Incredible. Inspiring. Energizing. Those are just a few words to describe the 7th Annual Consuming Kids Summit in Boston this weekend. Hosted by the unflagging Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (you may remember they were forced out of their home after taking on Disney and Baby Einstein), the success of this summit is testimony that CCFC is alive and kicking! They were not silenced; instead they were strengthened.
It will take weeks (maybe months or even years!) to reflect on all the powerful moments from the weekend. It was truly an honor to be among so many activists and advocates, some whom have been at this work for decades and are making a world-wide impact – and others who are new to the work and ready to dive in head first. I am somewhere in the middle. I have thought for many years about the issues of marketing to children, especially in how it impacts quality play. However, only after attending Diane Levin’s Media Madness Institute, and getting the information to back up my intuitions, did I turn into a true activist. When I joined CCFC and TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment) I was no longer alone in the struggle. I became part of a movement.
That is what this weekend was all about. I truly felt as though I was part of a great movement. My conversations with folks from California, Alabama, Illinois and even Sweden fueled my energy and reinforced the feeling that this is a national and global movement. A movement dedicated to protecting children from the onslaught of marketing. Disney, McDonald’s, Hasbro, Scholastic and Bus Radio are all corporations that have felt the power of this movement, and have made changes in their marketing campaigns as a result. The world is a better place for children because of the hard work of CCFC.
A standout moment was listening to Lenore Skenazy’s keynote, “Free Range Kids: Why Does an Old-Fashioned Childhood Sound So Radical?“ Lenore injected electrifying humor into a topic that can be paralyzingly depressing and added further energy to the conversation. Her keynote will be posted on You Tube, and I can not wait to listen again and send others the link.
Heading this movement are Dr. Alvin Poussaint, Susan Linn and Josh Golin – bearing the brunt of the corporate backlash. They know the rest of us – thousands of us – are behind them every step of the way. There is so much more to say about the summit – stories about integrity, voice, and change. For now, I will just say thanks to CCFC. Thanks for your vision. Thanks for staying strong in the face of adversity. And thanks for giving me a place to turn my anger, frustration and disappointment with corporations into positive change for children.
