Summer Fellowship: What's Wrong with this Picture?

Submitted by Carson Perez on June 19, 2008 - 11:36pm.

Working at such an effective non-profit like Children’s Defense Fund, I am surrounded by statics that make me wonder about many things. I wonder why I haven’t heard these statics before. I wonder why our current administration focuses more on the “War on Terror” than the wars being fought in our own streets, like hunger, homelessness, poverty, and racism. And, I wonder why our great nation and our states do not reform unjust aspects of their judicial systems. Take California, for example. . .

In California, there are more than 9 million children. In California. . . more than 1.7 million children live in poverty; more than 200,000 children are arrested annually; almost 2,000 youth under 18 are incarcerated in adult prisons; and nearly 100,000 children are reported as victims of maltreatment.

What’s wrong with this picture?

In 2007, CDF created the Cradle to Prison Pipeline® Campaign. This campaign is a national call to action to stop the funneling of tens of thousands of youth, predominantly minorities, down life paths that often lead to arrest, conviction, incarceration, and, in some cases, death. I know that no single program can save a society’s children. And, I know that my aforementioned questions are simplistic. But, at least there is a program like this. And, at least I’m asking.

Working at CDF, I run across many amazing quotes, as well as statistics. This quote, in particular, struck me today. It’s by the Chilean poet, educator, and Nobel Laureate, Gabriela Mistral:

We are guilty of many errors and many faults but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the fountain of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made, and his senses are being developed. To him we cannot answer “Tomorrow.” His name is “Today.”

So, on behalf of our children,. . . America, California, you, me,. . . What are we doing—today?

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