UNICEF Clubs

A huge thank you to all of our UNICEF Clubs for turning your ideas into action during last week's #WorldChildrensDay! ?? From raising awareness for child rights to "turning your cities blue" and celebrating the power of youth and community, you showed up in incredible ways, as you always do. ?? Swipe through for some of the day’s highlights, because these moments — and you — deserve to be celebrated!

Over the past month, I've had several amazing opportunities for growth through UNICEF USA — both professionally and as an advocate. Through my role on the National Youth Council, I had the privilege of attending the Joint Board Convening during our retreat, where I was able to connect with inspiring individuals who are making an impact through UUSA's many avenues. Hearing from the organization's leadership about different regional initiatives and impact investing strategies was invaluable, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity and the knowledge I've gained. I was also invited to speak at the first Interfaith Convening on the Rights of Children, offering a youth perspective to a gathering of several faith partners of UUSA and emphasizing the importance of collaboration as we combat the challenges of youth worldwide. It was incredibly rewarding to speak in a panel moderated by Michael J. Nyenhuis about my experiences with youth participation in UNICEF and how important it is for young voices to be amplified. I'd like to thank Ariadna Santos, Laura Brazee, and Morgan Thobe for supporting me as I attended these events, as well as everyone at UNICEF USA for giving me the chance to learn about others' ideas and share my own. A special thank you to Jennifer Sperber for being a fantastic NYC tour guide! Every new experience I've gained through UUSA has only reinforced how proud I am to be a part of such an amazing group of people working to make a change in the lives of children around the globe, and I look forward to many more opportunities to collaborate with them.

This week, at a World Children’s Day event on Capitol Hill, we were proud to honor three Members of Congress — Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA), Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO) — for their leadership in supporting policies to improve outcomes for children around the world. Representative Lee was honored for her decades-long fight to support maternal and child health, including her legacy of leadership in spearheading the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved more than 25 million lives around the world. Representative McCaul, a longstanding champion of efforts designed to improve health and wellbeing of children, was also honored for his commitment to supporting critical global nutrition programs that have saved millions of lives. Representative Wagner was recognized for her efforts to prioritize policies that emphasize child protection. She recently co-led legislation to protect women and children in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador from domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. We’re so grateful to everyone who was able to attend. You can find the honorees' full remarks from the event at the link in our comment below.

For a century, the National League of Cities (NLC) has worked with local leaders to shape thriving communities across the U.S. And this week, our UNICEF USA Municipal Partnerships team is participating in the NLC City Summit in Tampa, Florida, to highlight the importance of prioritizing the rights and voices of young people in local decision making to build stronger, more resilient and healthy communities for all. Our own National Youth Council member, Samiaht, advanced that goal by opening up the Youth Delegation Summit program alongside Bezos Family Foundation's Eden Xenakis. Samiaht shared findings from our latest survey with The Harris Poll, showcasing the power of youth voices in civic engagement and community development, and shared her experience with World Cup Host Cities and Child Rights and Sports Alliance partners. A key takeaway from the summit? Young people across the U.S. are driving us forward. Their insights and inclusion are critical to building a future where every community is stronger, more inclusive and full of opportunity.

Last week, I had the incredible honor of speaking at ???????????? ??????'?? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????????????? (??????). I joined National and Regional Boards, NextGen Leaders, and Youth Leaders—all united in the mission to build a world where every child can thrive. I shared “Na Katha” (meaning "My Story" in my native language, Telugu), taking attendees on a journey to highlight UNICEF's four core pillars: healthy, educated, protected, and respected. Through my story, I illustrated UNICEF’s transformative work worldwide, showing how hands-on initiatives create lasting impacts for children across communities. Drawing from my experience on the National Youth Council, I emphasized the importance of civic engagement and empowering youth voices in advocacy. Supporting young leaders goes beyond preparing them for the future; it’s about equipping this generation with tools for meaningful, real-world change today. Throughout the convening, I learned about UNICEF’s remarkable vaccine distribution campaigns, which navigate immense logistical challenges, as well as educational initiatives that empower entire communities and innovative impact-investing strategies to further UNICEF’s mission. A heartfelt thank you to the UUSA Leadership—Michael J. Nyenhuis, Michele Walsh, and Darla Silva—for prioritizing youth voices in decision-making. Special thanks to National Board leaders Bernard Taylor and Robert G. Brown for advancing UNICEF’s mission, and deep gratitude to our amazing retreat organizing team: Ariadna Santos, Laura Brazee, Morgan Thobe, Jennifer Sperber, Tracy Najera, and Alexa Zartman-Ball. I am grateful for this platform and the opportunity to work alongside leaders who believe in the power of youth advocates to drive meaningful change. #ForEveryChild

It was an honor to speak at the UNICEF USA National Board Convening on the importance of civic engagement and empowering young voices in advocacy. I shared insights from my experience on the National Youth Council, discussing how equipping the next generation with tools for civic action can foster impactful, lasting change.???? Grateful to UNICEF USA for providing a platform to amplify the perspectives of young advocates. Together, we’re building a more engaged, community-focused future. #UNICEFUSA #CivicEngagement #Advocacy

As a second-year member of the UNICEF USA National Youth Council, it was an honor to attend the recent Joint Convention Meeting. Together, we reaffirmed our commitment to UNICEF's essential pillars: ensuring every child is healthy, educated, protected, and respected. I also had the privilege of participating in our annual National Youth Council retreat, where we listened to inspiring insights from UNICEF USA CEO Michael J. Nyenhuis and Cristina Shapiro Chief Strategy Officer and President of the Impact Fund for Children. Their perspectives reminded us of the power of youth voices in shaping UNICEF’s mission. A huge thank you to Ariadna Santos, Laura Brazee and Morgan Thobe for being incredible mentors and organizers of the retreat. Here’s to building a stronger, more connected community dedicated to creating a brighter future for every child!

Today I was delighted to join a room full of government leaders, experts, partners, academics and young people as part of the Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health, an alliance of UNICEF's private sector partners committed to addressing the increasing global burden of mental health in children and young people by calling for investment and action on mental health. My colleague, Dr Zainab Hijazi began the roundtable by giving an overview on youth mental health and then we heard from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), The LEGO Foundation and from Aryan Gupta, Youth Advocate and National Council Member, UNICEF USA, about their perspectives and points of view about this critical issue affecting young people, worldwide. As Aryan said, "When companies and governments place a value on youth mental health and wellbeing, they place a value on Gen Z." We also heard from several participants, at the roundtable, that made me appreciative and hopeful of how passionate and focused, both pubic and private sector partners, are about youth mental health and well-being. #mentalhealth #onmymind #UNGA2024

#ForEveryChild, support. Today at #UNGA79, we joined our Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health partners in publishing an open letter calling for critical investment in child and youth #MentalHealth. Together, we’re spotlighting the urgent need for increased funding to ensure every child and young person has access to the mental health support they need to thrive. Visit the links in our comments below for the full letter, and to learn how we can all take action to support improved mental health support and access for children and young people everywhere.

UNICEF has saved and meaningfully improved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization. We couldn't do it without you. Join us at iamunicef.org. #IAmUNICEF