The high-stakes national gathering, officially titled “Doing Our First Works Over: The New State of America’s Children,” comes at a critical juncture for the 73 million children and youth living across the United States. Set against the backdrop of an evolving political landscape, the two-day forum is designed to bring together leading child advocates, policy experts, researchers, and community leaders from across the country to reflect on current systemic challenges, strategize for the future, and chart a concrete path forward for America’s young people.
According to organizers, the discussions will center heavily on how recent legislative and executive decisions at various levels of government are impacting vital public systems. Key panels and keynote addresses will scrutinize the current state of public education and public health systems, the systemic weakening of the federal Department of Education, and a wave of political attacks directed at 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 historically served as critical lifelines for vulnerable families. However, advocates note that recent policy shifts and funding battles have significantly exacerbated existing challenges related to child food security, comprehensive health care access, and early childhood support systems.
In addition to robust policy discussions and strategy sessions, the forum will serve as the official launchpad for the highly anticipated 2026 State of America’s Children® Report. This comprehensive national publication provides an in-depth, data-driven summary of the status of America’s children across a wide spectrum of well-being indicators. The report covers critical metrics including overall child population trends, child poverty rates, growing income and wealth inequality, the crisis of housing stability and youth homelessness, child hunger and nutrition levels, pediatric health outcomes, early childhood education availability, the state of the youth justice system, and the pervasive public health crisis of gun violence affecting schools and communities.
The 2026 American Youth Policy Forum, powered by the Children’s Defense Fund, is scheduled to take place on November 4 and 5, 2026. The event will be hosted at the Blackburn University Center, located on the historic campus of Howard University at 2397 6th St NW in Washington, D.C.
The forum boasts a prominent lineup of nationally recognized speakers and experts who will lead discussions on policy, advocacy, and social equity. Among the featured presenters 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; and 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.
Other distinguished speakers include Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus on Children; 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.
Brittany Packnett Cunningham emphasized that the timing of the forum, occurring immediately following the national elections in November, is intentional and vital for sustaining long-term advocacy efforts. She noted that the conversations held at Howard University will help lay the groundwork for future policy agendas aimed at safeguarding child well-being across the United States.
“Election Day may be November 3, but the work for children and youth continues beyond that day,” Packnett Cunningham said, highlighting the necessity of persistent, mission-driven advocacy regardless of shifting political tides. “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.”
Nick Vucic, CDF National Director of Public Affairs, echoed these sentiments, pointing to the urgent reality that modern leaders must be held accountable to ensure that the nation’s youth are given the resources and protections they need to truly thrive. He stressed that the current political environment threatens to roll back decades of hard-fought progress in civil rights, social welfare, and child advocacy.
“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 more than half a century ago in 1973, the Children’s Defense Fund has long maintained a singular vision: a nation where marginalized children are able to flourish, where political and community leaders consistently prioritize their health and safety, and where grassroots communities wield the institutional power necessary to guarantee a thriving future for the next generation. As the only national, multi-issue advocacy organization that operates explicitly at the complex intersection of child well-being and racial justice, CDF continues to champion the interests of America’s most diverse generation in history. 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 currently navigating the transition into adulthood.
Through its extensive network of grassroots movements rooted deeply in marginalized neighborhoods, CDF actively builds collective power to drive child-centered public policy. These efforts are continually informed by a steadfast commitment to racial equity and the direct, lived experiences of children and families. Among its most recognized initiatives is the renowned CDF Freedom Schools® program, an educational and cultural enrichment endeavor currently conducted in nearly 100 cities across 30 states and territories.
As November approaches, organizers of the upcoming forum in Washington, D.C., hope to galvanize a unified national movement capable of pushing back against harmful policy trends and securing a healthier, more equitable future for the nation’s youth.
