youth. It demonstrates how stakeholders can build political influence and lasting community power through the usage of practical tools, like public records requests and public testimony, among other things.
CDF-CA will publicly release the report at a community gathering at Georgia’s Restaurant in the Long Beach Exchange. It will host a diverse group of stakeholders, including policymakers, community partners, local families, and youth from Civility Development Inc.’s Long Beach-based CDF Freedom Schools® site to discuss the findings of the report and pathways to building a stronger future for local families.
What: Long Beach Report Launch & Community Gathering
Who: Children’s Defense Fund-California
Where: Georgia’s Restaurant | 4101 McGowen St., Long Beach, CA 90808
When: Thursday, July 23, 2025, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM PST
“We’re hosting this event because the work documented in the report was never ours alone. It was built by the community, and this gathering is an opportunity to honor that history, celebrate what has been achieved, and recommit collectively to what still needs to be done,” said CDF-CA Policy Associate Ryan Bell. “At a time when public investment in children and families continues to face pressure at every level, Long Beach stands as a model of what community driven advocacy can produce, and this event is a chance to share that story with a broader audience.”
Learn More: Long Beach Report Launch & Community Gathering
The report, which features testimony from Long Beach residents and parents, explores how community-led advocacy can drive change and how organizational partnerships can amplify the impact of changemakers. CDF-CA presents this report following a decade of working with local leaders to advance education equity, disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, and strengthen grassroots advocacy in the city.
“This gathering will include a broad table of perspective, reflecting the wide range of people who have been part of this work and whose voices are represented in the report itself,” said CDF-CA State Director Jaren Sorkow. “Our goal is for attendees to be informed about what has been accomplished in Long Beach and energized about what comes next.”
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ABOUT CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND
Founded in 1973, Children’s Defense Fund envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive. The only national, multi-issue advocacy organization working at the intersection of child well-being and racial justice, CDF advances the well-being of America’s most diverse generation, the 74 million children and youth under the age of 18 and 30 million young adults under the age of 25. CDF’s grassroots movements in marginalized communities build power for child-centered public policy, informed by racial equity and the lived experience of children and youth. Its renowned CDF Freedom Schools® program is conducted in nearly 100 cities across 30 states and territories. Learn more at www.childrensdefense.org