Santa Clara County Children’s Summit
Founded in 2008, Kids in Common’s (KiC’s) Children’s Summit annually convenes members of the over 250 cross-sector leaders to advance social justice and collaborative strategies that improve outcomes for children and youth in Santa Clara County. Through data-driven presentations, interactive workshops, and networking, participants gain actionable insights and forge partnerships that strengthen community impact. Attendees include leaders in local government, nonprofit, education, health organizations, and direct services to youth and families.
A highlight of the event is the release of KiC’s Annual Children’s Data Book, which provides critical, intersectional data on youth well-being—spanning basic needs, health, and education—to drive equitable policies, inform resource alignment, collaborative strategies and action, to ensure that every child is safe and stable, healthy, successful in learning, and thriving in life. The Summit also features KiC’s Bold Step for Children and Changemaker for Children Awards, honoring individuals and organizations that have achieved measurable improvements for children, youth, and families.
The 2026 Children’s Summit will be held on
Friday, April 17, 2026!
2026 Children's Summit
,Friday, April 17, 2025 - 8:30am-2:30pm
Villa Ragusa in Campbell
Theme: Elevating Youth Voices
From youth‑led panels that frame the day’s major conversations, powerful presentations, and moving artistic performances, young people will be guiding attendees through the issues most impacting their generation. Their stories and solutions will anchor discussions around equity, systems‑change, and community priorities. It’s shaping up to be a powerful day.
Agenda:
8:30am - 9am: Check‑In & Light Breakfast
9am - 9:20am: Opening & Welcoming Remarks
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Welcoming Addresses
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Kids in Common Executive Director & Board of Directors
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District 5 Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga
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District 2 Supervisor Betty Duong
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City Councilmember Pamela Campos
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9:20am - 10:40am: Morning Program
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Children’s Data Book Release Highlights & KiC Policy Agenda
Presenters: Executive Director Joy Murrieta & KiC Policy Advisory Committee -
Project Report: Kindergarten Readiness Assessment
Presenter: Applied Survey Research -
Project Report: KiC Social-Emotional Well-being (SEW) Initiative
Presenters: SEW Workgroup - Greetings at Every Door -
Youth Panel: YMCA Project Cornerstone Youth Participants
Moderator: Ziem Neubert
10:40am - 11am: Keynote Address
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Keynote Speaker: Sarah L. Rudman, MD, MPH
Public Health Officer & Director, Santa Clara County Public Health Department
11:00am – 11:45am – Workshop Sessions
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Workshop 1: Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action - “Climate Change as a Driver of Youth Disparities” Climate change disproportionally affects children and youth. Its impacts amplify many disparities, including housing stability, food security, health, environmental justice, and access to climate literacy.
Youth Presenter: Mani Bekele, YCA Policy Director
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Workshop 2: SIREN (Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network) - "Centering Our Why"
SIREN This youth co‑led, art‑based workshop invites community leaders, caregivers, and youth‑serving adults to pause, reconnect with their purpose, and approach youth with renewed empathy and intention. Through creative reflection, participants will explore how to balance patience, grace, and lightness with high expectations—reinforcing belief, respect, and care for young people navigating today’s complex realities.
12:pm – 12:45pm - Lunch
12:45pm – 2:30pm: Afternoon Program
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Youth Keynote Speaker: Kurn Sundaram, Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate
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Youth Panel — South County (Gilroy & Morgan Hill)
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Youth Performance — On One Studios “SnackPack” Dance Group
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Awards Presentation
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Bold Steps for Children Award — Jóvenes Activos, SOMOS Mayfair
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Changemaker for Children Award — Sacred Heart Community Service
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Silent Auction Winners Announced
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Children’s Agenda Pledge & Adjourn
2026 Children's Summit Speakers
Keynote Speaker – Sarah L. Rudman
MD MPH Public Health Officer and Director County of Santa Clara Public Health Department
Dr. Sarah Rudman is the Public Health Department's Health Officer and Director. Sarah joined the Public Health Department in 2016 to lead and grow the STD/HIV Prevention and Control Program. She led key components of the Public Health Department's COVID-19 response and transitioned to the role of Deputy Public Health Officer and Director of the Infectious Disease & Response Branch in 2022. She previously worked for the state of California Department of Public Health in outbreak investigation and provided adult infectious disease care at UCSF Medical Center. Dr. Rudman earned her MD from Cornell University and completed an internal medicine residency at Harvard, an infectious disease fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, a Master of Public Health at University of California, Berkeley, and an undergraduate degree in Feminist Studies at Stanford University.
Workshop Presenter: “Climate Change as a Driver of Youth Disparities”
Climate change disproportionally affects children and youth. Its impacts amplify many disparities, including housing stability, food security, health, environmental justice, and access to climate literacy.
Youth Presenter: Mani Bekele, Policy Director
Mani Bekele is a junior in high school and SVYCA’s Policy Officer and Co-Lead of the San José team. He also serves on the City of San José’s Climate Advisory Commission. In pursuing climate action, he works to support solutions that can bring about broader societal benefits, with a particular interest in agriculture, food systems, and ecological restoration. He is also passionate about public policy solutions to the climate crisis, particularly at the state and local level, where he has advocated for measures to design our cities around people rather than cars, help more people access emissions-free appliances and vehicles, and make polluting fossil fuel corporations pay for the climate damages they have caused. He believes the voice of young people in the civic process and in decision-making about climate action is absolutely essential.
Workshop Presenter: SIREN (Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network)
https://sirenimmigrantrights.org/
SIREN is a nonprofit organization that empowers low‑income immigrants and refugees through community organizing, leadership development, policy advocacy, civic engagement, and immigration legal services, with the goal of advancing human rights and full participation in society regardless of legal status.
“Centering On Our Why”
This interactive, youth co‑designed workshop invites participants to slow down, reconnect with their purpose, and reflect on why they do the work they do with young people. Through an art‑based activity that taps into participants’ “inner child,” the session encourages presence, empathy, and renewed perspective when engaging with youth and younger constituents. Designed for community leaders, parents and caregivers, and adults and young adults who provide direct services to youth, the workshop acknowledges the collective stress and uncertainty of the current moment. Participants will explore how to balance grace, lightness, and patience with high expectations—communicating belief, respect, and care for young people who are navigating complex personal lives alongside challenging societal realities. By grounding ourselves in connection and shared purpose, this workshop creates space for reflection, resilience, and strength rooted in community.
Youth Keynote Speaker: Kurn Sundaram
Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate
Kurn is a performance poet based in Northern California. He has been published by PWU, The Battering Ram, The Outlook, WEIGHT Journal, Paper Crane, and more, and was named a 2024 YoungArts Winner in spoken word. Additionally, he has been recognized by the Iowa Young Writers' Studio, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, and the Los Gatos Poet Laureate. He is the founder & editor-in-chief of JADE&COMPASS, a literary magazine that advocates for marginalized voices across the globe. When he isn't writing, you can catch him watching a show he will never complete.
2026 Award Winners
2026 Bold Steps for Children Award: Jóvenes Activos
https://www.somosmayfair.org/organizing
Jóvenes Activos is a youth‑led program of SOMOS Mayfair and receives the Bold Steps for Children Award due to its meaningful impact on East San José youth and its strong, community‑rooted partnerships. Serving young people ages 12–18, the program fosters leadership, creativity, and civic engagement through mentorship, workshops, and hands‑on organizing. Its collaborations with Santa Clara County Public Health and the East San Jose Peace Initiative have empowered youth to lead violence‑prevention and safety campaigns, including the We All Play a Role initiative. Jóvenes Activos also partners with local arts and cultural organizations such as Local Color and the School of Arts and Culture to create public art projects like the East Side Mural, strengthening neighborhood identity and youth expression. Through additional civic engagement efforts with groups like Amigos de Guadalupe, the program mobilizes youth voters and amplifies young voices in shaping a more equitable future.
Changemaker for Children Award: Sacred Heart Community Service.
https://www.sacredheartcs.org/
Sacred Heart Community Service (SHCS) receives the Changemaker for Children Award in recognition of its decades‑long, transformative impact on children and families in Santa Clara County. Founded in 1964, SHCS has grown from a small neighborhood food program into one of the region’s leading anti‑poverty institutions. Its designation as the county’s Community Action Agency in 2008 further expanded its leadership in developing countywide strategies that strengthen child wellbeing, deepen community engagement, and advance economic justice. For more than sixty years, Sacred Heart has delivered comprehensive programs supporting children’s stability and long‑term success—from essential resources such as food, clothing, and rental assistance to early childhood education, homework clubs, youth development, and evidence‑based parenting programs offered in partnership with the County’s Department of Family and Children’s Services. SHCS’s sustained leadership, collaborative approach, and multi‑generational impact exemplify the spirit of the Changemaker for Children Award.
2026 Children's Summit Sponsors & 2025-26 FY Donors
Heroes
Champions
Advocates & Leaders
Supporters and Non-Profits
Silent Auction Items
Donated by | Item |
|---|---|
Bay FC | 4 Tickets |
San Jose Giants | 8 Tickets |
San Francisco Giants | Keaton Winn Autographed Ball |
KiC Board | Wine & Chocolate Baskets |
Santa Cruz Warriors | 4 Tix, Fan pack with swag |
San Jose Sharks | Signed Jersey |
San Jose Earthquakes | 4 Tickets |
2025 Summit Gallery
Photos by Ollie Leuth, Joy Murrieta and Timothy Alcorn from Social Ground Foundation
