This episode of Growing Up in America tackles the urgent issues impacting Texas children, from the fallout of the federal government shutdown on immigration services to the shifting landscape of DEI and racial healing following the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson. Dr. Bob Sanborn and Nely Sanchez host expert guests to discuss why 4,000 immigrant students have left HISD, the current satisfaction levels with K-12 education, and new findings from the "Paving the Way for Quality" child care report. Tune in for a deep dive into public policy, community advocacy, and the fight for the quality of life for every child.

Featuring Krystal Gomez, Managing Attorney at Texas Immigration Law Council, Cherry Steinwender, Executive Director at the Center for the Healing of Racism and Kim Kofron, Director of Early Childhood Education for CHILDREN AT RISK.

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Hosts Dr. Bob Sanborn (CHILDREN AT RISK) and Owala Maima (CHILDREN AT RISK) reflect on Bad Bunny's historic performance before diving into how public health, immigration systems, and environmental policies affect children and families in Texas.

This episode features Dr. John Higgins, Cardiologist and Professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, Senior education reporter Megan Menchaca of The Houston Chronicle and Deyadira Arellano, Community Organizer at Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services.

Plus, tune in for Hip Speak with our Media Culture Correspondent Anya Osundwa!

In this episode of Growing Up in America: The Way it Is, our hosts Dr. Bob Sanborn, President and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK, and Brian Greene, President and CEO of the Houston Food Bank, discuss the rapid evolution of public policy and what it means for civic engagement.

Dr. Michael Chang, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases at McGovern Medical School, examines current vaccination recommendations and how decreased vaccination rates are leading to higher rates of infectious disease. Krystal Gomez, Managing Attorney at the Texas Immigration Law Council, addresses the implications of changing immigration enforcement practices for children and families. And former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, now a candidate for Harris County Judge, reflects on the policy issues shaping the future of the county.

In this episode of Growing Up in America: The Way it Is, our hosts Dr. Bob Sanborn, President and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK, and Brian Greene, President and CEO of the Houston Food Bank, examine how public systems shape opportunity and inequities.

Adrienne Williams, Research Fellow at DAIR (Distributed AI Research) breaks down how emerging AI technologies risk fueling inequities in education. Nadia Salibi, Chief Impact Officer at CHILDREN AT RISK, explains how federal shutdowns impact the well-being of children and families. And Dr. Letitia Plummer, former Houston City Council member and current candidate for Harris County Judge, discusses the issues at the forefront of voters' minds as they head to the polls on March 3, 2026.

This week on Growing Up in America: The Way It Is, our guest hosts Bri Derry, Director of Media Activism (CHILDREN AT RISK) and Owala Maima, Producer on Growing Up in America, explore the policies and systems shaping children’s health and learning in Texas. Featuring Dr. Jaimie Davis (Acting Director of the School of Human Ecology at UT Austin) on nutrition and obesity, Jane Kim (Educator and Founder of KindEd) on social media literacy and AI and the Houston Chronicle's Senior Education reporter Megan Menchaca on local education trends. Together, we examine how policy, community, and lived experience intersect to support child welfare and opportunity.

This week on Growing Up in America: The Way It Is, host Dr. Bob Sanborn (CHILDREN AT RISK) is joined by Dr. Chris Kulesza (Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University) for a special look ahead at 2026.

Together with a panel of national and Texas-based experts, this episode explores pediatric health and vaccination trends, AI integration, major cultural moments in sports and entertainment, and what lies ahead for Texas and national politics. Guests include Dr. Michael L. Chang, pediatric infectious disease expert at McGovern Medical School and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital; Dr. Arturo Brito, President and CEO of Children’s Health Fund; Jason Sabo, Founder of Frontera Strategy; Megan Menchaca, Senior Education Reporter at the Houston Chronicle; Nadia Salibi, Chief Impact Officer (CHILDREN AT RISK) and Mandi Kimball, Vice President & Chief Government Affairs Officer (CHILDREN AT RISK).

Immigration policy, public education, and childcare stability take center stage this week on Growing Up in America: The Way It Is. Hosts Dr. Bob Sanborn (CHILDREN AT RISK) and Holly Durham (Texas A+ Challenge, CHILDREN AT RISK) start off the new year with a conversation on how Texas laws, education systems, and early childhood infrastructure are shaping the lives of children and families across the state.

This episode features Krystal Gomez, Managing Attorney at the Texas Immigration Legal Council, Senior education reporter Megan Menchaca of The Houston Chronicle and Lyn Lucas, Assistant Director of Early Childhood Education at CHILDREN AT RISK.

Plus, tune in for Hip Speak with our guest Gen Z culture expert Anya Osundwa!

Co-hosts Dr. Bob Sanborn and Brian Greene are joined on this special holiday episode by some of our favorite 'friends of the pod'! Tune in for holiday jingles, memories, and surprise guests.