Speaking of Kids...

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe speaks with Shamika Bradley, a consultant in AI accessibility and ethics, about the hidden systems shaping kids’ digital lives. Bradley works at the intersection of technology, policy, and equity, helping organizations understand how data, algorithms, and design choices impact real people – especially children. Together, Abebe and Bradley explore how today’s kids are growing up in environments driven by algorithms, what parents and policymakers often misunderstand about screen time and online safety, and why the real risks go beyond what’s visible on the surface. The conversation highlights the importance of transparency, digital literacy, and “kids-first” design, while offering practical ways families can stay engaged, informed, and empowered in a rapidly changing digital world.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Alliance for Student Liberty: How the ECCA Hurts Public Schools and Benefits the Wealthy The Heist: How the Powerful Are Robbing America’s Children Saying ‘No’ to Culture Wars, Crumbs, or Capitulation: Building a Child Advocacy Movement To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Arnie Fege about what it means to protect public education, why schools remain one of the most important public institutions in a democracy, and how policy decisions shape the daily realities of children and families. Fege is a long-time advocate for public schools and children’s rights in education, with decades of experience working at the intersection of education policy and equity. Together, Abebe and Fege explore what happens when public schools are under-resourced, why access and opportunity cannot depend on geography or income, and how communities can stay rooted in solidarity to ensure every child has the chance to learn, grow, and thrive. To learn more about Arnie Fege and his work, you can visit this website. Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: A Superintendent Speaks Out from the Front Lines of Our Public Schools Three Ways That The Reconciliation Bill’s School Voucher Program Hurts Public Schools Alliance For Student Liberty: How Trump’s Executive Orders Undermine Public Education To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Matthew Henderson and Olga Grays about New Mexico’s historic move to make child care free for all families. Henderson is the Executive Director of the OLÉ Education Fund, and Grays is a leader with the organization as well as a veteran child care provider and social worker. Together, they explore the years of advocacy that led to this change in the state’s constitution, the challenges of putting universal child care into practice, and the ways it strengthens children, parents, and early educators alike. The conversation highlights the transformative impact of accessible child care, the dedication of caregivers, and how public policy can shape stronger, healthier communities for the next generation.  To learn more about Olé New Mexico and their work, you can follow them on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: The Trump Administration's Freeze on Funding for Child Care and Other Services Punishes America’s Children The State of the Union: Leaving Children and Families Behind Trump Administration’s Plan to Eliminate Head Start Threatens Child Care, Families and Economy To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Dr. Emil Cunningham and Eunice Na about the Pratt Free Market, a free grocery store inside the Enoch Pratt Free Library that is helping Baltimore families access food with dignity. Dr. Emil Cunningham is the executive director of the library’s Office of Equity and Fair Practice, and Na coordinates the day-to-day operations of the market. Together, they discuss how libraries are expanding beyond books to meet basic needs, why food access is critical for children’s well-being and learning, and how trusted public spaces can play a powerful role in supporting families facing food insecurity.  To learn more about the Pratt Free Market, you can visit the Enoch Pratt Free Library website. Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: The Misguided Push to Abolish the Department of Education A Superintendent Speaks Out from the Front Lines of Our Public Schools Organized Abandonment: How Attacks on Public Systems Are Harming Parents and Children To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with award-winning filmmaker, author, and educator Suzie Hicks — also known as the Climate Chick — to explore how climate change shapes the world children are growing up in. Together, they discuss why climate education is often avoided, how fear and misinformation impact kids and adults alike, and what it looks like to talk honestly about the planet without overwhelming children. The conversation highlights the power of storytelling, emotional literacy, and community action in helping kids understand climate change not just as a crisis, but as a challenge they can face together. To learn more about Suzie Hicks and their work, you can visit the Suzie Hicks The Climate Chick and Sprout website, and follow them on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens Born Equal: Defending The Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Wendy Cervantes about how immigration enforcement policies are shaping children’s daily lives, why fear and instability can have lasting developmental consequences, and what it would mean to truly center kids in immigration reform. Cervantes is the Director of the Immigration and Immigrant Families team at the Center for Law and Social Policy and co-founder of the Children Thrive Action Network. Together, Abebe and Cervantes explore the trauma many children in immigrant families experience, the ripple effects of detention and deportation on schools and communities, and the policy solutions that could better protect children’s safety, stability, and long-term well-being. To learn more about Wendy Cervantes and her work, you can visit the Center for Law and Social Policy website, the Children Thrive Action Network website, and follow her on X, and BlueSky. Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens Born Equal: Defending The Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Chad Bolt about what happens when the food safety net millions of children rely on suddenly fails, why access to nutrition is foundational to kids’ health and learning, and how political decisions can have immediate consequences for families. Bolt is Senior Vice President for Economic Security at First Focus on Children, and an anti-hunger policy expert who has worked extensively on SNAP and child nutrition programs. Together, Abebe and Bolt explore the unprecedented lapse in SNAP benefits during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, what it revealed about the fragility of food access, and why protecting nutrition programs is essential to giving kids a fair chance to grow, learn, and thrive. To learn more about Chad Bolt and his work, you can visit the First Focus on Children website.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Children Need Congress to Reverse the SNAP Cost Shift to States Big Ideas For Kids: A Blueprint for Building Government That Works for Children No Child Should Go Hungry: The Fight to Protect School Meals To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with Madeline Brown to explore what it would mean if every child began life with a financial head start. Brown is a senior policy researcher at the Urban Institute and an expert on economic mobility, poverty reduction, and the racial and generational wealth gaps. Together, Abebe and Brown unpack the concept of baby bonds and child savings accounts, why policy design matters, and how these tools could help disrupt generational poverty. This conversation examines the realities families face when saving for their children’s futures, the growing wealth divide in the U.S., and what it would take to ensure every child enters adulthood with real opportunity — not just aspiration. To learn more about Madeline Brown and her work, you can visit the Urban Institute website, and connect with her on LinkedIn.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Children Need Congress to Reverse the Snap Cost Shift to States Social Security Advisory Board Recommends Improved Access and Increased Awareness of Survivor Benefits for Children Big Ideas for Kids: A Blueprint for Building Government That Works for Children To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Adriana Cadena about the real-life impact of immigration policies on children and families, why access to basic needs like food, health care, and stability shouldn’t depend on a parent’s immigration status, and how states can step up when the federal government falls short. Cadena is the leader of the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition, a national movement ensuring families get the resources they need to thrive no matter where they were born. Together, Abebe and Cadena explore the fear and trauma many children in immigrant families face, the importance of telling these stories to shift public perception, and how communities and policymakers can act to protect children and families while strengthening neighborhoods and economies. To learn more about Adriana Cadena and her work, you can visit the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition website, and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and X.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens Born Equal: Defending The Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with Maury Mendenhall to discuss what happened when USAID - the United States Agency for International Development - was suddenly dismantled, how that decision rippled into the daily lives of children around the world, and what it means for families who lost life-saving support overnight. Mendenhall is a longtime humanitarian and former USAID leader who spent nearly two decades helping communities access food, safety, and critical HIV care. Together, Abebe and Mendenhall explore the human cost of abrupt policy change, the resilience of local partners who continue the work against all odds, and why protecting global child welfare remains urgent and essential. To learn more about Maury Mendenhall and her work, you can keep up with her emergency campaign A Crisis in Care. Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Remembering, Reflecting, and Acting: Supporting Children Affected by HIV/AIDS What the “America First Global Strategy” Means for the World’s Children Social Security Advisory Board Recommends Improved Access and Increased Awareness of Survivor Benefits for Children To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Kai Kung about what it means to help every child find purpose, possibility, and pride in their future. Kung is the CEO of San Joaquin A+, a community organization reimagining what education and opportunity can look like for young people in the Central Valley of California. Together, Abebe and Kung discuss why traditional pathways don’t work for every student, how paid internships and local partnerships are opening new doors, and why listening to kids — and believing in their dreams — is the foundation for lasting change. To learn more about Kai Kung and his work, you can visit the San Joaquin A+ website, and follow him on Instagram. Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Three Ways That The Reconciliation Bill’s School Voucher Program Hurts Public Schools Alliance For Student Liberty: How Trump’s Executive Orders Undermine Public Education Clawbacks From Education Funding Would Help Disable Department To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with Juana Silverio to talk about what happens when systems claim to protect kids—but don’t. Silverio is a civil rights strategist, political organizer, and leadership coach who spent years inside the federal government and now works to help others lead with alignment, honesty, and rest. By leading with rest, she emphasizes sustainable leadership, self-care, and setting boundaries so you can show up fully for your community. Together, Abebe and Silverio explore what real advocacy looks like, why community matters, and how “aunties” everywhere step in when the system falls short. This conversation dives into generational trauma, radical self-trust, and the joy of seeing children dream for themselves—reminding us that rest, love, and showing up for one another are all forms of resistance. To learn more about Juana Silverio and her work, you can visit the VIP Coaching website, listen to her podcast JinTransit, and follow her on Instagram.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Testifying For Children Before A House Committee That, Far Too Often, Ignores Them  Against The Public Will: How Policymakers Are Failing Our Nation’s Children H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Kate Wilson about how she’s working to keep siblings in foster care under the same roof, why stable housing is key to family bonds, and what community support can look like in action. Wilson is the founder of Foster + Heart, a grassroots movement that builds homes designed for siblings to stay together and feel a true sense of belonging. Together, Abebe and Wilson explore the challenges of the foster care system, the power of neighbors rallying to create safe spaces, and how love—and a well-built home—can transform a child’s future. To learn more about Kate Wilson and her work, you can check out her website Foster + Heart and follow her on Instagram.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Congress: Don’t Forget the Orphans and Vulnerable Children DOGE and the White House Have Turned Their Backs on Orphans and Vulnerable Children Seeing Children: Why the Family Frame Isn’t Enough To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Precious about how parents can raise confident, critical thinkers in a world shaped by artificial intelligence. They talk about why it’s important to guide kids toward curiosity instead of fear, how families can set simple guardrails around new technologies, and what it takes to help children become creators rather than just consumers of tech. Tate is a parenting advocate and digital literacy educator who works with families to build healthy relationships with technology. Together, Abebe and Tate explore the opportunities and challenges AI brings to childhood, offering practical tips for protecting kids’ privacy, sparking creativity, and keeping human connection at the heart of parenting in the digital age. To learn more about Precious Tate and her work, you can follow her on Instagram.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Alliance for Student Liberty: How the ECCA Hurts Public Schools and Benefits the Wealthy The Heist: How the Powerful Are Robbing America’s Children Saying ‘No’ to Culture Wars, Crumbs, or Capitulation: Building a Child Advocacy Movement To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Elisabeth Marnik, PhD about bridging the gap between science and everyday life, especially when it comes to kids’ health. Dr. Liz is a scientist, mom, and powerful science communicator who grew up in a fundamentalist, anti-science household and is now a trained immunologist translating research for everyday families. Together, Selley and Dr. Liz discuss why empathy works better than facts alone, how to navigate vaccine hesitancy with understanding, and ways parents can cut through misinformation to make informed choices. This conversation highlights the power of trust, curiosity, and compassion in keeping families healthy and connected. To learn more about Dr. Liz Marnik and her work, you can check out her website, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: The Kid Angle: The Vaccine Vortex Chaos and Confusion: The Future of Childhood Vaccines in an Anti-Vax Administration Trump Administrations Removal of COVID-19 From Recommended Childhood Vaccines Endanger Children, Families, and Confidence in All Vaccinations  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Tracy Kaplan about why kids deserve honest, age-appropriate news, and the importance of slowing down in a world full of misinformation. Kaplan is the creator of The Ten News, a podcast that makes current events accessible for curious kids and their families. Together, Abebe and Kaplan discuss how to navigate misinformation, why fairness is at the heart of what kids care about, and the ways parents and educators can guide tough conversations. This conversation highlights the power of listening to kids—and trusting them to ask the questions that matter most. To learn more about Tracy Kaplan and her work, you can check out her podcast The Ten News, and follow her on Instagram, and Twitter. Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Three Ways That The Reconciliation Bill’s School Voucher Program Hurts Public Schools How Funding Cuts Threaten The Future of Early Childhood Education H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Kim Kelly about the ongoing fight against child labor, the vital role unions play in protecting families, and why labor rights are children’s rights. Kelly is a journalist, organizer, and author whose work highlights the often-overlooked struggles of young workers. Together, Abebe and Kelly explore how historical and modern labor movements have shaped protections for kids, the dangers that remain in workplaces across the country, and how families and communities can advocate for safer, fairer futures. This conversation emphasizes the importance of awareness, solidarity, and action to ensure every child can grow up free from exploitation. To learn more about Kim Kelly and her work, you can check out her book Fight to Win, and follow her on Instagram, and Twitter. Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Testifying for Children Before a House Committee That, Far Too Often, Ignores Them Against the Public Will: How Policymakers Are Failing Our Nation’s Children The Unprecedented War on Children To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on⁠ Instagram⁠,⁠ LinkedIn⁠, and⁠ Twitter⁠.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: ⁠@SpeakingOfKids⁠ and⁠ @First_Focus⁠ Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children ⁠here⁠.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children ⁠here⁠.

Mychal Threets Believes Every Child Deserves Access to Books! In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Mychal Threets about why every child deserves access to books, what it means when libraries are defunded, and how joy shows up—even on the hardest days. Threets is a literary advocate, former librarian, and the current Resident Librarian for PBS. Together, Abebe and Threets dive into the vital role libraries play in our communities, especially for children. This conversation explores the impact of book bans, the need for libraries to adapt to modern needs, and how they serve not just as spaces for learning, but as sanctuaries of safety, possibility, and belonging. To learn more about Mychal Threets and his work, you can follow him on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Three Ways That The Reconciliation Bill’s School Voucher Program Hurts Public Schools How Funding Cuts Threaten The Future of Early Childhood Education H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Maria Davis-Pierre and Cheryl Poe to explore what it means to be a culturally responsive advocate for Black neurodivergent children. Both mothers and passionate advocates, Davis-Pierre is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the President & CEO of Autism in Black INC, and Poe, who holds an M.A. in Urban Education and Counseling, is the Founder and Executive Director of Advocating 4 Kids, Inc. Together, they discuss the challenges that Black families face in education and health care, the emotional toll of advocacy, and how they transformed their frustration into a movement—creating spaces where parents, professionals, and advocates can connect, stay informed, and feel empowered.  To learn more about Maria Davis-Pierre’s work, visit the Autism in Black website, or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. To learn more about Cherly Poe’s work, visit the Advocating 4 Kids website, or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Cuts to School Mental Health Funding and Threats to MEDICAID/CHIP: A Growing Crisis for Children MEDICAID, CHIP, and Budget Reconciliation: One Choice Will Save Children’s Lives  MAHA Moms: What Say You? To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with economist Kathryn Edwards to unpack the economic challenges facing children and families, particularly in child care and education. Edwards is a labor economist and independent policy consultant whose research focuses on the intersection of labor markets and public policy. She joins us to break down complex economic ideas, connecting the dots between big-picture policy and everyday life. This conversation offers both practical knowledge and a sense of hope for those working to build a better economic future for children and families. To learn more about Kathryn Edwards’ work, visit kathrynanneedwards.com. You can follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Lastly, be sure to check out her podcast Optimist Economy.  Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: How H.R. 1 Will Harm Children Now and Far Into the Future Three Ways that the Reconciliation Bill’s School Voucher Program Hurts Public Schools How Funding Cuts Threaten the Future of Early Childhood Education To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe speaks with Jered Bruzas about the importance of engaging fathers as advocates and how their involvement can help build stronger systems for children and families. Bruzas is a father of four, a passionate community advocate, and the Chief Impact Officer at United Way of Greater Waterbury. He brings firsthand insight into the societal and systemic barriers families face, particularly in education, food insecurity, and access to opportunity. This conversation highlights the real-life impact of policy decisions — and the critical role fathers can play in creating meaningful change.  To learn more about Jered Bruzas’ work with United Way of Greater Waterbury, visit unitedwaygw.org. You can follow UWGW on Instagram and Facebook. Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently: Privatizing Public School Funds: Threats to Equity, Access, and Educational Quality  H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future  How Funding Cuts Threaten the Future of Early Childhood Education To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments or thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

Speaking of Kids is back for Season 2! Join host Messellech “Selley” Abebe as she explores what it means to be an ambassador for children — and why children’s voices, needs, and futures must be at the center of our policies and budgets. This season, you’ll hear from an inspiring lineup of guests: an economist, a librarian, a labor journalist, parents, teachers, and organizers. Together, Selley and her guests will explore their unique perspectives, name what’s broken, highlight what’s working, and share tools to help you speak up and take action. To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments or thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech Looby chat about the the importance of children’s issues in the upcoming election. Despite children making up over 20% of the population, children’s issues are often overlooked and ignored in policymaking. Lesley and Looby outline some of the major disparities in policies between the candidates, particularly focusing on the child tax credit, children’s health, and funding for public education.  Learn more about children’s issues in the election: Blog: Children on the 2024 Ballot: Where do Harris/Walz and Trump/Vance stand? By Bruce Lesley  Analysis: Project 2025, First Focus on Children staff To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech Looby chat with Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer of Zero to Three. Miriam has dedicated her life to ensuring that all children have access to essential resources such as child care, nutrition programs, and maternal health services. In today’s episode, Miriam addresses the importance of the first 1000 days of a child’s life and highlights the need for holistic approaches to early childhood policies, including policies that support mental health services, reproductive rights, and economic security. She also discusses the flaws of our current child care, health, and education systems, where opportunity and outcomes are often determined by zip codes.  Learn more about Zero to Three’s work: Resource: Building Strong Foundations:Advancing Comprehensive Policies for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, By Zero to Three and Center for Law and Social Policy’s (CLASP) Article: Why is child care so expensive? By Zero to Three  Follow Miriam Calderón on X and LinkedIn.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with pollster and political strategist Celinda Lake. Lake is President and Founder of Lake Research Partners, a national public opinion and political strategy research firm. Lake walks our hosts through public polling that shows voters strongly favor investing in children and centering them in public policy. The data contradicts lawmakers’ inclination to treat children’s issues as an afterthought. Lake outlines the unique challenges facing child advocates and ways to increase public attention to the needs of children and families. To see the full results of the Lake Research Partners poll for First Focus on Children, go to https://firstfocus.org/blog/fact-sheet-voters-support-investments-in-kids.   As a pollster, Lake hears every variety of opinion on contentious political issues. Yet, she’s found that Americans are more united than they seem and she’s passionate about using that information to fight the rising problem of political polarization.   Be sure to check out Lake Research Partners and follow on Twitter at @celindalake and @lake_research. Lake's recent book with Ed Goaes, A Question of Respect, can be found at https://www.amazon.com/Question-RESPECT-Bringing-Together-Divided/dp/1636980406/.   To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids @BruceLesley and @First_Focus   And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are past Labor Day and just 62 days from the 2024 election and children are on the ballot. We wanted to bring back this very relevant podcast for a SECOND LOOK. In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with pediatrician and former congressional candidate Dr. Annie Andrews and political strategist Renee Harvey about their new political action committee (PAC) for children, Their Future. Our Vote. Dr. Andrews, a children’s hospital doctor, highlighted the invisibility of children in policymaking during her recent run for Congress. When the race didn’t end the way they’d hoped, Harvey and Dr. Andrews created the PAC to offer financial support to urgently needed kid-first policies, such as improving the Child Tax Credit, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and child care while also opposing efforts to ban books in our public schools and libraries. Learn more about the political and policy challenges faced by children:  Blog: The Invisibility of Children: The Other Form of Neglect, by Bruce Lesley Article: ​​Pediatrician launches new PAC focused on children, by Daniela Altimari Stay up to date Dr. Annie Andrews and Renee Harvey on social media. Be sure to check out their PAC website and follow them on Twitter, @HReneeHarvey, @annieandrewsmd, and @Their__Future.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children to support our work and this podcast here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech Looby chat with Dr. Glenn Flores,  Professor and Chair of Pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Glenn Flores explains that the most important lesson in child health research and policy is that children are not little adults - they have vastly different anatomy and physiology depending on their age, which requires taking a developmental perspective. Dr. Flores also discusses several pressing health inequities that children face, caused by racial, financial, and geographic disparities. There is also a discussion of the current most pressing concerns facing child health, such as medicaid unwinding and the rise in mood disorders.  Learn more about current challenges in children’s healthcare: Blog: Children Are Not Little Adults: Ensuring Adequate Pediatric Emergency Care in U.S. Hospitals, By Bruce Lesley   Webinar: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - One Size Does Not Fit All, By Averi Pakulis and Elaine Dalpiaz  Blog: Nearly 5 Million Children Have Lost Health Care Due To “Unwinding,” By Abuko Estrada and Tim Smith  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech Looby chat with Dr. Cynthia Osborne, founder and executive director of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, about the importance in investing in our youngest: infants and toddlers. Bruce and Selley also highlight the recent vote on the child tax credit and their disappointment with the bill failing, despite the credit previously cutting child poverty in half.  Cynthia shares that the earlier we invest in children, the better the impact is for both our children and society as a whole. This includes efforts like child care, home visiting programs, and paid family leave. In fact, she found that every dollar invested in a paid family medical leave program has an $18 benefit back to the community. Throughout the episode, Cynthia emphasizes that economic stability is the crux for the well-being of families.  Learn more about the importance of investing in our youngest:  Resource: Babies in The Budget 2024, by First Focus on Children  Report: Early Investment, a Lifetime of Returns: Articulating the Value of Early Childhood Investments in Virginia, By Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center  Resource: Community-Based Home Visiting: Fidelity to Families, Commitment to Outcomes by Averi Pakulis and Nadia Gronkowski  Blog: Babies in the Budget: The Case for Investing Toward a Brighter Future by Bruce Lesley To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech Looby chat with Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, a nonprofit watchdog for Kentucky's kids. Dr. Brooks has successfully worked with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to make necessary improvements for the lives of children across the state, such as supporting kinship caregivers and kids in foster care. Dr. Brooks tells our hosts that Kentucky’s children, like those around the country, are at a crossroads. Society has accepted issues such as child poverty as normal, he says, and he shares his efforts to press  policymakers to focus on issues such as child care and child poverty, rather than on distractions like the culture wars. Dr. Brooks also discusses the complexities of a Kentucky ballot initiative that would allow the general assembly to use public money for private schools.  Learn more about Kentucky Youth Advocates: Resource: Kentucky KIDS Count, By Kentucky Youth Advocates  Podcast: The American Rescue Plan & Efforts to End Child Poverty, By Kentucky Youth Advocates, Featuring Bruce Lesley To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Check out one of our favorite episodes! Our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby welcome Dr. C. Kirabo Jackson, a researcher, professor, journal editor, and member of President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisors. Dr. Jackson discusses his findings that research with respect to investing in both early childhood and K-12 education consistently demonstrates a high return on investment, particularly for low-income children, and sets future generations on a path to greater success. Dr. Jackson also discusses the role that investments in education can play in reducing disparities in educational outcomes and the well-being of children in both the short- and long-term. Learn more about the crucial need to invest in our future generations: Academic Journal: “Do School Spending Cuts Matter? Evidence from The Great Recession”, By C. Kirabo Jackson, Cora Wigger & Heyu Xiong Blog: “Money Does Matter After All”, By C. Kirabo Jackson, Cora Wigger & Heyu Xiong Blog: “Congress is Shortchanging Children,” By Bruce Lesley To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech Looby chat with Phyllis Rabinowitz, Co-Founder and Co-President of the R Baby Foundation. Phyllis co-founded the R Baby Foundation with her husband, Andrew, after the loss of their nine-day-old daughter, Rebecca Ava, due to a misdiagnosis in the emergency room. The R Baby Foundation is the first and only foundation dedicated to making sure every emergency room is prepared to give babies and children lifesaving care.  Phyllis emphasizes the importance for emergency care to be tailored to the needs of babies and children. Each year, a study estimates that 1400 children pass away, and many other children receive inadequate care,in emergency rooms because of the lack of pediatric preparedness. Phyllis recommends that parents research their local emergency room(s) to see if they have pediatric care coordinators and meet a checklist of pediatric preparedness standards. Phyllis, Bruce, and Messellech also discuss policy changes that would ensure better training, staffing, equipment, research, and education to improve the delivery of emergency care and treatment to children. Learn more about pediatric emergency room care:  Checklist and Toolkit for Pediatric Readiness Project, EMSC Innovation and Improvement Center Blog: Children Are Not Little Adults: Ensuring Adequate Pediatric Emergency Care in U.S. Hospitals, By Bruce Lesley  Resource: Sponsor Your ER, by The R Baby Foundation  App: find ER now  Article: Children Are Dying in Ill-Prepared Emergency Rooms Across America, By Liz Essley Whyte and Melanie Evans, Wall Street Journal  Follow the R Baby Foundation on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, co-host Bruce Lesley chats with Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), chair of the Dads Caucus. Rep. Gomez launched the Dads Caucus after a photo of him holding and caring for his son Hodge on the House floor went viral. Rep. Gomez talks about moms have been the “default parent” and the importance of fathers stepping up for kids both at home and in Congress.  Learn more about the Dads Caucus: https://gomez.house.gov/dadscaucus/ Article: Dads in Congress reflect on working in Washington while making sure 'kids come first', ByJay O'Brien and Arthur Jones II Article: They’re Not Just Dads, They’re Congressional Dads, By Marc Tracy  Video: Invest in Kids Briefing with the Dads, Mamas, and Baby Caucuses and First Focus on Children, Zero to Three, and the Children’s Defense Fund To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, co-host Bruce Lesley chats with Mike Hixenbaugh, a senior investigative reporter for NBC News about the ongoing attacks on public schools across the country. They discuss Hixenbaugh’s new book, “They Came for the Schools: One Town's Fight Over Race and Identity, and the New War for America's Classrooms,” which documents the culture wars in Southlake and Grapevine, Texas. Hixenbaugh argues that challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory (CRT) stem from resistance to  dealing with racism and repeat previous patterns in our society. Hixenbaugh compares the current attacks on public education by groups such as “Moms for Liberty” with prior movements, such as efforts to stop the teaching of evolution, opposition to desegregation of public schools, and groups like Phyllis Schlafly’s “Eagle Forum,” which waged a campaign to purge classrooms of books and curriculums that they deemed anti-God, anti-American, and anti-family. In the podcast, Hixenbaugh also discusses why he centered the students as the protagonists in his book. Learn more about attacks on public education:   Book: They Came for the Schools: One Town's Fight Over Race and Identity, and the New War for America's Classrooms, By Mike Hixenbaugh Book Review: Texas Schools at a Crossroads: Identity, Politics, and Public Education in Hixenbaugh's 'They Came for the Schools', By Bruce Lesley  Newsletter: The Alliance for Student Liberty, By Lily Klam  Article: When Conservative Parents Revolt, By Mike Hixenbaugh Blog: Texans Standing Up for Their Students and Public Schools, By Bruce Lesley Podcasts: Southlake and Grapevine, By Mike Hixenbaugh and Antonia Hylton To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, co-host Messellech Looby chats with Academy Award-nominated actor Taraji P. Henson about the complexities and opportunities around supporting Black youth in the midst of the country’s current mental health crisis. Henson created The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in memory of her late father, who struggled with mental health challenges after returning from the Vietnam War. The foundation promotes mental health awareness and destigmatizing mental illness within the Black community by uplifting culturally relevant mental health support. The foundation’s Executive Director, Tracie Jade, joins the conversation to discuss its efforts to promote mental health awareness and support within marginalized communities. Learn more about the youth mental health crisis:  Fact Sheet: Children’s Mental Health, First Focus on Children  Testimony: Taraji P. Henson on Mental Health, C-SPAN Article: Black Adolescent Suicide Rate Reveals Urgent Need to Address Mental Health Care Barriers, Pew To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, we’re showcasing the voices and stories of some of our moms at First Focus on Children. Host Messellech Looby shares the mic with First Focus on Children’s Vice President for Early Childhood and Public Health Policy Averi Pakulis, Vice President of Operations Trenessa Freeman, and Vice President of Advocacy and Mobilization Leila Nimatallah to chat about their experiences as moms and the policy challenges they face in their homes and on The Hill. As mothers, they grapple with the idea that their children are growing up in a society that is rolling back hard-won victories for moms and children. As policy wonks, they reflect on the important work they do to secure federal policies that support children and families and the many challenges that lie ahead.  Related reading: Blog: Truly Valuing Babies, By Bruce Lesley  Blog: Nearly 5 Million Children Have Lost Healthcare Due to Unwinding, by Abuko Estrada Fact Sheet: Babies in the Budget, First Focus on Children  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected] Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with Abby McCloskey, who directed the Convergence Collaborative on Supports for Working Families, a project bringing together 31 family policy leaders of diverse ideologies and included our co-host Bruce Lesley. The Convergence process issued a final report entitled In This Together: A Cross-Partisan Action Plan to Support Families with Young Children in America. McCloskey discusses some of the collaborative’s cross-partisan policy recommendations, such as creating government structures focused explicitly on children and offering 12 weeks of paid parental leave. McCloskey emphasizes that bringing these recommendations to fruition will require bipartisan effort. Today’s children are in crisis. They face rising maternal and infant mortality rates, a mental health epidemic, a public education system under attack, increasing homelessness, and other challenges. McCloskey outlines the importance of working through political polarization to create bipartisan solutions that address these and other issues affecting our nation’s children.  Learn more about the need to prioritize children in policy:  Article, Our kids are not OK. Neither is our child policy, Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News Report: Beyond Rhetoric: A New American Agenda for Children and Families, the National Commission on Children, 1991 Article, States With Abortion Bans Are Among Least Supportive for Mothers and Children, Emily Badger, Margot Sanger-Katz and Claire Cain Miller, New York Times Article, ‘Couples Therapy,’ but for Politics, Jessica Grose, New York Times Be sure to check out Abby McCloskey’s website and follow her policy work on X.  Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with Representative Rosa DeLauro, a top champion for children in Congress and the chair of the babies caucus. Rep. DeLauro, who is the ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, has spent decades in Congress and consistently advocated for kids to be a priority in the federal budget. She has been a Champion for Children every year since we began publishing our legislative scorecard. Rep. DeLauro discusses the impact of the Child Tax Credit on child poverty, and says it is on the top of her agenda, along with early childhood education and the Head Start program. Rep. DeLauro tells our hosts that her main concern isn’t the opposition to policies that help children, but the indifference that many policymakers feel.  Learn more about policies that help children thrive:  Book, The Least Among Us: Waging the Battle for the Vulnerable, By Representative Rosa DeLauro  Blog, Children at the Heart: Why Kids Deserve an Improved Child Tax Credit, By Bruce Lesley  Fact Sheet, The Need for Baby Bonds in the United States, First Focus Campaign for Children  Be sure to follow Representative DeLauro on X.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, co-founder and executive director of MomsRising, an organization that champions workforce issues facing women, mothers and families. Rowe-Finkbeiner co-founded MomsRising in 2006 after a family health crisis pushed her out of the labor force and helped her realize the challenges that American women and families face. In this episode of Speaking of Kids, Rowe-Finkbeiner discusses the policies that she advocates for in her role as the organization’s executive director, such as paid family and medical leave, affordable child care, fair pay for child care workers, and the Child Tax Credit. Learn more about policies and advocacy work that can help families thrive:  Article, It's Impossible to Raise Children in the U.S. It Doesn't Have to Be | Opinion, By Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner Book, Keep Marching: How Every Woman Can Take Action and Change Our World, By Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner Blog, Children at the Heart: Why Kids Deserve an Improved Child Tax Credit, By Bruce Lesley  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Check out one of our favorite episodes! Hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Professor Luke Shaefer about “Rx Kids,” their innovative program to support pregnant women and infants in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Hanna-Attisha is a pediatrician and activist best known for leading studies that exposed the deadly levels of lead in Flint’s water supply. Dr. Shaefer leads Poverty Solutions, an interdisciplinary initiative at the University of Michigan that partners with communities and policymakers to find new ways to prevent and alleviate poverty. Their conversation with our hosts centers on the importance of “Rx Kids,” which gives pregnant moms a prenatal allowance and support during the first 12 months of a child's life. By supporting families during their most vulnerable window, the program aims to address a root cause of health equity and opportunity.  Read more from Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Dr. Luke Shaefer, and about Rx Kids: Article: I Helped Expose the Lead Crisis in Flint. Here’s What Other Cities Should Do. By Mona Hanna-Attisha Article: The Future for Flint’s Children, By Mona Hanna-Attisha Article: I’m Sick of Asking Children to Be Resilient, By Mona Hanna-Attisha Article: 20 Years Since Welfare 'Reform', By Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer Article: A Simple Approach to Ending Extreme Poverty, By H. Luke Shaefer and Kathryn J. Edin  Book: What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City, By Mona Hanna-Attisha Book: $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America, By Kathryn Edin and H. Luke Shaefer  Article: Rx Kids launch takes place in Flint, is almost unbelievable to new Flint moms, by Tanya  Article: Rx Kids program aims to tackle poverty to improve health of Flint moms and babies, MSU Today with Russ White   Stay up to date with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Dr. Luke Shaefer on social media. Follow them on Twitter, @MonaHannaA and @profshaefer. Donate to RxKids on Give Directly.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with poverty experts Megan Curran and Sophie Collyer about the Child Tax Credit. As top researchers at Columbia University’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Collyer and Curran produce groundbreaking work on poverty and the child tax credit. In this episode, they explain why the U.S. needs the Child Tax Credit and help unpack the economic contradictions that place a burden on families. They also discuss the fact that child poverty is a policy decision and explain why lawmakers continually interpret “child-focused” policies around the perceived deservedness of adults.  Learn more about child poverty and the child tax credit: Report: A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty, By The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine  Policy Brief: The Promise of Universal Child Benefits: the Foundational Policy for Economic and Social Development, By The International Labour Organization (ILO) with UNICEF and the Learning for Well-Being Institute and featuring two CPSP co-authors, Megan Curran and David Harris  Policy Brief: Children Left Behind by the Child Tax Credit in 2022, By Sophie Collyer Megan Curran, David Harris, and Christopher Wimer.  Blog, The Child Tax Credit: Boosting the Lives and Well-Being of Our Children, By Bruce Lesley  Be sure to check out the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University and follow them on twitter.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with Representative Suzanne Bonamici. Rep. Bonamici, who has represented Oregon’s 1st district in Congress since 2012, has been an avid Champion for children throughout her career and achieved the #1 slot on First Focus Campaign for Children’s 2023 Legislative Scorecard. The Congresswoman discusses her legislative priorities, including passing the Child Tax Credit, advocating for a strong public education system, ending child hunger, supporting youth experiencing homelessness, and protecting food programs such as SNAP and WIC. She talks about her belief that funding the health, well-being, and safety of children is the best investment our society can make, and offers advice for listeners on how to affect change themselves.  Learn more about Rep. Bonamici’s work supporting kids: Blog: Unveiling the 2023 Champions and Defenders of Children: Who Commits to Kids?, By Bruce Lesley  Blog: Recognizing Children in the Debate Over Education and Schools, By Bruce Lesley  Article: The First Five Things to Know About: Representative Suzanne Bonamici, By The First Five Years Fund Be sure to check out Representative Bonamici’s website and follow her on Instagram and Twitter.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.  To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Professor Luke Shaefer about “Rx Kids,” their innovative program to support pregnant women and infants in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Hanna-Attisha is a pediatrician and activist  best known for leading studies that exposed  the deadly levels of lead in Flint’s water supply.  Dr. Shaefer leads Poverty Solutions, an interdisciplinary initiative at the University of Michigan that partners with communities and policymakers to find new ways to prevent and alleviate poverty.  Their conversation with our hosts centers on the importance of  “Rx Kids,” which gives pregnant moms a prenatal allowance and support during the first 12 months of a child's life. By supporting families during their most vulnerable window, the program aims to address a root cause of health equity and opportunity.  Read more from Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Dr. Luke Shaefer, and about Rx Kids: Article: I Helped Expose the Lead Crisis in Flint. Here’s What Other Cities Should Do. By Mona Hanna-Attisha Article: The Future for Flint’s Children, By Mona Hanna-Attisha Article: I’m Sick of Asking Children to Be Resilient, By Mona Hanna-Attisha Article: 20 Years Since Welfare 'Reform', By Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer Article: A Simple Approach to Ending Extreme Poverty, By H. Luke Shaefer and Kathryn J. Edin  Book: What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City, By Mona Hanna-Attisha Book: $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America, By Kathryn Edin and H. Luke Shaefer  Article: Rx Kids launch takes place in Flint, is almost unbelievable to new Flint moms, by Tanya  Article: Rx Kids program aims to tackle poverty to improve health of Flint moms and babies, MSU Today with Russ White   Stay up to date with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Dr. Luke Shaefer on social media. Follow them on Twitter, @MonaHannaA and @profshaefer. Donate to RxKids on Give Directly.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with pediatrician and former congressional candidate Dr. Annie Andrews and political strategist Renee Harvey about their new political action committee (PAC) for children, Their Future. Our Vote. Dr. Andrews, a children’s hospital doctor, highlighted the invisibility of children in policymaking during her recent run for Congress. When the race didn’t end the way they’d hoped, Harvey and Dr. Andrews created the PAC to offer financial support to urgently needed kid-first policies, such as improving the Child Tax Credit, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and child care while also opposing efforts to ban books in our public schools and libraries. Learn more about the political and policy challenges faced by children:  Blog: The Invisibility of Children: The Other Form of Neglect, by Bruce Lesley Article: ​​Pediatrician launches new PAC focused on children, by Daniela Altimari Stay up to date Dr. Annie Andrews and Renee Harvey on social media. Be sure to check out their PAC website and follow them on Twitter, @HReneeHarvey, @annieandrewsmd, and @Their__Future.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children to support our work and this podcast here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby speak with Nell Menefee-Libey, public policy manager for the National WIC Association. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as WIC, supports healthy pregnancy, healthy postpartum recovery and optimal child development. The National WIC Association represents state and local WIC agency staff across more than 12,000 direct service sites and the nearly 7 million participants served by WIC. The program has led to significant measurable improvements in cognitive development scores, obesity rates, overall quality of diet and other outcomes. WIC has traditionally enjoyed strong bipartisan support, but for the first time in this millennium, Congress is threatening to turn its back on the families who rely on the program. The House and Senate are currently considering appropriations bills that underfund the program and that inflict major cuts on fruit and vegetable allowances.  Learn more about the importance of funding WIC:  Blog: New data shows WIC reached only 50% of eligible moms & children, By Abbie Malloy   Article: Millions of American families struggle to get food on the table, report finds, By Maria Godoy  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby speak with leading children’s rights expert Jonathan Todres. Todres, a professor at Georgia University College of Law, says rejecting children's rights is an attack on human rights. He explains the divisiveness around children's rights as the result of pitting them against parental rights and notes that they are, instead, a critical tool for parents. Diving deep into important policy debates, Todres considers why the United States is the only country that has not ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and emphasizes the urgent need for society to address issues like child housing insecurity, the youth mental health crisis, and lack of child participation in the government.  Learn more about child rights:  Book: The Oxford Handbook of Children's Rights Law, Edited by Jonathan Todres and Shani M. King Book: Human Rights in Children's Literature: Imagination and the Narrative of Law, By Jonathan Todres  Webpage: Child Rights, First Focus on Children  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby welcome Dr. C. Kirabo Jackson, a researcher, professor, journal editor, and member of President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisors. Dr. Jackson discusses his findings that research with respect to investing in both early childhood and K-12 education consistently demonstrates a high return on investment, particularly for low-income children, and sets future generations on a path to greater success. Dr. Jackson also discusses the role that investments in education can play in reducing disparities in educational outcomes and the well-being of children in both the short- and long-term. Learn more about the crucial need to invest in our future generations: Academic Journal: “Do School Spending Cuts Matter? Evidence from The Great Recession”, By C. Kirabo Jackson, Cora Wigger & Heyu Xiong Blog: “Money Does Matter After All”, By C. Kirabo Jackson, Cora Wigger & Heyu Xiong Blog: “Congress is Shortchanging Children,” By Bruce Lesley To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with children’s activist Arnold “Arnie” Fege about the importance of defending public education against attacks both past and present. As a longtime teacher, principal, superintendent and now president of Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK), a national organization devoted to education and child advocacy, Arne brings a thorough perspective to education policy and practice. Arne champions parental engagement, but challenges the motives of so-called “parental rights” groups who want to privatize public education, ban books, and minimize the voices of LGBTQ+ students and students of color. Arnie, who worked with Robert F. Kennedy and served as school desegregation director in Michigan, traces the roots of this movement all the way back to Brown v. Board of Education and efforts to maintain racial segregation in schools. Learn more about the far-right’s attempts to dismantle public education: Newsletter: The Alliance for Student Liberty, By Lily Klam  Blog: Why Education Is a Children’s Issue and a Matter of Child Rights, By Bruce Lesley  Publication: Children’s Budget 2023 by First Focus on Children Be sure to check out Arnold Fege’s publications and follow him on Twitter.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids, @BruceLesley and @First_Focus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with law professor Adam Benforado about the lack of attention paid to children in the policymaking process. Benforado, who focuses on criminal justice and children’s rights, argues that many of the societal problems we see all around us - incarceration, homelessness — are prevented most effectively by investing in our children. For the U.S. to remain competitive and produce healthy, happy, and thriving adults, Benforado believes we must prioritize the well-being of our youth.  Benforado explains that American society has gone backwards on children’s rights. We haven’t made the same progress as our peer nations on leading causes of childhood death, like gun and automobile safety, which jeopardizes the well-being and security of our youth as well as our nation.  Learn more about children's rights:  Book: A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All, By Adam Benforado  Book Review: A Minor Revolution Proposes Improving the Rights of Children By Bruce Lesley Article: 'Two Little Texans' in Thick of Textbook Battle for Young Minds, By Dan Balz  Be sure to check out Adam Benferado’s website and follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids @BruceLesley and @First_Focus   And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, our hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby chat with pollster and political strategist Celinda Lake. Lake is President and Founder of Lake Research Partners, a national public opinion and political strategy research firm. Lake walks our hosts through public polling that shows voters strongly favor investing in children and centering them in public policy. The data contradicts lawmakers’ inclination to treat children’s issues as an afterthought.  Lake outlines the unique challenges facing child advocates and ways to increase public attention to the needs of children and families. To see the full results of the Lake Research Partners poll for First Focus on Children, go to https://firstfocus.org/blog/fact-sheet-voters-support-investments-in-kids.   As a pollster, Lake hears every variety of opinion on contentious political issues. Yet, she’s found that Americans are more united than they seem and she’s passionate about using that information to fight the rising problem of political polarization.   Be sure to check out Lake Research Partners and follow on Twitter at @celindalake and @lake_research. Lake's recent book with Ed Goaes, A Question of Respect, can be found at https://www.amazon.com/Question-RESPECT-Bringing-Together-Divided/dp/1636980406/.   To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at:   Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SpeakingOfKids @BruceLesley and @First_Focus   And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this introductory episode of Speaking of Kids, co-hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech “Selley” Looby discuss the fact that children are often an afterthought in public policy. While most people care deeply about the children in their lives, there is a clear disconnect between personal opinions and policy goals. Children can’t vote, they don’t have political action committees, and they don’t have paid lobbyists. They are in dire need of strong advocates, which is why Speaking of Kids will highlight the most urgent issues facing children at home and abroad, and will prepare the public to advocate for them.  In this episode, Bruce, Selley and First Focus on Children Vice President of Advocacy and Mobilization Leila Nimatallah share what drew them to child advocacy and offer takeaways from their career experiences. Join the conversation. Follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Connect with our hosts and tell us what you would like to hear on the podcast at: Email: [email protected] Twitter: @BruceLesley and @First_Focus And please rate and review this podcast and share it with friends and family. Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. Connect with First Focus Campaign for Children for easy training on how to be a powerful advocate for children. Please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.