Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren gave the opening remarks for the Inaugural Forum. 

Keynote Speaker

Joan Wallace-Benjamin, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Home for Little Wanderers, gave the Forum's keynote address. Her speech, "Mind the Gap: the Importance of Early Child Development," addressed the importance of affordable and accessible quality early childhood care and education. 

Some Speech Highlights

"As the old adage and saying by W.E.B. Dubois goes, 'it is easier to build strong children than repair broken men.'"

"[Children's] brains are like sponges in this early stage of development and so our society must insist that our youngest children get the most effective interventions there are to promote healthy brain development."

"A major challenge our community will face if [the need for affordable quality childcare] continues to go unaddressed is the reality of the next generation being unable to meet society’s demands for the workforce. Remember, children who have adverse early experiences are more likely to suffer from developmental delays and later health problems."

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