In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Arnie Fege about what it means to protect public education, why schools remain one of the most important public institutions in a democracy, and how policy decisions shape the daily realities of children and families. Fege is a long-time advocate for public schools and children’s rights in education, with decades of experience working at the intersection of education policy and equity. Together, Abebe and Fege explore what happens when public schools are under-resourced, why access and opportunity cannot depend on geography or income, and how communities can stay rooted in solidarity to ensure every child has the chance to learn, grow, and thrive.

To learn more about Arnie Fege and his work, you can visit this website.

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

A Superintendent Speaks Out from the Front Lines of Our Public Schools

Three Ways That The Reconciliation Bill’s School Voucher Program Hurts Public Schools

Alliance For Student Liberty: How Trump’s Executive Orders Undermine Public Education

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. 

 In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Matthew Henderson and Olga Grays about New Mexico’s historic move to make child care free for all families. Henderson is the Executive Director of the OLÉ Education Fund, and Grays is a leader with the organization as well as a veteran child care provider and social worker. Together, they explore the years of advocacy that led to this change in the state’s constitution, the challenges of putting universal child care into practice, and the ways it strengthens children, parents, and early educators alike. The conversation highlights the transformative impact of accessible child care, the dedication of caregivers, and how public policy can shape stronger, healthier communities for the next generation. 

To learn more about Olé New Mexico and their work, you can follow them on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

The State of the Union: Leaving Children and Families Behind

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 
To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe chats with Dr. Emil Cunningham and Eunice Na about the Pratt Free Market, a free grocery store inside the Enoch Pratt Free Library that is helping Baltimore families access food with dignity. Dr. Emil Cunningham is the executive director of the library’s Office of Equity and Fair Practice, and Na coordinates the day-to-day operations of the market. Together, they discuss how libraries are expanding beyond books to meet basic needs, why food access is critical for children’s well-being and learning, and how trusted public spaces can play a powerful role in supporting families facing food insecurity. 

To learn more about the Pratt Free Market, you can visit the Enoch Pratt Free Library website.

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

A Superintendent Speaks Out from the Front Lines of Our Public Schools

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. 

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with award-winning filmmaker, author, and educator Suzie Hicks — also known as the Climate Chick — to explore how climate change shapes the world children are growing up in. Together, they discuss why climate education is often avoided, how fear and misinformation impact kids and adults alike, and what it looks like to talk honestly about the planet without overwhelming children. The conversation highlights the power of storytelling, emotional literacy, and community action in helping kids understand climate change not just as a crisis, but as a challenge they can face together.

To learn more about Suzie Hicks and their work, you can visit the Suzie Hicks The Climate Chick and Sprout website, and follow them on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens

Born Equal: Defending The Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. 

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Wendy Cervantes about how immigration enforcement policies are shaping children’s daily lives, why fear and instability can have lasting developmental consequences, and what it would mean to truly center kids in immigration reform. Cervantes is the Director of the Immigration and Immigrant Families team at the Center for Law and Social Policy and co-founder of the Children Thrive Action Network. Together, Abebe and Cervantes explore the trauma many children in immigrant families experience, the ripple effects of detention and deportation on schools and communities, and the policy solutions that could better protect children’s safety, stability, and long-term well-being.

To learn more about Wendy Cervantes and her work, you can visit the Center for Law and Social Policy website, the Children Thrive Action Network website, and follow her on X, and BlueSky.

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens

Born Equal: Defending The Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. 

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Chad Bolt about what happens when the food safety net millions of children rely on suddenly fails, why access to nutrition is foundational to kids’ health and learning, and how political decisions can have immediate consequences for families. Bolt is Senior Vice President for Economic Security at First Focus on Children, and an anti-hunger policy expert who has worked extensively on SNAP and child nutrition programs. Together, Abebe and Bolt explore the unprecedented lapse in SNAP benefits during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, what it revealed about the fragility of food access, and why protecting nutrition programs is essential to giving kids a fair chance to grow, learn, and thrive.

To learn more about Chad Bolt and his work, you can visit the First Focus on Children website. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

Children Need Congress to Reverse the SNAP Cost Shift to States

Big Ideas For Kids: A Blueprint for Building Government That Works for Children

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. 

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with Madeline Brown to explore what it would mean if every child began life with a financial head start. Brown is a senior policy researcher at the Urban Institute and an expert on economic mobility, poverty reduction, and the racial and generational wealth gaps. Together, Abebe and Brown unpack the concept of baby bonds and child savings accounts, why policy design matters, and how these tools could help disrupt generational poverty. This conversation examines the realities families face when saving for their children’s futures, the growing wealth divide in the U.S., and what it would take to ensure every child enters adulthood with real opportunity — not just aspiration.

To learn more about Madeline Brown and her work, you can visit the Urban Institute website, and connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

Children Need Congress to Reverse the Snap Cost Shift to States

Social Security Advisory Board Recommends Improved Access and Increased Awareness of Survivor Benefits for Children

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Adriana Cadena about the real-life impact of immigration policies on children and families, why access to basic needs like food, health care, and stability shouldn’t depend on a parent’s immigration status, and how states can step up when the federal government falls short. Cadena is the leader of the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition, a national movement ensuring families get the resources they need to thrive no matter where they were born. Together, Abebe and Cadena explore the fear and trauma many children in immigrant families face, the importance of telling these stories to shift public perception, and how communities and policymakers can act to protect children and families while strengthening neighborhoods and economies.

To learn more about Adriana Cadena and her work, you can visit the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition website, and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and X. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens

Born Equal: Defending The Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 
To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with Maury Mendenhall to discuss what happened when USAID - the United States Agency for International Development - was suddenly dismantled, how that decision rippled into the daily lives of children around the world, and what it means for families who lost life-saving support overnight. Mendenhall is a longtime humanitarian and former USAID leader who spent nearly two decades helping communities access food, safety, and critical HIV care. Together, Abebe and Mendenhall explore the human cost of abrupt policy change, the resilience of local partners who continue the work against all odds, and why protecting global child welfare remains urgent and essential.

To learn more about Maury Mendenhall and her work, you can keep up with her emergency campaign A Crisis in Care.

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

Remembering, Reflecting, and Acting: Supporting Children Affected by HIV/AIDS

What the “America First Global Strategy” Means for the World’s Children

Social Security Advisory Board Recommends Improved Access and Increased Awareness of Survivor Benefits for Children

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here. 

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Kai Kung about what it means to help every child find purpose, possibility, and pride in their future. Kung is the CEO of San Joaquin A+, a community organization reimagining what education and opportunity can look like for young people in the Central Valley of California. Together, Abebe and Kung discuss why traditional pathways don’t work for every student, how paid internships and local partnerships are opening new doors, and why listening to kids — and believing in their dreams — is the foundation for lasting change.

To learn more about Kai Kung and his work, you can visit the San Joaquin A+ website, and follow him on Instagram.

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:

Three Ways That The Reconciliation Bill’s School Voucher Program Hurts Public Schools

Alliance For Student Liberty: How Trump’s Executive Orders Undermine Public Education

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.