Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton returned to Los Angeles, and one of her stops was in South Los Angeles.
The former first lady, New York senator and U.S. secretary of state appeared with U.S. Representative Karen Bass and Los Angeles City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson for a discussion about foster care at the Community Coalition.
“It’s foster care month,” said Bass, who is the founder of Community Coalition. “To bring her here to hear about the work that’s been going on in this community is quite an honor.
“This has been a signature issue for her, from straight out of law school, to being first lady, to being senator, to secretary of state, and I’m convinced, our next president,” Bass continued.
Shortly after graduating from law school, Clinton began working at the Children’s Defense Fund, which is an organization whose aim is to end child poverty. As first lady, she lobbied for Congress to revisit the laws governing the fostering and adoption system. The results of those efforts were the Adoption and Safe Families Act in 1997 and the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999.
Clinton was a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. As secretary, she appointed the first ever special advisor on international children’s issues and worked with other countries to improve foster care programs worldwide.
“We have to do more to support to support families,” Clinton said. “I have known a number of young people who found themselves in that situation. No place to go, no place to sleep, no place to call home. They’re on the streets. So we have made some progress, but we haven’t done nearly enough. And I’m so pleased that Karen suggested that I come here to hear from all of you, because I know where her heart is, and if I’m fortunate enough to be your president next January, this is going to be one of my heart felt priorities.”
