Kitty Kelley Hosts Marian Wright Edelman
“The aftermath of our unexpected and shocking national political tsunami places a half century of hard earned child investments, policies and programs at risk of complete dismantlement and/or massive cuts. We need your help as we struggle to set our compass on how best to get our children’s little boats to safe harbor in this unprecedented, unpredictable and turbulent national sea." Marian Wright Edelman
Founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), Marian Wright Edelman was Kitty Kelley’s very special guest Monday evening. Ushering close friends into her elegant Georgetown home and garden (recently featured on the Georgetown Garden Tour), Kelley introduced the lifelong advocate for disadvantaged children.
Edelman was clear, "The greatest national, military, and economic security issue does not come from any outside enemy but comes from our failure to invest in our children and the next generation."
Highlighting the urgent need for action, Edelman encouraged guests to get involved, support CDF programs, to speak up and speak out about the need to protect children's health care and education.
“We will keep planting and nurturing seeds to organize a movement to end immoral, indefensible and costly child poverty in America as the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s Poor People’s Campaign approaches in 2018. The Poor People’s Campaign gave birth to CDF’s parent organization, the Washington research Project, in 1968. I know Dr. King would be calling for a campaign to end child poverty in rich America today when wealth and income gaps between rich and poor are at historic levels. That children are the poorest age group in America is morally indefensible and economically costly and a great threat to our future economic and national security. "
Guests were given a copy of Let Freedom Ring: Stanley Tretick's Iconic Images of the March on Washington. As Kelley explained, “This is more Marian’s book. Marian and I both loved the photographer … Marian was there, knew the photographer, and I’m lucky enough to have done the accompanying essay.”
For more information, visit Children's Defense Fund.