LOS ANGELES, CA — This Thursday, the Children’s Defense Fund–California (CDF-CA) will bring together a coalition of young people, policymakers, educators, and community leaders for Child Watch 2026. The high-profile annual event, taking place at The Honeypot in Downtown Los Angeles, is designed to explore bold, actionable solutions to the most pressing challenges facing children and families across Southern California, with a sharp focus on educational equity and the systemic needs of youth impacted by the juvenile justice system.
The gathering arrives at a critical juncture for Los Angeles County, serving as both a forward-looking policy summit and a moment of reflection. The event is officially anchored by the first anniversary of a landmark report released by the Education Justice Coalition LA, titled Who Has the Power? Chronicling Los Angeles County’s Systemic Failures to Educate Incarcerated Youth. Throughout the day, participants will dive deep into the findings and recommendations of that report, evaluating what progress has—and has not—been made over the past year in supporting incarcerated and system-impacted youth throughout the region.
Child Watch 2026 is structured to move beyond traditional conference panels by prioritizing direct testimonies and lived experiences. Attendees will hear firsthand accounts from young people who have navigated the educational and juvenile justice systems themselves. These powerful narratives will be paired with new research and community reports recently published by CDF-CA and its regional partners, including a comprehensive study focused on Long Beach. By blending grassroots storytelling with rigorous policy analysis, organizers aim to foster meaningful connections among advocates from every corner of Los Angeles County who are dedicated to dismantling educational barriers.
Event Details and Leadership Lineup
Child Watch 2026 will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at The Honeypot, located at 212 W. 12th Street in Los Angeles.
The program features an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, legal experts, and child advocates. Arnold Chandler, president and co-founder of Forward Change, will deliver the keynote address, setting the tone for a day centered on systemic reform and equity.
The event will also feature expert panel discussions addressing the legal, educational, and civil rights dimensions of youth justice. Among the panelists are Kelsey White, a staff attorney at Public Counsel; Vivian T. Wong, director of the Youth Justice Education Clinic at Loyola Law School; and Megan Stanton-Trehan, senior attorney of the Youth Practice Group at Disability Rights California. These leaders bring extensive expertise in advocating for the rights of marginalized students, fighting for institutional accountability, and ensuring that vulnerable youth receive the educational resources and legal protections they are guaranteed under the law.
Centering Youth Voices for Lasting Change
Jaren Sorkow, director of the Children’s Defense Fund–California, emphasized the collaborative spirit and urgent mission behind the annual gathering.
“We hope Child Watch 2026 will show how working together across organizations, institutions, and communities can drive lasting change for children and youth throughout Southern California,” Sorkow said. “By combining youth storytelling, community dialogue, and policy conversations, we are proud to center young voices as we work toward a future where all children in our state can thrive.”
As Los Angeles County continues to grapple with complex institutional hurdles regarding the education of incarcerated youth, events like Child Watch 2026 provide a vital forum for accountability, coalition-building, and strategic planning. By uniting cross-sector leaders with the youth most directly affected by these policies, CDF-CA aims to catalyze a unified movement toward true educational equity and systemic reform across the region.
