Early Care and Education

Health

Outbreaks and Vaccinations: The number of measles cases in the U.S. has exceeded 700, reports the New York Times, with children under 5 years accounting for approximately half the cases. "This is the greatest number of cases reported in the United States since measles was eliminated [in 2000]," said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar for U.S. News & World Report. CNN shared the story of 5-month-old Walter Blum who, too young to receive the vaccine, contracted measles. “Our community kind of failed us," said Walter’s mother, referring to the lack of “herd immunity” that those who cannot receive vaccinations rely on. Less charitably, Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the Homeland Security Project at Harvard, wrote in an op-ed stating that anti-vaxxers should be arrested. KPBS also covered the story, including the current measles quarantine at both UCLA and California State University.
 
Related article: Quartz: Journalists could change the way we think about vaccines in one powerful way

Communities and Families

Census 2020: Both KPCC and EdSource covered the potential challenge of an undercount of young children in the upcoming Census today (May 2). Early childhood reporter Zaidee Stavely points out that about 210,000 children under 5 years old in California were left uncounted in the 2010 census, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. First 5 LA’s Vice President of Policy & Strategy Kim Pattillo Brownson was also interviewed about a potential Census undercount on KPCC’s news and culture show “Take Two”(listen at the 8 minute mark); she shared some of the primary reasons why young children are not counted including families not wanting to participate due to fear, unstable housing, or miscommunication between custodial guardians. Because Census numbers guide how federal dollars are allocated, an accurate count is imperative to draw down appropriate dollars for the social safety net.

Hungry Children: A new study published by Feeding America, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization, has found that 1 out of every 6 children (12.5 million) in the United States is food insecure, with an estimated 750,000 of them  in Los Angeles and New York City, reports MarketWatch. “Food-insecure children face a higher risk of stunted growth, asthma, oral health issues, failing to meet developmental milestones, lower math and reading scores and behavioral issues, like hyperactivity, aggression and anxiety,” writes USA Today. Children experience food insecurity at a higher rate than the general population, with the majority in rural areas. CBS News also covered the findings, pointing out that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can help with food insecurity but is often not enough.  
 
Related article: The Washington Post: Texas SNAP recipients may face ban on junk food and sugary drinks

Politics and Current Events

Blueprints: Two years and many meetings in the making, the California Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education released their final report at a press conference Monday. KPCC’s Early Childhood Reporter Priska Neely gave an overview of the 108-page report on news and culture show “Take Two,” including that “one of the guiding principles of the commission was to keep parents at the center of policy decisions.” Early Childhood Reporting Fellow Deepa Fernandes also covered the report, emphasizing early childhood providers' experiences and the current inequities in the system. In their coverage EdSource included details about current legislation that could fulfill some of what the blueprint calls for, such as AB 123 which would provide full-day preschool to all low-income 3-year-olds and to all 4-year-olds.

Presidential Election

Black Moms, 2020: Essence Magazine published an exclusive op-ed by Senator and Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren Tuesday, where Warren laid out her plan for improving maternal mortality in black and brown mothers. The op-ed came on the heels of Warren calling out the disproportionate number of black women dying in childbirth during a forum for presidential candidates last Wednesday. Outlets covering the op-ed include The Hill and the Huffington Post. Warren is just the latest presidential candidate focusing on the stark health disparity, reports The Hill. Last year, Sen Kamala Harris introduced the Maternal Care Access and Reducing Emergencies (CARE) Act and recently introduced a resolution to designate April 11-17 as Black Maternal Health Week.
 
Related article: CNN: What it means to be black and pregnant in America

On the lighter side

Who Will Sit on the Iron Throne: Popular HBO show "Game of Thrones" has dominated the cultural narrative lately, so when lead actress Gemma Whelan, who plays Yara Greyjoy, posted this behind-the-scenes picture of herself breastfeeding, it went viral. "What an empowering and beautiful photo!! You’re a ninja!!" one fan commented. In an interview on "Good Morning Britain" Whelan shared that she was able to have her daughter on set for the entirety of filming and she took breaks to breastfeed in her costume, which included an iron breastplate. And while fans are wondering who will ultimately sit on the iron throne, this little baby's lips are sealed!

From Our Friends

Children's Defense Fund: National child advocacy group, the Children's Defense Fund, has published a robust report on ways America can immediately lift millions of children out of poverty by investing in policies that work. The report, "Ending Child Poverty Now," is the the second edition of a groundbreaking report first released in 2015, which details the devastating impacts of poverty on children and our nation, the organization said in a press release. It outlines nine policy improvements that, enacted together, would benefit 95 percent of all poor children, lifting 5.5 million of them out of poverty entirely. Click here or on the image above to access the report.

Data Hits: Our friends at the California Budget and Policy Center published a report and several "Data Hits" this week, drawing attention to the challenges children and families face in California. Click on the links below for more:

• Strategies to Improve Maternal Mental Health in California
• Families With Children Are Significantly More Likely to Live in Poverty in California Than in the Rest of the US (Data Hit)
• Half of All California Workers Are Immigrants or Children of Immigrants (Data Hit)
• Among Working Families, Children of Immigrants Are Far More Likely to Live in Poverty Than Other Children (Data Hit)

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