Approximately 200 youth, parents, educators, and community members in Long Beach attended the Voices and Visions School Culture and Climate Town Hall on Saturday, April 4, in partnership with our Long Beach Building Healthy Communities partners.
Read MoreSarai McKenzie is an 18-year-old artist, rapper, singer, writer, musician, and much more.
Read MoreIn response to Governor Brown's May Revise budget proposal released today, Alex Johnson, Executive Director of Children's Defense Fund-California, issued this statement: "We were pleased to see that the Governor's May Revise proposes $2 million for the Franchise Tax Board to support additional outreach and marketing to ensure California's new state Earned Income Tax Credit reaching more eligible poor, working families. We look forward to working with the Administration and the Legislature to ensure those outreach resources are targeted effectively, including support for community-based organizations and free tax preparation services. However, the Governor's May Revise fails to include investments in critical programs for children and families and consequently ignores the reality that the state continues to have the highest poverty rate in the nation, with 1 in 4 California children living in poverty. During the recession, Governor Brown and the California [...]
Read MoreCDF-CA's 2016 Policy Agenda Provides Roadmap for Policymakers to Ensure All Children Have the Opportunity to Thrive Sacramento, CA – Joined by state legislative champions for children, Children's Defense Fund – California (CDF-CA) released a 2016 policy agenda that provides a roadmap of policy changes to end child poverty, ensure educational equity, provide access to health care, and transform justice systems for youth. "Too many children in California – especially poor children, children of color, and children with special needs – face odds stacked against their success," CDF-CA Executive Director Alex Johnson said. "We must come together to fight for policies that lift children out of poverty, connect families to quality health care, ensure fairness and equity in our schools and build a juvenile justice system that focuses on prevention and rehabilitation." The policy agenda reflects CDF-CA's whole child approach – [...]
Read MoreMykel Duffey is certain that he would be failing many of his high school classes and spending most of his time at home couch surfing had it not been for Children’s Defense Fund – California.
Read MoreThe retreat offered a space for youth leaders to build community and deepen relationships among each other.
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago when President Obama made a courageous step and banned solitary confinement for juveniles in the federal prison system, we put out a call to action.
Read MoreOn January 15, Secretary of the U.
Read MoreIn response to the selection of Michelle King to lead Los Angeles Unified School District, Alex Johnson, Executive Director of Children's Defense Fund-California, issued this statement: "We congratulate Michelle King on her appointment as the new superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and as the first African American woman to lead the nation's second largest district. As a leader who has worked her way up the ranks at LAUSD, Superintendent King understands the district, its challenges and the needs of the more than 600,000 students who call LAUSD home. While LAUSD has made some important progress over the last several years – more students are testing at proficient or advanced in the core subjects on standardized tests, and high school dropout, suspension and expulsion rates are declining – much more work is needed to ensure success for LAUSD's [...]
Read MoreAlex Johnson, Executive Director of Children's Defense Fund-California, released the following statement in response to Governor Jerry Brown's 2016-17 budget proposal:"With California's fiscal health improving, now is the time to invest in the health and well-being of California's children and rebuild our tattered social safety net. Unfortunately, the Governor's proposed budget falls short of providing the resources necessary to end child poverty in California and fully support crucial programs for our most vulnerable children and families.The historic investment in K-12 education is a critical step, but we also need a budget that addresses the root causes of educational gaps. Quality health care, child care and early education are important family supports needed for children to survive and flourish. If we want our investments in California's public schools to be successful, we need to be making investments to ensure that our children [...]
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