The headline read: "Our children will be the first generation in modern history to live shorter lives than their parents." It was one of those stories that should have grabbed every reader and shaken them. It was the journalistic equivalent of cold water in the face of every person who thinks that the future only holds promise and progress for his or her children. It was also a call to arms for those of us who care about our community.
There is nothing quite so magical as watching toddlers explore their world. There are times when it almost seems that we can hear their brains whirring as they learn new things, they investigate their environment, and they seek to understand the world around them. And yet, as magical as this is, one thing is certain: there are no magic answers to making it happen.
All cities are working hard to answer challenges that face them, but the trick is to make sure the right questions are asked in the first place. The brain development of our youngest children in Memphis must be a top priority for our local agenda. We now have the conclusive scientific results to guide us and the in-depth knowledge to inform us, but to succeed, we need to mobilize a communitywide sense of urgency to give every child a fair start in life through maximum brain development.
History teaches us that there are significant events that are pivotal in shaping our future. In 2012, we believe the seeds were planted here in Memphis that have the power to shape the coming years for our community. It is the year that our message about brain development in early childhood gathered important momentum, took on a sense of urgency, and assumed its place as one of our top priorities in this community.
More and more people are seeing our Baby Small campaign is continuing and we're excited that it's getting rave reviews. Here are a few comments we've heard. This is our chance to change Memphis by making these small investments in our children, we make the biggest difference in their lives and in turn, our community as a whole. Their future is our future, and we need your help to change it for the better.
The most important story on television and radio these days isn't on the news broadcasts.
Rather, it's the commercial with this message: The most important change Memphis needs is Baby Small.