Last week’s Children’s Advocacy Day has already made an impact in Frankfort. State leaders, from legislators to the Governor, are abuzz with what they heard from advocates.  If you joined us on January 23rd, be sure to fill out this short survey so we can make next year’s Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol even better! 

The day was too big to summarize in this blog post, so here are the 5 moments we thought were the best: 

  1. The emotional speech from Ana Pohlgeers that opened the rally. In it, Ana talked about her experience in foster care, her joy at finding an adoptive family, and what the state can do to step up for other kids like her who are “bent, not broken.”

  2. Bipartisan support for kids’ issues as the common ground that unites state leaders. State leaders who spoke at the rally, including Governor Andy Beshear, Senate President at Robert Stivers, and House Speaker David Osborne, all acknowledged that the future of Kentucky kids should be a priority that has no party affiliation.

  3. Youth leaders who organized meetings with legislators. Youth from across Kentucky met with their legislators to speak up for other Kentucky kids. We even saw them snapping selfies with legislators in the hallways of the Annex building!

  4. Buzz from the social media station, generated by the youth, advocates, and even legislators who stopped by to show their support for kids online. Check out the #CADKY2020 tag on Twitter and Instagram to see pics and videos from the day.

  5. Incredibly long lines at the Capitol entrance. OK, maybe the lines themselves weren’t so great, but advocates were willing to stand in line for more than 30 minutes to get in—a testament to the size of the crowd. We estimate that nearly 700 advocates attended Children’s Advocacy Day, and those 700 voices will hopefully influence the state budget and policies that the General Assembly and Governor advance during the 2020 legislative session. 

Another high point of the day was the opportunity to celebrate legislators, youth, and community advocates with Champion for Children awards and Step Up for Kids awards. Check out our news release for a full list of awardees. 

Thank you to ALL of the youth and advocates who raised your voices on behalf of kids at Children’s Advocacy Day. Thank you also to the Children’s Advocacy Day and Kentucky KIDS COUNT sponsors who made the day possible, including Passport Health Plan, Kosair Charities, StepStone Family & Youth Services, and AT&T. 

So that we can continue to improve Children’s Advocacy Day, please complete this short survey. It should take less than five minutes to complete and everyone who completes the survey will be entered to win a $25 Starbucks gift card.