October 16, 2025
Awards Benefit Featured Children Singing, Stories of Courage, and Bighearted Giving
NEW YORK – On Wednesday, October 15, the Young People’s Chorus of New York kicked off Children’s Rights annual benefit before a packed crowd at the Mandarin Oriental. By the time the evening was over, thanks to overwhelming support from donors and attendees, the event exceeded its goal, raising $1.5 million to protect and defend the human and civil rights of children.
The evening was emceed by Anne E. Robinson, Children’s Rights Board Member and Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel of IBM. It featured powerful speakers whose passion and commitment words revealed not just the impact of Children’s Rights on the lives of kids and families, but the urgency they now face because of budget cuts and policy changes at every level of government.
Executive Director Sandy Santana described how the U.S. has historically underinvested in children and protections and supports that hold families together. But he cautioned that recent government actions have the potential to separate greater numbers of children from their families unnecessarily and push them into government systems where they are often mistreated – making the mission of Children’s Rights more critical than ever.
“What we are witnessing right now is an all-out assault on children’s well-being. This is not just a lack of policy or bad policy. This is a moral emergency. Administration officials and lawmakers have been gutting services that keep children alive and well. These include programs that feed kids, teach them the alphabet, provide them medical care, guarantee their rights and shield them from abuse.”
The following individuals and organization were honored in recognition of their commitment to Children’s Rights, and to the pursuit of a more just world where children and families can flourish together:
Roland Peralta was presented with the Visionary for Justice Award for his deeply generous support of Children’s Rights and his passionate commitment to using the law to create systemic change.
Charles River Associates, Sean Durkin and Sean Taylor, both Vice Presidents at the firm, were given the Children’s Champion Award for the significant pro bono support they provided Children’s Rights in a complex class action against New York State.
Khi’Marria Marshall received the Fostering the Future Award for her role as a plaintiff in a lawsuit brought by Children’s Rights that ended the practice of giving psychotropic medications without oversight to children in the Missouri foster system, leading to similar lawsuits in other states.
“Listening to Lived Experts”, a video that premiered at the event, chronicles the ways that young adults with lived experience, like Khi’Marria, are partnering with and advising Children’s Rights attorneys and policy experts.
Past honorees and presenters at the annual benefit have included Paris Hilton, Rosario Dawson, Cyndi Lauper, Padma Lakshmi, Rosie Perez, Nick Cannon, Harvey Fierstein, Natalie Morales, and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels.
For additional information or photos, please visit childrensrights.org/CelebrateChildren.