“I could teach my children who I wanted to be, but I wanted to actually show them with my actions.”

In a recent profile, one of the leaders of a Voices group talks of leaving the corporate world and trying to make a difference in child advocacy. Robin Christian, head of Children First for Oregon, spent 25 years in the corporate world, but after her job ended she was drawn nonprofits, where she felt she could make a difference for children and maybe inspire her own kids.

“I knew that when I went back to work, I could teach my children who I wanted to be, but I wanted to actually show them with my actions. I decided to leave corporate and go into nonprofit,” Christian is quoted.

Children First for Oregon uses research into child well-being to educate policymakers and the people of Oregon about how kids are doing there. Their advocacy isn’t based in partisanship or influence-seeking, but a deep look into issues of poverty, health, race and education for Oregon kids.

“Kids are not Democrats and Republicans, kids are kids,” Christian is quoted. “Kids don’t vote or make campaign contributions. When it comes time for policy makers to make laws that benefit low-income families and kids, there’s no one to speak up for them.”