WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the nation navigates a complex and increasingly fraught political climate, the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), a prominent national youth advocacy organization, is preparing to host a major gathering in the nation’s capital. Set to take place this November, the American Youth Policy Forum will bring together leading advocates, policy experts, researchers, and community leaders to confront head-on the ways in which recent political decisions are impacting the growth, security, and overall well-being of the 73 million children living across the United States.
Titled "Doing Our First Works Over: The New State of America’s Children," the upcoming forum arrives at a critical juncture. Organizers note that the event is designed to serve as a vital space for stakeholders from every corner of the country to pause, reflect, strategize, and forge a collective path forward for America’s younger generations. The discussions will center on safeguarding children’s futures against policies and decisions that threaten to undermine decades of progress in public health, education, and social safety nets.
The two-day event is scheduled for November 4 through November 5, 2026, and will be hosted at Howard University, specifically within the Blackburn University Center, located at 2397 6th St NW in Washington, D.C.
At the heart of the forum’s agenda will be a series of high-level keynote addresses and panel discussions tackling some of the most pressing systemic issues facing youth today. Topics slated for deep exploration include the current state of public education and public health systems, the structural weakening of the federal Department of Education, and the mounting political and budgetary attacks on essential safety net programs. Programs such as Head Start, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Medicaid have long served as critical lifelines for millions of families. According to organizers, the erosion of these foundational supports has significantly worsened existing challenges related to food security, childhood health, and early childhood development and support.
In addition to strategy sessions and panel discussions, the forum will host 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 nation, evaluating data and trends across a wide spectrum of child well-being indicators. The report examines child population demographics, child poverty rates, income and wealth inequality, housing stability and homelessness, child hunger and nutrition metrics, pediatric and mental health, early childhood education access, youth justice systems, and the ongoing crisis of gun violence affecting young people.
The timing of the forum, occurring immediately following the November 3 national elections, has added a distinct layer of urgency to the proceedings. Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for the Children’s Defense Fund, emphasized that the responsibilities of advocacy and protection do not end at the ballot box.
"Election Day may be November 3, but the work for children and youth continues beyond that day," Packnett Cunningham stated. She elaborated that attendees will collectively examine what the 2026 election outcomes signify for the nation’s youth, explore the specific policy arenas shaping their health, economic mobility, education, and daily lives, and actively identify concrete strategies for shifting the paradigm from uncertainty to decisive action.
Nick Vucic, CDF National Director of Public Affairs, echoed these sentiments, pointing to the immediate necessity of holding leadership accountable in a challenging political environment to ensure that young people are afforded every opportunity 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’s roster of featured speakers reflects a broad coalition of expertise spanning public policy, health, economics, and social justice. Among those scheduled to present and lead discussions 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 the University of California, Los Angeles, 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 convening builds upon a long organizational history. Founded in 1973, the Children’s Defense Fund has spent over five decades championing a vision of the United States where marginalized children are empowered to flourish, where elected and civic leaders consistently prioritize their health and well-being, and where local communities possess the resources and authority to ensure youth success. Operating as a unique national multi-issue advocacy organization, CDF sits directly at the critical intersection of child well-being and racial justice.
The organization’s mission focuses heavily on advancing the interests of America’s most diverse generation—encompassing the 73 million children and youth under the age of 18, alongside 30 million young adults under the age of 25. Through grassroots organizing efforts rooted deeply in marginalized communities, CDF builds sustained power for child-centered public policy initiatives that are directly informed by principles of racial equity and the actual lived experiences of children and young people. 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 enriching summer programming and educational support to youth nationwide.
Individuals seeking further information regarding the upcoming forum, media registration details, or ongoing advocacy initiatives can reach out to John Henry, CDF Media Relations Manager, via email at [email protected] or by telephone at 708-646-7679. Additional updates and organizational resources are also publicly accessible through the Children’s Defense Fund official website.
