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Starting Early Begins With… Early Childhood Advocacy

Hear from several early childhood experts on the importance of advocacy and its power to promote and inspire community change in the fight against generational poverty and inequity.

November 12, 2020
  • Policy and Systems
  • Blog
  • Presentation

Our Starting Early Begins With… three-part speaker series kicked off with a panel discussion between early childhood experts who shared the true power of advocacy in today’s world. One of the biggest takeaways? As one panelist stated, “… we are all advocates every day for various things, whether it’s for our children, or for some issue in our neighborhood.”

Panelists shared promising examples of advocacy efforts, encouraging individuals from all professional backgrounds and motivating interests to use their voice to influence change at local and large-scale levels. And, by centering and amplifying voices of those most directly and disproportionately affected by inequality, we can collectively inspire systematic change.

At Start Early, we know that federal support is necessary for early education programs and services to not only operate, but also to reach our children and families living in under-resourced communities. One panelist noted that the current pandemic has demonstrated how truly essential child care is and its influence on every American – whether it be through the workplace or in a community. That said, in order to ensure our child care system can rebuild back better, we need to share these diverse stories and perspectives with local, state and federal leaders.

Watch the Webinar Recording

The discussion was filled with tidbits of information, thoughts and viewpoints that proved advocacy works, and that anyone can be an advocate on behalf of someone or something they care about.


Thank you to our wonderful panelists:

  • Jessie Rasmussen, President, Buffett Early Childhood Fund
  • Sarah Rittling, Executive Director, First Five Years Fund
  • Blythe Keeler Robinson, CEO, Sheltering Arms
  • Christina Walker, Director Policy & Advocacy, Clayton Early Learning
  • Moderator: Diana Rauner, President Start Early

Starting Early Begins With…

Early Childhood Advocacy. Prenatal & Maternal Health Care. Economic & Workforce Stability.

About the Series

Decades of research have proven that quality early learning and care programs can have positive multi-generation impact, lifting families out of poverty and setting a foundation for success. Start Early invites you to a three-part discussion series with experts who will offer critical solutions to make equal opportunity to these programs a reality. While each virtual event offers a different perspective and topic, this series comprehensively covers concrete and evidence-based solutions for combating one of society’s most complex problems – generational poverty.

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