Truth To Tell (2010-10-04)
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They’re calling it the Minnesota March for Children. It’s on October 10, thus the moniker, 10-10-10. The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) says it will rally 10,000 Minnesotans at the State Capitol that day – a major effort to tell state senators and representatives that children must be the prime concern of all policy decisions made at the legislature in the 2011 Session. The day coincides with Children’s Sabbath, an effort to pull in congregations from around the state as well.
According to Jim Koppel of the CDF, between 2008 and 2009, nearly 34,000 more children were living in poverty in Minnesota, according to the American Community Survey. This continues an alarming trend in Minnesota that has seen a 56% increase (60,000 more children) in children living in poverty since 2000. – Repeat: 56% and 60,000 MORE children in poverty – in Minnesota! Poverty is defined as an annual income of below $21,947 for a four-person family.
It’s as clear as the recession and poverty itself, not to mention the stagnant and deficit-laden budgets of schools, healthcare programs, corrections and human services, environmental concerns, public safety – name it – that children are affected directly by each and every issue we deal with at every level of living and public policy. The fact that children are at the forefront of those affected by these issues, just because they don’t vote – yet – does not mean they should not be our first priority in addressing those issue arenas.
The Minnesota March on 10-10-10 is designed to highlight these areas – but we will talk about specific initiatives on Monday as we gather guests and march movers in our studios to talk about what they should be.The march itself will feature Garrison Keillor as keynoter and CDF National Founder, Marion Wright Edelman in a call to action.
Join TTT’s ANDY DRISCOLL and LYNNELL MICKELSEN as we examine more children’s issues in this Week Two of KFAI’s Fall Membership Drive.
REP. SANDRA PETERSON (DFL-45A [NEW HOPE]) – Member, Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division
DARRELL YOUNG – CDF Young Advocates Leadership Trainee
NICOLE HERNANDEZ – Youth Programs Director, Children’s Defense Fund
KARA ARZAMENDIA – Research Director, Children’s Defense Fund
LAURA LaCROIX-DALLUHN – Exeecutive Director, Youth Community Connections