AI in Classrooms, the Federal Shutdown and Pivotal Local Elections.

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.