Welcome to Bright Spots - a new series from Lemonada that offers bite-sized stories of community impact that will leave you feeling inspired and hopeful about what is possible.

Today, we’re turning our attention to the foster care system. In Oklahoma, the Office of Family Representation ensures every parent dealing with a child welfare case has access to a strong legal defense. We talk to executive director Gwendolyn Clegg about how OFR got started and how their work supports families in Oklahoma. 

This episode is created in partnership with Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Special thank you to Gwendolyn Clegg and the Oklahoma Office of Family Representation. Learn more at https://www.oklahomafamilyrepresentation.org/

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In a country that feels more divided than ever, there’s one thing almost everyone agrees on: our healthcare system is broken. From crushing medical debt to rural hospital closures, deep Medicaid cuts, and the growing burden of insurance denials, too many Americans are falling through the cracks.

In Uncared For, award-winning journalist SuChin Pak (Add to Cart, MTV News) investigates the personal and political forces behind our fractured system. This season, the show zooms out to examine the healthcare system as a whole. Through deeply personal stories and expert insight, Uncared For uncovers why so many people feel, quite literally, uncared for — and what it would take to build something better.

After you listen to this preview, search for Uncared For in your podcast app to hear the rest of the series, or head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/UncaredForSeason3fd

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North Carolina has one of the biggest rural populations in the country, but for a long time, the needs of rural North Carolinians were largely ignored – until Down Home North Carolina came along in 2017. Since then, the grassroots nonprofit has changed the conversation to center the needs of rural people. Host Maya Rupert talks to Down Home Co-Directors Dreama Caldwell and Todd Zimmer about what it takes to build multiracial political power among the working class, and why it’s the only way to get their needs met and bring about lasting change.

This episode is presented by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. MCF supports leaders who work to shift the balance of power in their communities toward working people and families, and who have the vision and capacity for building a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org or visit on social media @caseygrants.

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As the federal government has been making unprecedented funding cuts, many communities are facing more uncertainty and less support. In response, the Marguerite Casey Foundation is making a bold move: they’re distributing $130 million this year to organizations working for racial and economic justice. In this episode, Carmen Rojas, the foundation’s president and CEO, gets into the reasons behind the move, which organizations will benefit and how this funding aims to fill critical gaps.

This episode is presented by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. MCF supports leaders who work to shift the balance of power in their communities toward working people and families, and who have the vision and capacity for building a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org or visit on social media @caseygrants.

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Gun violence in America is at a crisis point. It’s now the number one killer of kids and teens – a stat that should make us all pause. But instead of throwing up their hands, healthcare leaders, gun violence survivors, physicians, community members and faith leaders are doing something about it. In this episode, we’re diving into Northwell Health’s groundbreaking Gun Violence Prevention Forum, where they’re treating it as the true public health emergency that it is and elevating the conversation around safe firearm storage and gun violence prevention. 

This episode is presented by Northwell Health. To learn more, visit preventgunviolence.com/resources. You can also check out agreetoagree.org. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, use a safe computer and contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at www.thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-7233. 

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We’re excited to introduce you to Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan, a new show from Lemonada Media.

As Meghan, Duchess of Sussex builds out a business of her own, she’s getting advice and insights from a handful of amazing women who have scaled small ideas into successful companies. These fly-on-the-wall conversations will no doubt inspire anyone who’s interested in turning their own entrepreneurial dreams into a reality and anyone else who just wants to hear what really happens behind the scenes. 

We’re going to play you a little sneak peek of the first episode, featuring Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of Bumble. After you listen, search Confessions of a Female Founder wherever you get your podcasts, or head to: https://lemonada.lnk.to/confessionsofafemalefounderfd

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The rent is too damn high, housing quality standards are far too low, and Tara Raghuveer is doing something about it. Tara is director of Kansas City Tenants, a tenant union which organizes to ensure that everyone in KC has a safe, accessible, and truly affordable home. In this powerful conversation with host Gloria Riviera, Tara explains how the union of more than 10,000 members is fighting against our country’s dysfunctional housing market and standing up for what they truly deserve.

This episode is presented by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. MCF supports leaders who work to shift the balance of power in their communities toward working people and families, and who have the vision and capacity for building a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org or visit on social media @caseygrants.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it time to rethink how we do school? In 2022, over 2 million students between the ages of 16 and 24 left school without earning a high school diploma or GED. But what if we could change that by taking an innovative approach to education? In part three of our three-part series about helping young people thrive economically within safe communities, Allison Gerber (The Annie E. Casey Foundation) and Betsy Delgado (Goodwill Excel Center) join us for a conversation about how education doesn't have to be one-size-fits-all. Together, they’ll provide a look at the unique journeys of many students today and the tools they need to continue their education and thrive. Driving home the point that investing in student success matters for all of us, they show us the importance of alternative learning models.

This episode was made possible with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, an organization that develops solutions to build a brighter future for children, youth, families and communities. Learn more at aecf.org. 

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Does the key to preventing gun violence lie within our own communities? In this episode, guests DeVone Boggan (Executive Director, Advance Peace) and Timmeka Perkins (Senior Associate, The Annie E. Casey Foundation) share the data about the power of credible messengers to transform neighborhood safety. In part two of our three-part series about helping young people thrive economically within safe communities, we are diving into data-driven strategies that effectively reduce violence and help entire neighborhoods flourish.

This episode was made possible with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, an organization that develops solutions to build a brighter future for children, youth, families and communities. Learn more at aecf.org. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when an award-winning actress, producer, director, author, and activist uses her platform to shine a light on the criminal justice system? Kerry Washington's recent projects, UnPrisoned and Daughters, tell stories of incarceration, family separation, unification, and love that we rarely get to see. In our conversation, she explains how portraying a daughter navigating her father's return from prison transformed her understanding of reentry and gets personal about how the system has impacted her own family.

You can check out Unprisoned on Hulu and stream Daughters on Netflix.

Follow When it Clicked wherever you get your podcasts, or listen ad-free on Amazon Music with your Prime Membership.

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To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.

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