WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the nation navigates a complex and fraught political landscape, the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is preparing to host a major national gathering aimed at confronting the mounting threats to the health, education, and overall well-being of the nation’s youth. In November, national advocates, policy experts, and community leaders will converge in the nation’s capital for the American Youth Policy Forum, an event designed to reflect on current challenges, strategize for the future, and chart a resilient path forward for America’s 73 million children.
Scheduled to take place on November 4 and 5, 2026, at the Blackburn University Center at Howard University, this year’s forum is titled “Doing Our First Works Over: The New State of America’s Children.” The convening arrives at a critical juncture, coming immediately on the heels of the November 3 general elections. Organizers emphasize that the timing is intentional, serving as a vital platform to evaluate how recent political decisions and shifting governmental priorities are actively undermining the growth, stability, and future of children and youth across the United States.
Brittany Packnett Cunningham, the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of the Children’s Defense Fund, noted that the conversations taking place during the two-day event will serve as a compass for future advocacy and policy development nationwide.
“Election Day may be November 3, but the work for children and youth continues beyond that day,” Packnett Cunningham said. “Together, we’ll examine what the 2026 election results mean for children and youth, explore the policy issues shaping their health, education, economic mobility, and well-being, and identify strategies for moving from uncertainty to action.”
The forum will directly tackle a series of systemic pressures facing young people, including the weakening of the federal Department of Education and growing strains on public education and public health systems. Discussions will also zero in on the direct impacts of political attacks on essential safety net programs—such as Head Start, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Medicaid. According to organizers, the erosion of these foundational programs has severely exacerbated existing challenges related to food security, childhood health, and early childhood support systems.
A central highlight of the gathering will be the official release of the highly anticipated 2026 State of America’s Children® Report. This comprehensive document provides an exhaustive overview of the status of children across the country, examining a broad spectrum of well-being indicators. The report covers critical areas including child population demographics, child poverty rates, income and wealth inequality, housing stability and homelessness, child hunger and nutrition, pediatric health, early childhood development, public education, youth justice reform, and the ongoing crisis of gun violence affecting young communities.
Nick Vucic, CDF National Director of Public Affairs, emphasized the urgency of the moment, pointing out that current political dynamics demand a unified and aggressive defense of programs that allow young people to thrive.
“At CDF, we work to ensure every child is safe and supported,” Vucic said. “This means holding our nation’s leaders accountable so their policies and programs truly serve young people. We cannot allow decades of progress to be undone. Therefore, we must come together to shape policies that protect children’s futures and improve their daily lives. We plan to do just that at the 2026 American Youth Policy Forum, Powered by CDF.”
The forum will feature an extensive lineup of prominent national speakers, researchers, and policy leaders. Among those scheduled to address attendees are Rev. Leonard Burton, President and CEO of the Center for the Study of Social Policy; Annie Donovan, President and CEO of the Raza Development Fund; Dr. Daniel Eisenburg, Professor of Health Policy and Management at UCLA and co-author of Investing in Children’s Mental Health; and Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus on Children.
Additional featured speakers include Brittany Packnett Cunningham of the Children’s Defense Fund; Sharon Parrott, President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Dr. Ramesh Raghavan, Professor of Social Work at New York University; Dr. Heidi Shierholz, President of the Economic Policy Institute; and Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, President and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund.
The choice of Howard University’s Blackburn University Center as the venue places the discussion within a historic academic institution known for its legacy of civil rights, social justice, and community leadership. The setting aligns closely with the mission of the Children’s Defense Fund, which has operated since its founding in 1973 as a prominent national voice working at the vital intersection of child well-being and racial justice.
As the only national, multi-issue advocacy organization of its kind, CDF continues to champion the needs of America’s most diverse generation—encompassing the 73 million children and youth under the age of 18, as well as 30 million young adults under the age of 25. Through grassroots organizing in marginalized communities, the organization builds sustained power for child-centered public policy informed directly by racial equity and the lived experiences of youth. Its nationally recognized CDF Freedom Schools® program, which operates in nearly 100 cities across 30 states and territories, serves as a testament to its ongoing commitment to education, empowerment, and community investment.
As participants gather in Washington this November, the overarching goal remains clear: to transition from a climate of political uncertainty and policy rollback into a period of strategic, unified action designed to safeguard the rights, health, and futures of America’s children.
