| As a new grandparent, my thoughts frequently drift to the future—a future I may not see, but one I hope will be defined by peace, opportunity, and prosperity. I remember bringing our newborn daughter home from the hospital and wondering, almost in disbelief, why anyone thought I was ready to be responsible for this tiny human being. But with a strong partner, the support of family, and the blessing of good health, we found our way. We thrived. Today, I watch my son and daughter-in-law finding their own way and thriving as parents. I could not be prouder. And perhaps that is why the decisions we make today about children and families feel especially consequential. This past week, the Administration proposed a set of rules that would, by and large, diminish the critical work of Head Start. Sitting with advocates yesterday here in Sacramento, it was heartwarming—and energizing—to hear so many people speak passionately about protecting and preserving what Head Start has become: a gold standard of early childhood education and comprehensive family support for millions of Americans. We are protecting it for those who were enrolled in Head Start, for those enrolled today, and for the generations still to come. Maybe even for grandchildren we have yet to meet. That is at the core of our opposition to the Administration’s approach. The desire to “modernize” Head Start or “reduce administrative burden” is not the problem. Every Head Start leader I know is committed to improving programs, strengthening operations, and serving children and families better. The problem is using those words to justify changes that undermine what decades of research and experience tell us works for young children and families. The consequences will be real. Changes to established classroom practices will weaken approaches grounded in child development and research. The impact on the Head Start workforce will be immediate. Restrictions on administrative funding will destabilize providers already operating under enormous pressure. And our two-generation model—helping children thrive while supporting parents as they work, learn, and build greater economic mobility—will be diluted in ways that could make Head Start unrecognizable. This is a moment that demands leadership. We cannot wait quietly and hope these proposals disappear. We cannot stand idle while policies are advanced that would weaken a program generations of families have relied upon. The Administration and its allies have made clear their intentions toward Head Start and other programs serving vulnerable families. We should take those intentions seriously—and respond accordingly. That means speaking up. It means telling the stories of the children, parents, educators, and communities who will be affected. It means making sure policymakers understand that these are not abstract regulatory changes. They will have real consequences in classrooms, in homes, and in the lives of families working toward a better future. Join us. Raise your voice. Tell policymakers what these proposals would mean for the children and families you serve. Speak for the parents counting on Head Start today. Speak for the grandparents who know what is at stake. And speak for the generations still to come. Because our responsibility is not simply to preserve Head Start as we inherited it. It is to make sure the next generation inherits something even stronger. In Partnership, | 
