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Sunshine Strategies Radio

Sunshine Strategies Radio

By: Jennifer McMillin
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About this listen

Every child deserves a happy and healthy childhood. Sunshine Strategies is a nonprofit consulting organization dedicated to empowering communities to create positive changes for families. This usually involves us identifying a community problem, learning more about it, and working to improve it! Follow along on our adventures, and support our work at patreon.com/SunshineStrategies!Jennifer McMillin Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Telling the Bees
    Jan 23 2026

    Sometimes life asks us to pause before we’re ready.

    After an unplanned break, this week’s episode returns with a quiet, powerful reflection on grief, ritual, and how we move forward when someone we love is gone.

    Inspired by the old tradition of “telling the bees,” this episode explores what it means to acknowledge loss—not to stay in it, but to honor it so life can continue. From the banks of the Sangamon River to the work we carry forward together, this is a story about tending what matters, even in liminal spaces.

    If you’re grieving—whether loudly or quietly, recently or long ago—this episode is for you.

    🎧 Listen now at SunshineStrategies.org
    🕊️ For anyone learning how to keep going without forgetting.

    #SunshineStrategiesRadio #TellTheBees #GriefAndGrowth #LiminalSpaces #CommunityCare #TendingTheWork

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    13 mins
  • How We Find Our Way Back
    Oct 9 2025

    Episode Summary — Sunshine Strategies Radio
    October 6, 2025
    “How We Find Our Way Back: From Outrage to Civic Sundays”

    After a short hiatus, Jen returns with a deeply personal and timely episode of Sunshine Strategies Radio — one that feels more like a conversation around the kitchen table than a news show.

    This week’s theme: finding our way back from political outrage to real community — one Sunday, one conversation, one cup of coffee at a time.

    Outrage is easy. Sustained participation is hard.
    Jen reflects on how despair has taken root in our national life — and why it’s a luxury democracy can’t afford.
    She invites listeners to turn frustration into local action: show up, volunteer, and rebuild trust one relationship at a time.

    Three stories every family should know this week:

    1. Childcare Crisis Deepens During the Government Shutdown — WIC funding may run out within weeks, and new legislation aims to support affected families.

    2. EPA Cuts “Solar for All” Program — Lawsuits begin after a clean energy initiative for low-income families is canceled.

    3. DOJ Disbands Major Anti-Cartel Task Force — Critics warn of weakened crime enforcement and public safety risks.

    From outrage to organizing, Jen’s message is clear: democracy is personal.
    “Find your people. Build your circle. Start small, but start now. Because the only way out of outrage — is through community.”

    🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or SunshineStrategies.org
    Because families deserve to know what’s up.

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    12 mins
  • Gov. Edgar and the Importance of Running
    Sep 19 2025

    In this week’s Sunshine Strategies Radio, Jen McMillin reflects on Constitution Day and the legacy of former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar — a reminder that democracy only works when everyday citizens step up. From there, she dives into three national stories you may have missed but should know about:

    1. Congress scrambling to avoid a government shutdown

    2. Deepening drought and rising wildfire risk in the Northeast

    3. New waves of ransomware attacks and cybersecurity battles

    Together, these stories highlight one truth: our democracy isn’t automatic — it’s built, protected, and renewed by people willing to serve.

    ✨ Subscribe for more family-friendly civic news, history, and community storytelling from central Illinois and beyond.

    #ConstitutionDay #Illinois #JimEdgar #CivicEngagement #SunshineStrategies

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    12 mins
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