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4.01.2025

Children’s Week at the Legislature: Parent Leader Reactions

This year, several members of the First 5 Family Leadership Council attended Children’s Week at the Nevada Legislature. The purpose of Children’s Week is to advocate for Nevada's children and strengthen families in areas such as school readiness, children's physical and mental health, and child safety and welfare. 

Family leaders joined various organizations from across the state to raise awareness about issues affecting families and children in Nevada.

Children’s Week offered family leaders a valuable chance to engage directly with the 83rd (2025) Nevada Legislative Session. 

Over the past months, these leaders have participated in a variety of trainings covering topics such as open meeting laws, Legislation 101, Nevada’s Early Childhood System, and more. A complete list of the monthly training can be found here: Nevada Family Leadership Council - Parent Leadership and Engagement - Children's Cabinet. 

Through these sessions, they have been honing their leadership skills and expanding their personal family leadership toolkits. This event served as a special platform for them to put their knowledge and efforts into action as empowered family leaders.

Laurie and Scott, two family leaders from Northern Nevada, shared their experiences at the Education/Pre-K Focus event. 

Laurie spoke as a special guest and said, "One particular issue our family has faced is navigating the special education system and finding resources, which we know also impacts many other families and children in our community.” She also highlighted the need for early identification and intervention services for children with special needs.

This was also Adriana's first time as a family leader attending Children’s Week at the legislature. She has been part of the council for more than a year. She mentioned that this opportunity made her realize how valuable her voice and input could be. 

Attending with her mother and children, she expressed her surprise that a special event like this existed. Adriana looks forward to participating in future events and speaking with her local leaders about issues affecting her children and family. 

Both families participated in the teddy bear parade, an event where children and their families marched around the legislature. Adriana said, "My children loved being the center of attention that day, being welcomed with a big reception, and seeing all the advocates who help with the development and care of Nevada's children. They enjoyed receiving a stuffed animal and being able to march for their rights." 

Anna Villatoro, one of the Family Leadership Coordinators at The Children’s Cabinet, also attended to support the family leaders. This was her first time at Children’s Week, and she shared her thoughts on the experience: "I am so proud to support the many organizations and families advocating for policies that address our family’s issues. I am grateful that our families had the chance to experience the Nevada Legislative Session firsthand and to make an impact by sharing their stories and testimonies." 

The First 5 Nevada Family Leadership Council would like to thank the Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy, the Children's Advocacy Alliance, and all the organizations, partners, and advocates for hosting our families and providing this opportunity. If you are interested in learning more about Children's Week and its history, please visit Children's Week 2025 - NICRP.