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 In this powerful kickoff episode of Raising Tomorrow: Democracy, Decisions & Our Children’s Future, host Karen Watkins — mom, former elected official, and unapologetic advocate for public education — invites listeners to rethink what civic literacy really means and why it’s crucial to our children’s future.

With warmth, real-world examples, and a neighborly tone, Karen unpacks how the invisible machinery of governance shapes our daily lives — from school buses and lunch programs to healthcare and internet access. She dives into Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s controversial policy blueprint aiming to restructure the federal government, and breaks down what those changes could mean for families, classrooms, and communities across America.

This isn’t a partisan lecture — it’s a conversation. Through thoughtful storytelling and interactive listener prompts, Karen empowers audiences to connect the dots between policy and impact, encouraging everyone to ask questions, seek facts, and take action.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding the difference between politics and governance
• Real examples of how government decisions affect everyday life
• A fact-based look at Project 2025 and its proposed federal overhaul
• Why civic literacy is as vital as financial literacy for the next generation
• Interactive comment prompts to inspire reflection and engagement

Listener Prompts:
👉 What’s one government decision that’s impacted your daily life?
👉 If you could ask one elected official anything, what would it be — and why?
👉 What’s one thing you’ll do this week to understand how policy affects your child or community?

Tone & Style:
✅ Real-talk, relatable, and conversational
✅ Educational without being political
✅ Encourages critical thinking through stories, not soundbites

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References:

1. Heritage Foundation – Project 2025 Overview (heritage.org)
2. ACLU – Project 2025 Explained (aclu.org)
3. CBS News – What Is Project 2025? (cbsnews.com)
4. Center for American Progress – FAQ About Project 2025 (americanprogress.org)
5. Democracy Forward – People’s Guide to Project 2025 (democracyforward.org)
6. U.S. Department of Education – FY 2025 Budget Summary
7. National Center for Education Statistics – Title I Funding Overview (2023)
8. Heritage Foundation – Project 2025: Mandate for Leadership (2024)
9. American Progress – “Project 2025 Would Destroy Checks and Balances” (2024)
10. Brookings Institution – “Growth of Executive Power” (2024)
11. Congressional Research Service – IF12724 & R48523 (2023–2025)
12. Reuters – “Trump Administration Must Fully Fund Food Aid Amid Shutdown” (Nov 2025)
13. CBS6 Albany – “Judge Orders SNAP Funding; Vance Calls It Absurd” (Nov 2025)
14. Bloomberg – “FAA Announces Nationwide Flight Reductions Amid Government Shutdown” (Nov 2025)
15. Reuters – “How the U.S. Is Eating Trump’s Tariffs” (Oct 2025)
16. USDA – “Trump Administration Expands Beef Imports from Argentina” (Nov 2025)
17. BBC – “Trump Meets Hungary’s Viktor Orbán Amid Power ...