Who speaks for kids when lawmakers, the government, and elected officials are making decisions about their education, health and safety?
You do! Children need our collective attention and voice.
You’ve found Speaking of Kids…, a podcast series from First Focus on Children that examines how laws and public systems impact kids — not just in theory, but in real life. We’re here sorting out who’s actually for kids and who’s just kidding.
Join our host, Messellech “Selley” Abebe, as she gathers voices from every corner of the kid-policy world: congresspeople, public health leaders, political organizers, parents, and the dogged advocates doing the hard work of imagining something better.
Selley explores the ‘kid angle’ in policy and politics. What’s working? What’s not? And how can we take action to create a better future for the next generation?
Listen and discover the hidden power that each of us has as an ambassador for children. We believe that kids matter. Their lives are worth protecting, their joy is worth preserving, and their futures are absolutely worth fighting for.
In this Season 2 finale of Speaking of Kids, host Mesellech Abebe revisits the question that quietly connects every conversation this season: when the world feels confusing or frightening, who and what can kids still trust? Through highlights from earlier episodes, Selley brings together Tracy Kaplan of The Ten News on helping kids navigate misinformation, Dr. Liz Marnik on why relationships — not just facts — change minds, Wendy Cervantes on how immigration fears reach into schools and immigrant families, and climate educator Suzy Hicks on telling kids hard truths without fear or shame. Across it all, one theme emerges: kids are paying close attention, they see through what's fake, and what they need from the adults around them isn't perfection — it's honesty.
To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Send us comments on thoughts via email: SpeakingOfKids@firstfocus.org
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.
5 Aug 2026
How Two Oakland Organizations Are Redesigning Support for Families
Kym Johnson, CEO of Bananas, and Jamaica Sowell, Director of Programs at Roots Community Health, join host Mesellech Abebe on Speaking of Kids to discuss their Oakland partnership supporting families from pregnancy through the early years. Instead of asking parents to navigate child care, health care, and community support as separate systems, they're building a model where the systems connect themselves. The conversation covers trust-based home visiting, addressing Black maternal and infant health disparities, meeting families without shame, and why community-based organizations should see themselves as anchor institutions worth sustainable, structural funding.
To learn more about Bananas and their services, go to bananasbunch.org. Follow them on social media @BananasBunch on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
To learn more about Roots Community Health and their services, go to rootscommunityhealth.org. Follow them on social media on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Send us comments on thoughts via email: SpeakingOfKids@firstfocus.org
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.
3 Jun 2026
Three Teachers Break Down the Emotional Reality of Modern Students
In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe speaks with three educators from across the country—a middle school visual arts teacher in South Central Los Angeles, a high school physical education teacher in rural Ohio, and a veteran English teacher in a large urban district in Connecticut—about what kids are experiencing inside and outside the classroom today. Each teacher brings a distinct perspective shaped by their community, school environment, and years of experience working closely with students. Together, they explore the realities shaping modern childhood, including rising mental health concerns, the impact of cell phones and social media, shifting school policies, and the growing sense of disconnection many students feel despite being constantly “connected.” This conversation highlights how educators are responding on the front lines, and what they believe is most urgently needed to better support students.
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:
Alliance for Student Liberty: How the ECCA Hurts Public Schools and Benefits the Wealthy
The Heist: How the Powerful Are Robbing America’s Children
Saying ‘No’ to Culture Wars, Crumbs, or Capitulation: Building a Child Advocacy Movement
To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Send us comments on thoughts via email: SpeakingOfKids@firstfocus.org
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.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
14 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
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