Students visited the Maryland State House in Annapolis where they met with state legislators to advocate for children’s welfare and education policy. The Karabelle Pizzigati Initiative in Advocacy for Children, Youth and Families collaborated with the Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity (MILE) and Morgan State University to show a united presence in addressing pressing issues affecting Maryland’s youth.
Under the leadership of Associate Clinical Professor and Karabelle Pizzigati Program Director Brandi Slaughter, students engaged with Maryland delegates and senators, articulating their vision for a brighter future for Maryland's children. Central to their discussions were critical policy initiatives, such as the full funding of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, a policy initiative that aims to bolster K-12 education statewide.
In addition to advocating for educational reforms, students also championed critical issues including chronic absenteeism. According to Johns Hopkins University’s Everyone Graduates Center, in half of Maryland schools, 29.8% of Maryland’s K-12 students were “chronically absent” during the 2022-2023 school year. Alongside this issue, they addressed the need for literacy improvement and urgent comprehensive reform in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.
Advocacy Day served as a reminder of the power of advocacy and collaboration in effecting positive change and creating a more equitable and promising future for all of Maryland’s children.
