WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the United States navigates a complex and increasingly fraught political landscape, national youth advocacy organization the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is preparing to host a major gathering in the nation’s capital. This November, advocates, policy experts, community leaders, and researchers will converge for the American Youth Policy Forum to examine and address the profound ways political decisions are impacting the growth, security, and overall well-being of the 73 million children living across the United States.
Scheduled for November 4 and 5, 2026, the two-day event will take place at the Blackburn University Center at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The forum, officially titled “Doing Our First Works Over: The New State of America’s Children,” arrives at a critical juncture for the nation. Organizers note that current policy decisions and legislative shifts are actively undermining the foundational support systems that children and youth rely upon for healthy development, educational success, and long-term economic mobility.
The gathering is designed to serve as a space for reflection, strategic planning, and collaborative action. Attendees will work together to chart a resilient path forward for America’s young people, focusing heavily on safeguarding public institutions and essential safety net programs that have long protected vulnerable families. Keynote addresses and panel discussions throughout the event will dive deeply into pressing systemic issues, including the current state of public education, the stability of public health systems, the weakening oversight and authority of the Department of Education, and mounting attacks on critical federal assistance programs.
Among the core topics of concern for forum organizers are essential programs such as Head Start, SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid. Over recent years, political challenges and funding uncertainties surrounding these safety net initiatives have significantly exacerbated difficulties related to household food security, access to comprehensive pediatric and mental healthcare, and early childhood support systems. By bringing together diverse voices from across the nation, CDF aims to foster a unified response to these systemic pressures and advocate for policies that prioritize the fundamental needs of children.
A central highlight of the policy forum will be the official release of the highly anticipated 2026 State of America’s Children® Report. This comprehensive publication provides an exhaustive overview of the status of children across the United States, utilizing data and analysis to measure child well-being across a broad spectrum of indicators. The report examines child population trends, rates of child poverty, widening income and wealth inequality, the crisis of housing stability and youth homelessness, child hunger and nutrition deficits, public health metrics, early childhood education availability, the state of youth justice, and the devastating impact of gun violence on young populations.
The urgency of the moment is underscored by an impressive roster of prominent national speakers and experts who are scheduled to lead discussions and share their insights during the forum. Featured participants include 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 expert speakers feature Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer 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 bring decades of collective expertise in economics, public policy, social welfare, and child advocacy to the table, ensuring that the dialogue is grounded in rigorous research and practical solutions.
Speaking on the strategic importance of the gathering, CDF Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Brittany Packnett Cunningham emphasized that the responsibilities of child advocates extend far beyond the immediate outcomes of the electoral cycle.
“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.”
Her sentiment was echoed by Nick Vucic, CDF National Director of Public Affairs, who pointed to the pressing need to hold national leaders accountable during a period of political turbulence. Vucic stressed that young people deserve a society that actively supports their growth rather than dismantling the infrastructure designed to protect them.
“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.”
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 civic leaders actively prioritize their health and well-being, and where local communities possess the resources and power necessary to ensure that every young person thrives. As the only national, multi-issue advocacy organization operating directly at the critical intersection of child well-being and racial justice, CDF works tirelessly on behalf of America’s most diverse generation ever—encompassing the 73 million children and youth under the age of 18, as well as the 30 million young adults under the age of 25.
Through grassroots organizing rooted deeply in marginalized communities, the organization builds enduring power for child-centered public policy informed by principles of racial equity and the direct, lived experiences of youth. Among its many initiatives, CDF’s renowned CDF Freedom Schools® program continues to operate in nearly 100 cities spread across 30 states and territories, providing educational enrichment and community support to thousands of children each year.
As preparations for the November forum finalize, organizers anticipate that the discussions and findings released in Washington will serve as a vital blueprint for advocates, lawmakers, and community organizers nationwide as they work to protect and advance the rights of the nation’s youth in the years to come.
