Actor, advocate, and author Julianne Moore speaks her mind on Save the Children, Freckleface Strawberry, and why children shouldn’t act
Washington Life: We love diplomats in Washington! How did you come to be the Save the Children’s ambassador for the U.S.?
Julianne Moore: I was in New York at a Save the Children event, and being a mother of two and a children’s book author, I was immediately influenced by what the organization stood for. I decided to get involved.
WL: What is the most rewarding part of being an ambassador?
JM: Knowing that we’ve worked to improve school systems. Save the Children goes where States don’t have the tax dollars for medical programs and tuition, clean schools, and after-school programs. All of these are things that children need. I think that a lot of us in wealthier communities take them for granted.
WL: Your and Mark Shriver’s names were on a recent Save the Children report claiming only seven states are prepared to protect children during disasters. That’s a sobering thought.
JM: The last ten years have been a disaster decade and children have watched or experienced this. We looked at the economic ramifications through a child’s eyes. If his or her family is kicked out of their home because of 12 feet of water or 12 feet of debt, it’s traumatic. We crafted a five-point plan, one point being that we want a new Office of Children’s Advocacy – or a Kid’s Desk – at FEMA.