WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the United States navigates a complex and increasingly fraught political landscape, the national youth advocacy organization known as the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is preparing to host a major convening in the nation’s capital. This November, advocates, policy experts, and community leaders from across the country will gather in Washington, D.C., for the American Youth Policy Forum to confront what organizers describe as mounting threats to the growth, safety, and overall well-being of the nation’s 73 million children and youth.
The forum, officially titled “Doing Our First Works Over: The New State of America’s Children,” is scheduled to take place on November 4 and 5, 2026, coming immediately on the heels of the national elections. Organizers emphasize that while the political spotlight often shifts dramatically during election cycles, the daily needs of America’s youngest population require persistent, dedicated attention that extends far beyond a single day at the ballot box. The convening will be hosted at Howard University within the Blackburn University Center, providing a historic backdrop for critical discussions regarding the future of public systems dedicated to supporting youth.
According to leadership at the Children’s Defense Fund, the gathering serves as a vital space for reflection, strategic planning, and the charting of a collaborative path forward. The urgency of the event is rooted in what advocates characterize as a series of harmful political decisions and policy shifts that are actively undermining the health, education, and economic security of children and youth. Keynote addresses and panel discussions throughout the two-day forum will dive deep into pressing systemic issues, including the current state of public education systems and public health infrastructure, the weakening of the federal Department of Education, and the growing vulnerability of essential safety net programs.
Among the central concerns to be addressed are the political and legislative attacks on programs that form the bedrock of child support in the United States, including Head Start, SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid. Advocates note that the erosion or underfunding of these critical resources has directly worsened systemic challenges related to food security, childhood health outcomes, and early childhood support systems. By bringing together diverse voices from the advocacy, research, and policy sectors, the forum aims to formulate robust defenses against the rollback of decades of social progress.
A major highlight of the upcoming convening will be the official release of the 2026 State of America’s Children Report. This comprehensive document serves as an annual barometer of child well-being across the United States, synthesizing data and analysis across a wide spectrum of critical areas. The report covers child population demographics, rates of child poverty, income and wealth inequality, the crisis of housing and homelessness, child hunger and nutrition levels, pediatric and adolescent health, early childhood development trends, public education outcomes, youth justice, and the devastating impact of gun violence on young lives.
Brittany Packnett Cunningham, the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of the Children’s Defense Fund, noted that the conversations and strategies developed during the forum will serve as a guiding light for future advocacy efforts nationwide. She emphasized that the timing of the event, occurring immediately after Election Day, offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the real-world implications of political shifts for the nation’s youth.
“Election Day may be November 3, but the work for children and youth continues beyond that day,” Packnett Cunningham said, highlighting the ongoing commitment required from the advocacy community. “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.”
Echoing these sentiments, Nick Vucic, the National Director of Public Affairs for the Children’s Defense Fund, stressed that the forum directly confronts the urgent reality of the current political climate. He argued that intentional action is necessary to ensure that young people are not left to bear the brunt of political maneuvering and that they are given the support required to truly 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 two-day event will feature an array of prominent speakers, researchers, and policy leaders who specialize in child advocacy, health policy, and economic justice. Among the scheduled speakers 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 experts 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. These leaders will bring diverse perspectives to the panels, addressing the intersection of race, economic security, public health, and public policy in shaping the realities of modern childhood in America.
Founded in 1973, the Children’s Defense Fund has long maintained a vision of a nation where marginalized children are able to flourish, where political and community leaders prioritize their well-being, and where communities possess the collective power to ensure long-term success. As the only national, multi-issue advocacy organization that operates at the critical intersection of child well-being and racial justice, CDF works tirelessly on behalf of America’s most diverse generation. This includes advocating for the 73 million children and youth under the age of 18, as well as the 30 million young adults under the age of 25 living across the United States.
Through grassroots organizing movements rooted deeply in marginalized communities, the organization builds sustained political and social power for child-centered public policies. These efforts are continually informed by a commitment to racial equity and the authentic lived experiences of children and youth. In addition to its national policy and advocacy work, CDF is widely recognized for its signature CDF Freedom Schools program, which operates in nearly 100 cities spread across 30 states and territories, providing enriching educational and cultural opportunities for young people during the summer months and beyond.
As preparations for the November forum finalize, organizers and participating advocates are calling on the public, policymakers, and community stakeholders to pay close attention to the findings of the 2026 report and the outcomes of the discussions at Howard University. For the Children’s Defense Fund and its partners, the upcoming gathering is not merely an academic conference, but a crucial rallying point in the ongoing defense of America’s youth and their fundamental right to a secure, healthy, and supported future.
