Attendees were able to fill their bags with worthwhile literature, bumper stickers and activities and fill their minds with the wisdom and insight of speakers such as Garrison Keillor, Peg Chamberlain and Marion Wright Edelman. Following the rally, those in attendance were asked to fill out commitment cards stating that they will do their part to assure that ALL Minnesota children are given a fair start in life by informing law makers and holding them accountable for the decisions they make on behalf of children.

The event was conceptualized by a gentleman from North Minneapolis. Four years ago, Darrel Young brought his brother to the Twin Cities from Chicago. Intending to give him a better life than what he could find in Chicago, Darrel quickly became dismayed when his brother was slain just 4 doors down from his home on the streets of North Minneapolis. His 17 year old brother was walking home to his brother’s house when he was shot and killed. The next day in the paper, the headline merely read “Number 37″ because Darrel’s brother was the 37th homicide in Minneapolis in 2006.

As a result of this event, Darrel pledged to honor his brother by being a stronger influence in the lives of young people. He began working with the youth leaders of YALT, Youth Advocacy Leadership Training, at the Children’s Defense Fund and the vision of the 10-10-10 Rally and March came into fruition. The youth created, planned, organized and led the March and Rally every step of the way; they will even continue the momentum by speaking at congregations and working with the 2011 legislature to pass into law issues that are of importance in the lives of children and youth.

Visitors to the KARA booth were able to watch a video slideshow produced by KARA, sign up to be on our email list and wear a bracelet displaying a fact about children that they were challenged to share with three other people before going to bed that night. The shocking facts stated on the six different bracelets included:

* Foster children are twice as likely as war veterans to develop PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder);
* 25% of U.S. youth in the Juvenile Justice System are tried as adults;
* 50-75% of U.S. youth in the Juvenile Justice System have a diagnosable mental illness;
* 25% of high school graduates in the United States are illiterate;
* Most states are growing prison spending much faster than higher education spending;
* firearms deaths of children in the U.S. are more than 10 times higher than all the other industrialized nations combined.

Attendees were also given a copy of Mike Tikkanens’s book, Invisible Children with a KARA bookmark that read:

Each day in America:

– 4000 children are arrested

-30 children die of gunshot wounds

– 4 children are killed by their parents

- 15,000 children are beaten, molested, neglected or watch their mother being beaten or raped

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/KidsAtRisk

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When I talk to OSFF about the helplessness of children in terribly abusive homes, and the need for social workers and resources to mend traumatized children, they repeat meaningless phrases from political heads that indicate they have little or no understanding of the children I speak of or their issues.

It’s almost like they don’t want to know. Several of my OSFF have fetal alcohol babies & drug or alcohol problems and could have benefited from more prenatal care or government (any) program to help them deliver healthy babies.

What is most disturbing to me, is the fierceness of OSFF arguments against helping the weakest and most vulnerable among us. They have been convinced by the insane political rhetoric being poured into their heads from radio and TV, that their neighbors children, grandparents, single mothers, and any other persons in need)
will not benefit, and should not receive help from government programs.

MN governor Tim Pawlenty said to Andy Dawkins and David Strand several years ago that “Children that are the victims of failed personal responsibility are not my problem or the problem of the state of MN”.

That a major political party would make this a keystone of its platform indicates a gross misunderstanding of the most basic issues facing abused and neglected children. This shows a lack of compassion as well as a misunderstanding of the economics of failing to help children while they are young enough to make a difference in their behaviors and development.

Misguided beliefs are a dangerous thing. We have burned witches, imprisoned perfectly harmless Japanese families (WWII), tortured war prisoners, and inflicted unnecessary suffering on thousands in the name of belief.

Sometimes, I can convince the OSFF to listen long enough, or to read my book & come to understand the absolutely necessary existence of community services for abused and neglected children. But this is the hard, painful, and slow way of changing the political climate in this nation.

Here’s my suggestion to be more effective in this endeavor;

Start or attend a rally to help children & restore sanity and we will help bring compassion and reason to America’s politics that will benefit us all.Historic 10-10-10 March for Children and Youth

Where: Minnesota Capitol

When: 10-10-10, 2pm-5pm

What: Youth Advocate Leaders of Children’s Defense Fund (CDF)–Minnesota, along with partner organizations, will join thousands of Minnesota marchers to raise awareness among political candidates of 10 key issues that affect the lives of Minnesota’s children and youth. The rally will strengthen a commitment to issues that affect children and youth in the upcoming election and future policy decisions.

Speakers will include:

Marian Wright Edelman, president and founder of Children’s Defense Fund
Garrison Keillor, Minnesota author and A Prairie Home Companion radio host; all major gubernatorial candidates have been invited; St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman; faith leaders, youth performers and children.

To learn more or to volunteer, please email Nicole Hernandez or call her at 651-855-1174.

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/KidsAtRisk

amy.rostronledoux@yahoo.com

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10,000 Marchers Put Forward 10 Children and Youth Issues for the Election Agenda

ST. PAUL, MN- Youth Advocate Leaders of Children’s Defense Fund (CDF)–Minnesota, along with partner organizations, will join thousands of Minnesota marchers at the Minnesota Capitol on October 10, 2010 to raise awareness among political candidates of 10 key issues that affect the lives of Minnesota’s children and youth. Organized by local youth leaders and dozens of community organizations, the rally will strengthen a commitment to issues that affect children and youth in the upcoming election and future policy decisions.

Speakers will include:

· St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman

· Faith leaders, youth performers and children

WHAT: 10-10-10 March and Rally for Children and Youth

WHEN: October 10, 2010, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Minnesota State Capitol

WHO: The Young Advocate Leadership Training (YALT) participants of CDF–Minnesota, Every Child Matters, Minnesota Children’s Platform and other partnering organizations as listed below

The 10 Key Issues and Participating Organizations:

Child Welfare: Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota

Children in Immigrant Families: Project for Pride in Living

Early Childhood Education: Child Care WORKS!

Juvenile Justice: Second Chance Coalition; Council on Crime and Justice

Healthy Development: TakeAction Minnesota; Hunger Solutions; MOAPPP

Out-of-School Time: Youth Community Connections

Poverty: Affirmative Options Coalition; Minnesota Without Poverty

K-12 Education: Parents United for Public Schools

Youth Violence and Safe Communities: Peace Foundation; Youthrive

Healthy, Stable Housing: Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless

For more information www.cdf-mn.org

MEDIA CONTACTS

Jim Koppel, CDF–Minnesota Director Nicole Hernandez, Program Associate

651-855-1171, wk 651-855-1174, wk

651-338-4099, cell 612-207-6095, cell

koppel@cdf-mn.org hernandez@cdf-mn.org

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The first fifteen minutes are the hosts talking, you can move the cursor through (about 1/2 an inch) to get right to the interview).

http://www.am950ktnf.com/files/archive/Minnesota%20Matters%20121809.mp3

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and a Zero tolerance policy for guns and violence,

How about zero tolerance for abused children? My city has two murdered toddlers in two weeks.

How many police calls are required, how many observations of children in toxic environments are tolerable to this community?

Northfield stepfather charged in death of brutalized toddler

The Northfield man confessed to shaking the boy. An autopsy found broken bones, bleeding on the brain and other injuries. By JOY POWELL, Star Tribune

Last update: July 1, 2009 – 8:44 PM For four days, 17-month-old Nicholas Miller was in pain with a badly broken back, which made it difficult for the toddler to walk or even breathe. His brain was bleeding, and he had other wounds.

He got no medical help.

On June 23, the battered rural Northfield boy turned blue as his stepfather and step-grandmother laid him out and tried to revive him on a picnic table in Maiden Rock, Wis. It took an ambulance 23 minutes to arrive.

Nicholas was pronounced dead upon arriving at a hospital in Durand, Wis

Toddler found submerged in St. Paul bathtub dies

By ALEX EBERT , Star Tribune
Last update: July 4, 2009 – 9:07 PM

A toddler who was found submerged in a bathtub in a St. Paul foster home on Wednesday has died, police confirmed. The girl had been in critical condition since the accident.

An autopsy will be performed today and police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the near-drowning that eventually killed the 18-month-old, who was in the tub with a 3-year-old sibling.

In the past five years, 14 police calls have been made to the home of the toddler’s foster parents, Daniel and Barbara Wright.

Police are investigating what the foster parents were doing while the child was submerged. The 3-year-old has been taken from the home.

“Clearly this was a horrible tragedy,” St. Paul Police Sgt. Paul Schnell said. “Hopefully it serves as a reminder to all of us to make sure we are watching our kids.”

Schnell said the names of the toddler and her sibling may not be released because doing so could identify their parents.

Last years Brutal Truths and Best Practices Forum at Century College

Reviews of Last years Brutal Truths and Best Practices Forum at Century College

Videos of Last years Brutal Truths and Best Practices Forum at Century College

Save the date; Friday, Oct 16th 9am to noon

Our Child Protection System
Brutal Truths and Best Practices Forum at Century College

Join our focused and energetic conversation about children in need of protection and the people, programs, and policies that impact them. Have your views and questions heard.

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Here is a sample of the 2008 Kids At Risk Action (KARA) Forum:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jCTBZmy40Y

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