Saturday was National Adoption Day! We celebrate the children, families, & advocates who make loving, permanent homes possible. At YAF, we support youth and families through education advocacy, helping every child thrive in school and beyond.

We pause to honor the transgender individuals whose lives were taken by violence, hate, & systemic neglect. Their memories should fuel our commitment to change. We stand with transgender youth and the trans community in grief, love, and solidarity. #ProtectTransYouth #TransRightsAreHumanRights

We’re thrilled to celebrate YAF Board Member Darnell Thigpen Williams on being selected for DESE’s “Influence 100”! 🎉 This program develops rising leaders to become equity-focused superintendents across Massachusetts. Read more at: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/yaf-dir... #EquityInEducation

📣Extra, extra! 🗞 Our latest issue of The Advocate: A YAF and EdLaw Newsletter was just released! To read the first quarter newsletter of our Fiscal Year 2026, check your email or visit our website now at: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/theadvocate

With efforts to weaken the DoE and battles over what students can learn, Trump has turned classrooms into reflections of America’s struggles with equity, truth & power. Judge Jay Blitzman breaks down how these policy moves could reshape public education for generations. thefulcrum.us/governance-l...

We’re celebrating #ProBonoWeek2025! 💙 Each day this week, we’re spotlighting the amazing firms & attorneys helping MA students access an equitable education. Read today's stories 👉https://www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/celebrate-pro-bono-week-2025-friday-recognition

We’re celebrating #ProBonoWeek2025! 💙 Each day this week, we’re spotlighting the amazing firms & attorneys helping MA students access an equitable education. Read today's stories 👉https://www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/celebrating-pro-bono-week-2025

We’re celebrating #ProBonoWeek2025! 💙 Each day this week, we’re spotlighting the amazing firms & attorneys helping MA students access an equitable education. Read their stories 👉https://www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/celebrate-pro-bono-week-2025-wednesday-oct-22-recognition

TWe’re celebrating #ProBonoWeek2025! 💙 Each day this week, we’re spotlighting the amazing firms & attorneys helping MA students access an equitable education. Read their stories 👉 www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/celebra... #CelebrateProBono #EducationEquity

It’s #ProBonoWeek2025! 💙 This year’s theme, “Supporting Communities,” reflects what our amazing pro bono partners do every day—making justice a reality for vulnerable students. Read their stories all week at 👉 www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/celebra... #ProBono #EducationEquity

Last call to join our 2026 Boston Marathon team! 💙🏃‍♂️ Applications are being reviewed this week. Every mile you run and every dollar you raise supports court-involved youth, students of color, and young people with disabilities across Massachusetts. Apply now: forms.gle/hFJVd3p9TFev...

Want to help dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline? ✊ EdLaw is hiring Staff Counsel. Details: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/employment-i...

Big news! The Governor just signed the Protect Education Equity bill into law! MA now protects immigrant & disabled students from discrimination in school. Huge win for families, equity, & justice. Onward to making sure it's fully enforced. Read more: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/the-pro...

EdLaw w/ MAC, co-wrote a key brief on manifestation determinations that helped shape the Protect Education Equity Bill—now passed by the MA Legislature! 🎉 A huge win for immigrant students + students w/ disabilities. On to the Governor’s desk! www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/big-new...

35 years ago, the ADA changed the game for disability rights. But too many students with disabilities — especially Black + Brown youth — are still pushed out of school. At The Youth Advocacy Foundation, we fight for equity every day. The work isn’t done. #ADA35 #EndSchoolPushout

A new report from Sen. Warren’s office outlines major impacts of recent efforts to dismantle the DoE, including cuts to student aid, civil rights enforcement, & education data systems. Read more and the full report on our site:🔗 www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/new-rep...

MA just approved new rules on school time-out & seclusion—adding guardrails to protect students. Time-out must be in unlocked, safe spaces. Seclusion only in emergencies, with parental consent & oversight. New regs take effect Aug 2026. #EdEquity #StudentRights Read more:

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people learned they were free. It’s a time to reflect, learn, and celebrate Black history — and recommit to racial justice, including equity in education. Learn more: nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stor... #Juneteenth #EquityInEducation

📺 John Oliver exposes the harsh realities of our juvenile justice system — from inhumane conditions to racial disparities & lack of education. At YAF, we fight to change that. Watch & share: youtu.be/Pya-kt5M7uY #YouthAdvocacy #JuvenileJustice #EducationNotIncarceration

It’s been a month since our Spring Celebration & we’re still feeling the love 💙💚 Thank you to everyone who made it so special! Miss it or want to relive the night? Highlights & full video, plus many more photos now up on our site www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/spring-2025-...

🌈 Happy Pride from YAF! We celebrate LGBTQ+ youth and stand with them amid rising attacks on their rights—especially trans youth. Pride is protest, and we’re committed to fighting for safety, equity & justice in schools and our communities—this month & every day. #pride #lgtbq #equityineducation

👏 Congrats to Michele Scavongelli on receiving the Pro Bono Publico Award at the Mass Bar Access to Justice Awards! She's helped 200+ families, built pro bono networks & fights daily to end the school-to-prison pipeline. So well deserved! Read more at: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/yaf-exe...

EdLaw’s Wheatly Gulmi & YAF CEO/President Marlies Spanjaard have been part of a working group pushing DCF & DESE to notify schools when students enter foster care. Members of the group wrote this powerful op-ed calling for urgent change: 🔗 www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/05/o...

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person, tuned in online, donated, spoke, or sponsored our Spring event! Your support powers the fight for equity in MA education and literacy for all. 🎉 Recap videos + photos coming soon—stay tuned! youthadvocacyfoundation.org/

Tonight’s the night! 💙💚 If you can’t join us at the Charles Hotel, you can still watch our powerful program LIVE + join the auction & fund-a-need! 🎉 📺 yaf.ejoinme.org/livestream2025 #readingmatters #educationmatters #nonprofit #livestream #youthcharity

📣 Just 1 week left! Join us May 16, 6–9pm at the Charles Hotel for an inspiring night with youth, families & supporters. Tix & raffle: yaf.ejoinme.org/spring2025 🎟️ Can’t come? Watch the livestream + enter to win a VIP Celtics package! 🏀🍀 Raffle: yaf.ejoinme.org/raffle2025

🎉 Discounted tickets to YAF’s Spring Celebration end TOMORROW! Join us May 16, 6–9PM at The Charles Hotel for great food, inspiring speakers, and an honest convo on literacy & incarceration. 🎤 Plus: enter to win a Celtics playoff night! 🏀🎟️ yaf.ejoinme.org/spring2025

We are so excited to introduce THREE new board members: Dave Nevins, Marianne Marks and Eliza Presson! To learn more about them please visit: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/staff-and-bo... Join us in welcoming & thanking them for their commitment to quality and equitable education for all!

🏀 Celtics fans, this is for you! YAF is raffling off a VIP Playoff* Night: 🎟️ 2 Loge Tix 🔥 Early entry/close to court for warmups 📸 Center court photo Only 100 tix will be sold for this 'money-can't-buy' experience! 🍀 Get all the details at: yaf.ejoinme.org/raffle2025 #Celtics #YAF2025 #NBAPlayoffs

April is Autism Acceptance Month 💙 Let’s uplift autistic voices, celebrate neurodiversity & reject misinformation. Autism isn’t a disease—it’s a neurodevelopmental difference. Inclusion, respect & understanding matter now more than ever. #AutismAcceptance #Neurodiversity

We are proud to share that several of our attorneys had active roles in the Mass Bar Association's Eighth Annual Juvenile & Child Welfare Conference: Brown at 70. Read more at: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/yaf-at-...

Our board spent their Sunday with us — not because they had to, but because they believe in shutting down the Cradle-to-Prison pipeline. We talked strategy, equity, and how to keep kids in school and out of systems. This is what commitment looks like. 💙 #YouthAdvocacy #CradleToPrison #BoardGoals

You're invited! Enjoy an unforgettable evening of inspiring student speakers, live music, and art installation by V.O.I.C.E.S., and there's even chance to win an exclusive Celtics Playoffs* experience! Get your admissions, raffle tickets, sponsorships, or learn more at: yaf.ejoinme.org/spring2025

Northampton school officials were caught on a hot mic dismissing a parent's advocacy for his autistic child as a “pain in the ass.” This highlights systemic failures in special ed. A state investigation is underway—accountability matters. Every child deserves the support they need.

Today, March 31st, is Transgender Day of Visibility! Today and everyday it is important to celebrate the transgender community, honor their stories, and amplify their voices in order to keep fighting for a world where everyone is celebrated for being their authentic self. 🏳️‍⚧️ (1/3)

March is Social Work month and offers an opportunity to raise awareness about the vital roles social services advocates (SSAs) play in the lives of court-involved youth. SSAs are at the heart of empowering our clients, families, & communities and continue to make a lasting impact on everyone served.

Today, we celebrate the landmark Gideon v. Wainwright decision (1963) which ensured that the Sixth Amendment guarantees a fair trial—not just for those who can afford a lawyer, but for everyone—laying the foundation for the work our EdLaw attorneys and other CPCS attorneys do every day.

Registration is now open for the MBA’s Eighth Annual Juvenile & Child Welfare Conference! Featuring Keynote speaker, Dulcineia (“Duci”) Goncalves, Deputy Chief Counsel of the YAD & YAF Board Chairperson. MBA members and attorneys please register HERE: massbar.org/events/cle-p...

The recent dismantling of the DoE raises concerns about disruptions to student loan services, financial aid programs, & civil rights enforcement in schools. It's increasingly important for us to work to uphold educational standards & equity. Read more at link in comments:

This past weekend, EdLaw attorneys Michele Scavongelli, Wheatly Gulmi and Kayla Pulliam had the opportunity to attend and present at the 2025 annual meeting of the Council for Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) in Irvine, CA. Read More: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/edlaw-a...

"In 2023, the four-year graduation rate for foster children was 58.3 percent, compared to 89.2 percent of all children, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. After five years, only 67.3 percent of foster students had graduated, compared to 91.9 percent of all students.”

In the 2024 NAEP scores MA students were ranked #1 in math and reading, yet overall performance has fallen below pre-pandemic levels and has been on a long-term decline. For example, the Massachusetts scores that were ranked #1 in 8th grade math this year would have been ranked #30 in 2013. (1/4)

Meet the newest addition to our Board of Directors, Darnell T. Williams! Darnell is a transformative educator & equity consultant dedicated to promoting Black Excellence, antiracist practices, and social justice in education. Check out the photo to learn more about him!

IDEA, a pivotal act in our country’s education system, ensures that all children with disabilities have access to appropriate & free public education. This law has allowed millions of children to have the necessary services & accommodations, promoting inclusive & equitable opportunities for all.

Today, the EdLaw Project provided a training on “Schools and Immigration Enforcement” for court-appointed attorneys and social workers from across MA. The discussion focused on student privacy rights as well as... (1/2)

Join us as we celebrate Black History month! February is full of key dates & holidays that continue to shape our communities & country such as National Freedom Day and Rosa Parks Day. These are just some of the reminders of the courage that has driven social change in our country’s history. (1/3)

Recently Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have been under attack and we have begun to see companies disband or fire DEI teams and resources. In times like this it is important to be educated on what DEI is and what DEI is not.

Under the new Trump administration, recent changes around the landscape of immigration have been made very quickly. We are closely monitoring all developments and how new policies may affect students and their families. Please visit youthadvocacyfoundation.org/news-1 for a new guidance on this.

Our latest newsletter was just released! To read the second quarter newsletter of our Fiscal Year 2025, check your email or visit: conta.cc/4fUzXnP If you're not on our email list yet and want to stay connected with YAF news and updates please join our list at: secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/...

Today we observe the National Day of Mourning for Jimmy Carter who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977-1981. President Carter displayed unwavering commitment to equal education opportunities and access. Read more: www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/news-1