Children's Law Center, Inc.

08/20/2026

We’re honored to share that "We Grew Up: Kids in Adult Prisons" filmmaker John Bacon has received the award for Best Director of a Feature Documentary at the Chain NYC Film Festival! 🎬

John played an essential role in bringing our storytellers’ experiences with Bindover to the screen with care and honesty. Through their voices, this powerful documentary sheds light on the realities faced by young people who were prosecuted and incarcerated in the adult system as children.

Join us for the film’s first public screening in Cincinnati and hear from John and fellow panelists about what this project means to them—and what they hope comes next as we continue raising awareness about the impact of transferring young people to adult systems.

📅 Sunday, August 30
📍 National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
🎬 Screening options: 12:30 p.m. or 3 p.m.
💬 Community panel discussion: 2 p.m.

The screenings and museum admission are free. Advance registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome!

Learn more and pre-register:
https://www.childrenslawky.org/wegrewup

08/19/2026

CLC has so many impactful events coming up over the next 5 weeks, and we want you to be there with us. Mark your calendars and join us to be a part of the conversations, celebrations, and collaborations that will make a difference for young people in our region.

🎬 “WE GREW UP: KIDS IN ADULT PRISONS” Free Community Screening & Panel

Be part of the film’s first public screening in Cincinnati and hear directly from those who were prosecuted and incarcerated in the adult system as children. See the documentary at either 12:30 p.m. or 3 p.m., and join the community panel discussion at 2 p.m.

📅 Sunday, August 30, 2026
📍 National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
🎟️ The screenings and museum admission are free.
Learn more and pre-register: https://www.childrenslawky.org/wegrewup

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🤝CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF COLLABORATION: "STILL MORE TO DO" 3rd Annual Conference

25 years after Cincinnati’s historic Collaborative Agreement, community members, advocates, professionals, and local leaders will gather to recognize the work that brought us here, examine the progress made, and address what still must be done to strengthen accountability, trust, and public safety. Come check out this impactful opportunity to mark what's ahead.

📅 September 10–12, 2026 (3 Day Conference)
📍 National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and New Prospect Baptist Church
💬 Receptions, awards, presentations, conference sessions, and workshops
Register here: https://bit.ly/4glRasy

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🍂The Return of BOOTS, BOURBON, & BISCUITS!

Support CLC’s legal advocacy for children and youth while enjoying one of our favorite fall traditions! Boots, Bourbon, & Biscuits returns with brunch, our signature Biscuit Bar, an open bar, live music, line dancing, a silent auction, the Best Boots Contest, and more.

📅 Saturday, September 26, 2026 | 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
📍 Receptions Event Center | Erlanger, KY
Get your tickets: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/bootsbourbonbiscuitsevents/event/bootsbourbonbiscuits2026/

08/14/2026

Food Pathways returns to MLK Park in Lexington tomorrow, and CLC’s Kim Reeder and Tiffanie Tagaloa will be there again! 🌱

We’re proud to join Northside Common Market as we connect Lexington families with helpful community resources and information about the free legal advocacy available to children and youth across Kentucky.

Come out from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. for free fresh produce, free lunches for youth, family activities, and more. Be sure to visit the CLC table to say hello, ask questions, and learn how we may be able to help!

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
📍 MLK Park, 1625 McCullough Drive, Lexington

Help us spread the word! 💛

08/14/2026

What a moment in time for our Lexington team! Less than a year after reactivating the office, it is now home to the largest Lexington-based team in CLC’s history. Together, they are expanding access to free legal advocacy and helping more children and youth across Kentucky have their rights protected—and we are so proud to see their efforts honored in such an incredible way.

We’re grateful to Commerce Lexington Inc. and presenting sponsor Forcht Bank for recognizing CLC as the 2026 Nonprofit Community Impact Award winner. Yesterday, we joined Commerce Lexington live to share more about this growth and the work behind it. Today, we’re excited to celebrate alongside this year’s honorees at the Salute to Small Business Awards Luncheon! 💙

08/12/2026

Please join us in welcoming Leah Nadine, who recently joined CLC as a staff attorney! 💙

Leah will primary serve as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) for children in Northern Kentucky, representing young people in custody, dependency, neglect, and abuse matters. In this role, she works to ensure each child’s voice, safety, and best interests remain at the center of their case.

Before joining CLC, Leah practiced family law with a Northern Kentucky firm and served on the Kenton County Dependency, Neglect, and Abuse panel. She earned her J.D. from Northern Kentucky University’s Chase College of Law, where she held several student leadership roles and received honors for her advocacy and leadership.

We’re excited to welcome Leah and the experience she brings to our work advocating for youth throughout the community!

08/12/2026

An important part of CLC's work is making sure young people, families, and the people who support them know their rights across legal systems, including at school.

We're thrilled to join this event in just three days! CLC Executive Director Sasha Naiman will share practical information about special education rights, including requesting evaluations, navigating IEPs and 504 plans, protections from exclusion and expulsion, compensatory education when services are missed, and more.

Knowing your rights is an important first step toward advocating for the support every young person deserves. Want to learn more about your child's special education rights? Find our handouts here: https://www.childrenslawky.org/education-resources-for-self-advocacy

Happening at the Back to School bash on Saturday, August 15th: Sasha Naiman from Children's Law Center presenting on Special Education Rights and Services.

Join this workshop to learn more about your rights and your child's rights.

Two sessions. 30 minutes each. First session is at 12:30 and the second is at 1:30. The meetings are being held at the Clifton CRC, inside a committee room.

08/11/2026

Welcome to CLC, Sam Showalter! 💛

Sam recently joined our Lexington office as a Paralegal and Community Advocate. A lifelong Kentuckian, he is passionate about supporting underserved communities across the Commonwealth and helping children and families access the resources they need.

As a Spanish and French speaker, Sam is committed to minimizing language barriers and increasing access to support. Before joining CLC, he taught English as a Second Language to middle school students in Scott County and worked in the International Admissions Office at George Mason University. He earned his master’s degree in sociology from George Mason University and his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Transylvania University.

We’re excited to have Sam’s commitment to increasing access for youth and their families as part our Lexington team!

08/10/2026

This Mission Monday, we’re highlighting what access to justice looks like for children and families beyond Kentucky’s larger cities.

In rural communities, legal resources may be limited or located counties away—but the challenges affecting a young person’s education, safety, and stability are no less urgent. So far this year, CLC has provided free legal services to 85 children in rural Kentucky, including 30 in rural Appalachian counties.

Reaching more young people also means building strong relationships within the communities they call home. Recently, Lexington Office Director Kim Reeder joined Gateway Region CASA’s Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Training in Morehead, connecting with advocates who support children and families affected by trauma.

Through direct legal advocacy and local partnerships, CLC is working to ensure a young person’s ZIP code does not determine whether they can access the help they need.

08/10/2026

Welcome to CLC, Shelby Campbell! 💛

Shelby recently joined our team as an attorney supporting the KEYs to a Future Without Youth Homelessness (KEYS) program. Through CLC’s partnership with KEYS, Shelby works closely with youth-serving shelters, providing legal advocacy and guidance to help young adults ages 18–24 navigate complex legal systems, remove barriers to housing, and build long-term stability.

Before joining CLC, Shelby practiced at Adams, Hayward & Welsh and gained experience with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy and Offutt Nord, PLLC. She earned her law degree from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Marshall University.

We’re so excited to have you on the team, Shelby!

08/07/2026

The end of summer is always a bittersweet time here at CLC, as our summer interns wrap up their time and get ready to go back to school.

Over the past few months, they contributed to research, resources, outreach, and projects across CLC while learning more about the many ways attorneys can advocate for children and youth throughout Ohio and Kentucky.

From observing oral arguments at the Ohio First District Court of Appeals to visiting the Kentucky Supreme Court, our interns gained a closer look at the legal profession and connected with judges, attorneys, and fellow interns along the way.

To celebrate the end of the summer, staff and interns visited Sherlock Escape Games in Florence, where we split into two teams to solve clues, test our teamwork, and share plenty of laughs.

We’re so grateful for the time, dedication, and eagerness to learn that Minhal, Isaac, Natalie, Emma, Corye, Sophia, and Gabriel brought to CLC. Thank you for spending your summer with us. We can’t wait to see where your careers take you, and we are so grateful to have been a part of your journeys! 💙