For 20 years, advocates for kids have gathered in Frankfort for Children’s Advocacy Day to fill the halls of the Capitol and ask their elected officials to step up for Kentucky kids. The critical mass of advocates in the Capitol building led to many policy wins and raising awareness of issues facing kids and their families. As we’ve transitioned to Children’s Advocacy WEEK, we've been able to have a series of virtual events with [...]
Kids cannot vote, but you can ensure that their voices are heard by engaging with candidates in local, state, and federal elections. The leaders we elect determine policy that will impact our daily lives for what may be generations to come. But how often do we pause to consider–specifically–how our choices at the ballot box will impact us, and particularly young children who depend on us to make the right choices? We must keep [...]
We are still reminiscing on the Sowing Resilience: A Bloom Kentucky Listening Tour that wrapped up earlier this summer. One session in particular that we can’t stop thinking about is the Youth and Young Adult Session hosted in Jefferson County. In June, a group of nearly 40 young people from across Jefferson County came together to share their thoughts, ideas, and recommendations on helping Kentucky kids grow up healthy and hopeful. Discussions ranged from [...]
Over the course of just 6 weeks, Kentucky Youth Advocates and Bloom Kentucky covered over 2,000 miles around the state hosting 19 regional listening sessions. We heard from over 350 Kentuckians including parents, teachers, community leaders, service providers, elected officials, youth, and more. Hosting these convenings and hearing from communities all over the state would not have been possible without our partner organizations who acted as co-hosts for each event. Throughout the tour we asked [...]
It can be easy for life to get you down when obstacles constantly stand between you and your future. When you make mistakes as a child, it can hinder your ability to maintain stable housing, employment, and educational opportunities. It can be discouraging and difficult finding your voice when you’ve been told for so long that you don't have one. Helping youth and young adults find their voice is one thing a group called REFORM [...]
The following reflects Kentucky Youth Advocates’ presentation to the Commission on Race & Access to Opportunity and Juvenile Justice Oversight Council on June 20, 2023 – watch the testimony and view the presentation. Over the last several years, the Kentucky General Assembly, Administrative Office of the Courts and their Court Designated Workers program, and critical stakeholders have made tremendous progress in reforming the juvenile justice system and the way we respond to kids who get [...]
Greetings, from the road! The Sowing Resilience: A Bloom Kentucky Listening Tour is about halfway complete. We are making 19 stops in total across every region in Kentucky. We have powerful partners in every region that have been integral to the success of this Listening Tour series. Much like the motto used by the fabled Dillon Panthers in the hit TV show Friday Night Lights, our Kentucky Youth Advocates team members are focused and operating [...]
By Leondrea Johnson About a year ago, one of the staff people at YouthBuild Louisville told us he had an opportunity for a couple of us to participate in. When we met the first time with Kentucky Youth Advocates, the work they talked about pulled me in. They asked us about what changes we wanted to see in our community and talked about things that some of us had experienced - like school suspensions [...]
What does Bloom Kentucky and Mickey Mouse have in common this summer? They are both ALL EARS. As soon as the gavel fell for the 2023 state legislative session, Bloom Kentucky already had a plan to get advocates excited about 2024. Kentucky Youth Advocates and Bloom Kentucky want to hear from you! During May and June 2023, we’re hosting regionally-based listening sessions across the Commonwealth to bring local advocates and leaders together to identify strategies [...]
The actions of the General Assembly during the 2023 legislative session confounded us at times. While we certainly don’t agree with any legislator 100% of the time, there are still ways we can find common ground and at the very least agree on a process. In the juvenile justice realm – we’ll go into bill details below – members of the House and Senate demonstrated thoughtful and careful consideration. The much debated House Bill 3 [...]
