Speaking of Kids...

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with award-winning filmmaker, author, and educator Suzie Hicks — also known as the Climate Chick — to explore how climate change shapes the world children are growing up in. Together, they discuss why climate education is often avoided, how fear and misinformation impact kids and adults alike, and what it looks like to talk honestly about the planet without overwhelming children. The conversation highlights the power of storytelling, emotional literacy, and community action in helping kids understand climate change not just as a crisis, but as a challenge they can face together.

To learn more about Suzie Hicks and their work, you can visit the Suzie Hicks The Climate Chick and Sprout website, and follow them on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:


Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens


Born Equal: Defending The Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby

H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Wendy Cervantes about how immigration enforcement policies are shaping children’s daily lives, why fear and instability can have lasting developmental consequences, and what it would mean to truly center kids in immigration reform. Cervantes is the Director of the Immigration and Immigrant Families team at the Center for Law and Social Policy and co-founder of the Children Thrive Action Network. Together, Abebe and Cervantes explore the trauma many children in immigrant families experience, the ripple effects of detention and deportation on schools and communities, and the policy solutions that could better protect children’s safety, stability, and long-term well-being.

To learn more about Wendy Cervantes and her work, you can visit the Center for Law and Social Policy website, the Children Thrive Action Network website, and follow her on X, and BlueSky.

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:


Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens


Born Equal: Defending The Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby

H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Chad Bolt about what happens when the food safety net millions of children rely on suddenly fails, why access to nutrition is foundational to kids’ health and learning, and how political decisions can have immediate consequences for families. Bolt is Senior Vice President for Economic Security at First Focus on Children, and an anti-hunger policy expert who has worked extensively on SNAP and child nutrition programs. Together, Abebe and Bolt explore the unprecedented lapse in SNAP benefits during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, what it revealed about the fragility of food access, and why protecting nutrition programs is essential to giving kids a fair chance to grow, learn, and thrive.

To learn more about Chad Bolt and his work, you can visit the First Focus on Children website. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:


Children Need Congress to Reverse the SNAP Cost Shift to States


Big Ideas For Kids: A Blueprint for Building Government That Works for Children

No Child Should Go Hungry: The Fight to Protect School Meals

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. 

To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe sits down with Madeline Brown to explore what it would mean if every child began life with a financial head start. Brown is a senior policy researcher at the Urban Institute and an expert on economic mobility, poverty reduction, and the racial and generational wealth gaps. Together, Abebe and Brown unpack the concept of baby bonds and child savings accounts, why policy design matters, and how these tools could help disrupt generational poverty. This conversation examines the realities families face when saving for their children’s futures, the growing wealth divide in the U.S., and what it would take to ensure every child enters adulthood with real opportunity — not just aspiration.

To learn more about Madeline Brown and her work, you can visit the Urban Institute website, and connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:


Children Need Congress to Reverse the Snap Cost Shift to States


Social Security Advisory Board Recommends Improved Access and Increased Awareness of Survivor Benefits for Children

Big Ideas for Kids: A Blueprint for Building Government That Works for Children

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here.

In this episode, Messellech “Selley” Abebe talks with Adriana Cadena about the real-life impact of immigration policies on children and families, why access to basic needs like food, health care, and stability shouldn’t depend on a parent’s immigration status, and how states can step up when the federal government falls short. Cadena is the leader of the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition, a national movement ensuring families get the resources they need to thrive no matter where they were born. Together, Abebe and Cadena explore the fear and trauma many children in immigrant families face, the importance of telling these stories to shift public perception, and how communities and policymakers can act to protect children and families while strengthening neighborhoods and economies.

To learn more about Adriana Cadena and her work, you can visit the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition website, and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and X. 

Want to keep digging into the real-life impact policy decisions have on children? Here’s some of what First Focus on Children has published recently:


Born In The USA: The Constitution is Clear - Babies Are Citizens


Born Equal: Defending The Constitutions Fourteenth Amendment For Every Baby

H.R. 1 Puts Children Last: An Unprecedented Betrayal of America’s Future

To join the conversation, follow First Focus on Children on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Send us comments on thoughts via email: [email protected]

Find us on Twitter/X: @SpeakingOfKids and @First_Focus

Want to be a voice for kids? Become an Ambassador for Children here. To support our work and this podcast, please consider donating to First Focus on Children here.