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Highlights of Early Childhood Advocacy Day 2025
Relive the Best Moments from Early Childhood Advocacy Day
On March 4, Illinois Action for Children (IAFC) was thrilled to join with legislators, providers, teachers, advocates, and many more to say YES to early childhood investments and to a strong foundation for our children and families.
Hundreds of parents, providers, and supporters from across Illinois gathered in Springfield to support Early Childhood Advocacy Day. IAFC joined our partners at Start Early; We, the Village Coalition; COFI; Evanston Early Childhood Council; Illinois Child Care for All Coalition; Raising Illinois; and SEIU to urge lawmakers invest in early childhood.
The day began with a powerful rally organized by IAFC and led by parents and state leaders in the Capitol rotunda. Parent advocate Rosalia Salgado welcomed the crowd and shared her own advocacy journey, and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton gave an impassioned speech about the importance of fully funded early childhood education and care (ECEC) system. Lt. Gov. Stratton reaffirmed her and Governor JB Pritzker’s commitment to making Illinois the best state in the nation to raise a young child.
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Inaugural Secretary of the Department of Early Childhood (and former member of IAFC’s leadership team) Dr. Teresa Ramos spoke on the early childhood years as critical to children’s brain development and emphasized the importance of paying the ECEC workforce what they deserve. Later, parent advocate Chanelle Brown shared her experience with Early Intervention and led the room in a rousing chant of, “Babies can’t wait!” before Salgado closed the program with chants of, “Building tomorrow, together!”.
Advocates also met with elected officials to discuss important early childhood issues, such as fully funding the ECEC budget and supporting common sense reforms to child care licensing.
You can find more coverage of Early Childhood Advocacy Day on WBEZ’s The Rundown and WCIA News.
Take Action to Support Early Childhood in Illinois.
There’s still time to engage in several virtual advocacy opportunities—wherever you are!
Send a message urging legislators to invest in our state’s youngest learners and their families.
Take action on social media with this social media toolkit, developed by our partners at Start Early.
Grow your advocacy skills through this on-demand training.
Take action on ECACE scholarships and download our action toolkit.
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