Speaker promotes children's rights rally

Enthusiasm and energy filled the air yesterday morning, as approximately 50 day care supporters, teachers and children's rights activists gathered to listen to Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund. Held at the Parent-Infant Center at 4200 Spruce Street, the gathering attempted to generate interest for Stand For Children, a rally scheduled for June 1 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., according to Parent-Infant Center Director Marni Sweet. The Stand For Children event will protest recent cuts in spending and laws developed that affect children nationwide. Yesterday's speech was co-organized by the Parent-Infant Center and the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children. Neither organization is directly affiliated with the University. Edelman began her discussion by saying how much "energy and love" she felt in the room. "We need to reach across race, class, income and region to join together at the Lincoln Memorial, a symbol of community," Edelman said. "We have to change things, so every politician should vote on an issue as if an eight-year-old child were looking over his shoulder." She emphasized the enhanced impact of the Stand for Children demonstration during an election year, adding that participants will experience a feeling of renewal after meeting others who are working toward the same cause. "We want you all to get a second, third and tenth wind after this event," Edelman said to a laughing crowd. "Additionally, the children will all be able see the adults stand up and struggle for them." Edelman concluded her speech by emphasizing the scope of the event. She noted that there will be more than 2,300 independent organizations involved. Indirectly, she said, tens of millions of Americans will be involved as members of the participating groups. According to Sharon Esterling, executive director of the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, the Stand For Children event is one of the most important events held by child-care supporters in years. Esterling said the event will be "non-partisan [and] non-political" in order to show that "we cannot tolerate the new policies hurting children." "We must protest the lowering quality of education and give a powerful statement saying that we will stand up for our children's rights," she said. According to Esterling, hundreds of thousands of people will be present at the rally. "We want politicians to be aware of the huge groundswell of support for children's rights," Esterling said. "We expect a famous figure like Marian Edelman to help generate more interest and thus more visible support." Sweet asked the crowd who attended the speech to participate in the rally. "Help Philly stand for children in a loud, strong voice," Sweet said, beginning the series of talks. "We want you all to go home and invite 50 friends and call the rent-a-buses."