Kadeem Roberts

As a reminder, Filling in the Blanks Day is happening this Saturday, September 30th from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM! By distributing bags of food to kids between pre-kindergarten and 12th grade in five affordable housing complexes, our goal is to support the children in our community.

Filling in the Blanks is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting childhood hunger. Their mission is to ensure that no child goes hungry by providing them with nutritious food on the weekends when they may not have access to regular meals. For this event alone, they will donate over 2,000 bags of food, equivalent to 14,00 pounds! By participating in Filling in the Blanks Day, we can significantly impact the lives of these children and their families. 

Please spread the word about this event, and I hope to see you there!

I want to take a moment to update you on the recent developments that took place during our Special Session on Tuesday. 

I'm pleased to share with you that we voted to approve the nomination of Nora Dannehy to fill a vacancy on the Connecticut Supreme Court. This decision will ensure the continued integrity and fairness of our judicial system, allowing us to uphold the principles of justice and equality that are so important to our state.

Additionally, we voted to change the Connecticut presidential primary date by moving it up by four weeks. This means the presidential primary will occur on the first Tuesday in April. This received bipartisan support with the hope that it will increase our influence in the national political landscape and encourage more candidates to visit us during the 2024 campaign season. 

Furthermore, we have taken steps to strengthen our election monitoring and recount procedures. By taking these measures, we are ensuring transparency and accountability in our electoral system. It is crucial that we maintain the highest standards of fairness and accuracy in all our elections, and these enhancements will help us achieve that goal. 

I'm proud to share that I was selected as a National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Youth Homelessness Fellow! This program focuses on the causes and consequences of youth and young adult homelessness, as well as potential policy solutions.

The fellowship comprises 22 legislators hailing from all corners of the country. These individuals were carefully chosen through a rigorous application process, and I was proud to be one of them. 

As a member of the Housing Committee here in the Connecticut General Assembly, this was an excellent opportunity to focus on the impact of youth homelessness and its intersection with the child welfare, juvenile justice, and education systems. 

By connecting with fellow legislators, engaging in meaningful policy discussions, and learning from leading experts, I gained insights into various approaches to create a positive impact in our community and throughout the state.