Most special interest groups can organize themselves and make sure that elected officials hear their voices on the policy issues they care about most. One group, however, stands out for being vital to our nation’s future, yet lacks the resources and power to weigh in on the issues that affect them every day and shape their future—children.
While many government agencies and nonprofit organizations work to advance programs and policies in education, health care, and other areas in order to help children grow up in healthy, safe communities, Hispanic children and youth, who are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, are still being left behind. The reality is that Latino children require a special focus, and last week, NCLR elevated the work that we do on their behalf by bringing together experts and community leaders to create a Latino child advocacy network.
This first step to creating the network started in Washington, DC with a two-day convening hosted by NCLR titled “Building a Brighter Future: Working Together for Latino Children and Youth.” Participants learned about the political and social policy climate for Latino children across all levels of government from the National League of Cities, the White House Domestic Policy Council, and Sen. Jeff Bingaman’s office (D–NM). Dr. Martha Moorehouse from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services gave an overview of the myriad youth outreach activities taking place within her agency, and Josephine Garza from the National Latino Children’s Institute provided the nonprofit perspective on child advocacy.
Check out our short slideshow of the event!
The keynote speaker, Rep. Chaka Fattah (D–PA), summed up the situation: “Our nation’s future is inextricably entwined with the life chances of our children.” Poor children in our nation tend to get the least of what they need to do well in school, and child advocates should remain focused on what works so that all children can get the best education possible—qualified teachers, reasonable class sizes, and a rigorous curriculum, said Rep. Fattah.
Throughout the convening, Rep. Fattah’s words were echoed by many who brought their own experiences to the discussion of what Hispanic children and their families need for a bright future. Questions were raised about how to align policy priorities, for example, to help achieve a national goal of all children reading at grade level in third grade by 2015. The Obama administration wants to make our nation the leader in the number of college graduates by 2020, yet only 12 percent of today’s Latinos earn bachelor’s degrees; this contrast amply illustrates how far we must go to achieve educational parity.
Something must change if we truly intend to achieve these goals. Creating a Latino child advocacy network is one way that experts, educators, and community leaders can come together to share information and work collectively to make sure that all children in our nation can excel in the 21st century.