The Ahlquist Agenda
The Ahlquist Center for Policy, Practice and Innovation is the policy and advocacy arm of Brightpoint, a distinguished child and family service organization in Illinois. The Center advocates for robust, antiracist, equitable policies and social supports that create social capital, economic mobility, and systems designed to ensure children, families, and communities thrive.In this podcast, we invite you to take an inside look at how we think about policy: why it matters, how it impacts youth, families, and communities in Illinois, and what you can do to help.
Podcasting since 2021 • 14 episodes
The Ahlquist Agenda
Latest Episodes
Introducing Brightpoint
On today's episode, we talk about our organization's rebranding and what it means for how we think about problems facing Illinois families. Our guest today is Brightpoint CEO Mike Shaver, who talks about why the organization rebranded and what ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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23:22
Diaper Need Awareness Week 2023
On this episode, we revisit the issue of diaper need and discuss the latest data on its impact on infants, toddles, and their caregivers. Our guests include Jeannie Higdon, Program Manager at Brightpoint, and Lee Ann Porter, Executive Director ...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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22:35
Leading with Lived Experience in Child Welfare
The latest episode of the Ahlquist Agenda focuses on a first of its kind program in Illinois, AKIN: Achieving Permanency through Kinship Placement Investing in Co-parenting with Natural Parents. The AKIN program partners parent mentors with liv...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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18:21
Let's Talk About Diaper Need (Again)
In recognition of Diaper Need Awareness Week, we're revisiting why diaper need is an important issue for Illinois families. We're joined by State Representative Lakesia Collins of the 9th District to talk about how diaper need impacts her distr...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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15:16
Upset the Setup: Breaking Barriers Recap
In this episode, we recap our annual Breaking Barriers event and further explore the connections between neglect and poverty. The episode features our two guests from the event: Alex Kotlowitz, an award winning author and journalist who focuses...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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11:47