October 22, 2009
Washington, DC

This exciting forum convened an audience of 200 of the nation's leading advocates, policymakers, researchers, experts, and practitioners to discuss how Latino children and youth are transforming the nation and the importance of policy intervention in shaping their well-being.

This event was sponsored by the Atlantic Philanthropies and featured new research on Latino children and youth supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Four of the nation’s luminaries in the area of children’s policy, advocacy and research spoke at the event:

• Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
• Marian Wright Edelman, President, Children’s Defense Fund
• Dr. Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, University Professor of Globalization and Education, New York University; Fellow, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University

NCLR has long advocated for our most precious assets—our children and youth. Hispanic children now constitute 22% of all U.S. children as well as 36% of all poor children in the U.S. As we continue to work with our Affiliates and partner organizations to meet the challenge of improving the lives of Latino children, we know that investing in these children is also the key to ensuring the future well-being of the entire nation. The forum included panels of experts who spoke about threats and opportunities facing Latino children in the areas of education, health, immigration, juvenile justice, and poverty, and also featured breakout sessions in which guests will focus on specific policy or research themes. Through the knowledge presented and shared at the forum, we look forward to laying the foundation for a comprehensive public policy and research agenda on Latino children’s issues.

Symposium Agenda

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