Sunday, February 2, 2014

My Own Capacity

The culture of childhood fuels my passion and sparks my interest every day. I often think about children in the context of their families and community. The parent child relationship has been topic that has fascinated me for nearly three decades. Supporting that relationship has been the focus of my career.


Childhood, done well, gives children the foundation for a healthy life. I am interested in advocating for a healthy childhood and creating community conversations about issues that impact a healthy childhood. Media, technology, play, routine, structure, discipline, and raising readers are just a few of the topics I educate the public about. Over the weekend, I delivered five different speeches in the span of thirty hours in three cities. I spoke to roughly 1000 people. This is the best advocacy work I do. 


I have a long history in the field which has created a body of work that is rich in stories, experiences, education, and research. I have a long contact list that includes colleagues, legislators, parents, foundation leaders, and community members. I love public speaking and teaching. I am a powerful communicator. I think I have everything I need to be an effective advocate. 

In order to continue to grow along with the early childhood "movement" in our state, I need to work hard to help elect politicians who believe in the importance of investing. Lots of candidates seek my endorsement and I always take my time to be thoughtful in endorsing. I also take the time to educate each candidate about the importance of early childhood and our nations commitment to create policy and fund our most important resource. 

2 comments:

  1. Katy,
    I realized after reading your post how important political candidates are to the work you do. You have often spoken of the support you have from politicians and those in the education office. All of that could change with a change in positions. Yes I agree, I would make sure that anyone wanting to run for office understands that Minnesota invests in children, and is a leader in efforts to improve the lives of both children and families. Keep up the good work!
    Jo

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  2. I also am very interested in the parent/child relationship, it is so important in the success of a child. Thank you for your post, you are very inspiring.

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