We have a deep belief in people and promote ideas of human flourishing. Top Priority is a collection of interactive, learning-oriented conversations on how the Stand Together Community engages with and advocates for solutions through the lens of our Community Vision: We transform society by breaking the internal and external barriers that prevent people from realizing their potential, enabling all people to improve their lives and find fulfillment by helping others do the same. The Stand Tog ...
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Season 2 - Episode 1: A Conversation about Inflation with Kurt Couchman
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Welcome to Top Priority, the podcast where we discuss the most pressing issues facing our nation today. In this episode, our host Duane Lester sits down with Kurt Couchman, Senior Fellow on Fiscal Policy with Americans for Prosperity Foundation, to talk about one of the most critical issues of our time: inflation. Inflation is a topic that affects …
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045 Top Priority Podcast | Book: Get Out of Control
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Show: 045 Top Priority Podcast | Book: Get Out of Control Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Neil Chilson, Senior Research Fellow, Technology and Innovation at Stand Together Neil Chilson, the senior research fellow for technology and innovation at Stand Together, launched his book, Getting Out of…
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044 Top Priority Podcast | AFPF vs. Bonta
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Show: 044 Top Priority Podcast | AFPF v. Bonta Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Casey Mattox, Vice President, Legal and Judicial Strategy at Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Senior Fellow, Free Speech and Peace at Charles Koch Institute Today’s top priority is free expression. Specifically, …
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043 Top Priority Podcast | Protests and Riots
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Show: 043 Top Priority Podcast | Protests and Riots Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: David Voorman, Senior Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Today’s top priority is free expression. Specifically, we’re talking about the difference between protests and riots, and some troubling …
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042 Top Priority Podcast | Housing Regulations with Jason Sorens
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Show: 042 Top Priority | Housing Regulations with Jason Sorens Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Jason Sorens, Director for the Center for Ethics in Society Today’s top priority is Economic Opportunity, specifically housing regulations. Our guest today is Jason Sorens. He’s the Director for the C…
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041 Top Priority Podcast | **JUST IN TIME** Drug Policy in a Society of Mutual Benefit
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Show: 041 Top Priority | Drug Policy in a Society of Mutual Benefit Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Brianna Nuhfer, Director of Criminal Justice at Stand Together, Jeremiah Mosteller, Senior Policy Analyst at Americans for Prosperity Foundation What should we do about the use of drugs in a free…
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040 Top Priority Podcast | Second Chance Hiring Can Help Ex-Cons, Employers, and Society
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In this Top Priority, we explore the topic of second chance hiring, meaning the hiring of ex-cons. Jeremiah Mosteller joins the podcast again and explains why hiring ex-cons has benefits not just for the employee, but for the employer and society as a whole. Our Vision: We break barriers that stand in the way of people realizing their potential. Th…
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039 Top Priority Podcast | How Certificate of Needs Negatively Impact Your Access to Quality Health Care
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It's possible you've never heard of a Certificate of Need. It's a policy so awful, even the Federal Government repealed it. Yet many states still enforce it and the negative consequences of it impact access to quality health care across America. In this episode, Charlie Katabi, Health Policy Analyst with Americans for Prosperity, and Jason Edson, t…
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038 Top Priority Podcast | Government Surveillance - Is Big Brother is Watching You?
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Show: 034 Top Priority | Understanding Stakeholder Capitalism Date Recorded: March 10, 2021 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Bill Easley, Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Neil Chilson, Charles Koch Institute Today’s top priority is technology and innovation. Specifically, we’re going to be t…
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037 Top Priority Podcast | Grit: The Melony Armstrong Story
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Melony Armstrong just wanted to braid hair. The state of Mississippi tried to stop her. This is her story of fighting one barrier after another for more than ten years. Stand Together Community Vision We break barriers that stand in the way of people realizing their potential. This moves our society toward one of mutual benefit, where people succee…
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036 Top Priority Podcast | Marijuana Decriminalization in New Hampshire
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The Americans for Prosperity team in New Hampshire worked to decriminalize marijuana in the Granite State. How did the Stand Together Vision guide them to that action? How does decriminalization break barriers? Deputy State Director Ross Connelly explains what happened and the principles that guided their actions.…
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035 Top Priority Podcast | No-Knock Raids
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Show: 035 Top Priority Podcast | No-Knock Raids Date Recorded: January 14, 2021 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Guests: Jeremiah Mosteller, Senior Policy Analyst of Criminal Justice Reform, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What exactly is a no-knock raid? min [5:01] What does the …
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034 Top Priority | Understanding Stakeholder Capitalism
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Show: 034 Top Priority | Understanding Stakeholder Capitalism Date Recorded: January 21, 2021 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Russell Greene, Associate Director, Institution of Business at Stand TogetherBy Grassroots Leadership Academy
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033 Top Priority | "Reclaiming the American Dream" with Evan Feinberg
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Show: 033 Top Priority Podcast | "Reclaiming the American Dream" with Evan Feinberg Date Recorded: February 18, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Evan Feinberg, Executive Director at Stand Together Foundation Additional Links: Reclaiming the American Dream…
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032 Top Priority | Does "Big Tech" need its own federal regulator?
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Show: 032 Top Priority Podcast | Does "Big Tech" Need Its Own Regulator Date Recorded: February 4, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Neil Chilson, Senior Research Fellow for technology and innovation at the Charles Koch Institute Additional Links: Does Big Tech Need Its Own Regulator? Guest …
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031 Top Priority | Section 230 and The Danger of Silencing of Marginalized Voices
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Show: 031 Top Priority Podcast | How Altering Section 230 Threatens the Free Speech of Marginalized Communities Date Recorded: November 13, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Billy Easley, Sr. Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Additional Resources Slate | Revising the Law Th…
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In this podcast, we talk about the role regulations have in keeping people safe and rigging the game. We talk with Clint Woods, recovering regulator and Policy Fellow with Americans for Prosperity Foundation, and Erica Jedynak, Director of Economic Opportunity for Stand Together.By Grassroots Leadership Academy
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In this installment, we talk about the importance of free expression and how it relates to our vision of a society of mutual benefit. Our guest, Sarah Ruger, leads the Free Expression Priority Initiative for the Stand Together Community.By Grassroots Leadership Academy
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028 Top Priority | **JUST IN TIME** Facebook, Twitter, And That Hunter Biden Story
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Show: 028 Top Priority Podcast | **Just in Time** Facebook, Twitter, and THAT Hunter Biden Story Date Recorded: October 21, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Jesse Blumenthal, VP of Tech & Innovation, Stand Together The New York Post released an investigative report on the corruption of Hunte…
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027 Top Priority | Civil Asset Forfeiture with Captain Leigh Mattox
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Show: 027 Top Priority Podcast | Talking Civil Asset Forfeiture with Captain Leigh Mattox Date Recorded: October 12, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Captain Leigh Mattox Captain Leigh Mattox explains the two types of asset forfeiture, including civil asset forfeiture min [7:44] Additional R…
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026 Top Priority | Civil Asset Forfeiture & Criminal Justice Reform
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Show: 026 Top Priority Podcast | Civil Assest Forfeiture & Criminal Justice Reform Date Recorded: October 5, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Vikrant Reddy, Senior Fellow, Charles Koch Institute Greg Glod, Criminal Justice Reform Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Tyler Koteskey, Policy Analys…
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In this episode, Evan Feinberg, Executive Director at the Stand Together Foundation, and the Reverend Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. discuss the issue of poverty.By Grassroots Leadership Academy
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024 Top Priority | Anti-SLAPP in Tech and Innovation
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Show: 024 Top Priority Podcast | Anti-SLAPP Laws in Tech and Innovation Date Recorded: September 21, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Billy Easley, Senior Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Foundation The Stand Together Community VISION for digital free speech. min [2:08] Anti-SLAPP = …
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023 Top Priority | Mark Holden on Criminal Justice Reform
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Show: 023 Top Priority Podcast | Mark Holden on Criminal Justice Reform Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guest: Mark Holden, Senior Vice President, Stand Together and Board member of Americans for Prosperity Why does Mark Holden care about Criminal Justice Reform? min [6:20] Mark Starts his career as a p…
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022 Top Priority Podcast | Technophobia
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Show: 022 Top Priority Podcast | Technophobia Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Taylor Barkley, Program Officer of Technology & Innovation, Stand Together The Stand Together vision for Technology & Innovation recognizes: min [6:12] Technology and innovation have been a force for good throughout hu…
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021 Top Priority Podcast | Foundational Education
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Show: 021 Top Priority Podcast | Foundational Education Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Meredith Olson, Vice President of Foundational Education, Stand Together Community What is Foundational Education? min [5:30] The difference between education and schooling. min [9:27] What does good like in …
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020 Top Priority Podcast | Post-Secondary Education
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Show: 020 Top Priority Podcast | Post-Secondary Education Date Recorded: March 24, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Ryan Stowers, Executive Director, Charles Koch Foundation Show Notes & Timestamps What is the Stand Together Community doing in the realm of Post-Secondary Education? min [4:04…
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019 Top Priority Podcast | Free Trade and the World Trade Organization
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Show: 019 Top Priority Podcast | Free Trade and the World Trade Organization Date Recorded: January 28, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Dan Pearson, Trade Policy Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What is the history of the World Trade Organization (WTO)? min [1:00] Wh…
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018 Top Priority Podcast | Free Trade Priority Initiative
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Show: 018 Top Priority Podcast | Free Trade Priority Initiative Date Recorded: November 26, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Dan Pearson, Trade Policy Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps Why is the Stand Together Community involved in the issue of Free Trade? min [4:26] …
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Show: 017 Top Priority Podcast | Cronyism Date Recorded: January 16, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Michael Lambert, Policy Analyst of Corporate Welfare, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What is Cronyism? In short, Cronyism is government picking winners and losers. min [2:1…
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016 Top Priority Podcast | Occupational Licensing
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Show: 016 Top Priority Podcast | Occupational Licensing Date Recorded: December 16, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Erica Jedynak, Director of Employment Initiatives, Stand Together Austen Bannan Senior Policy Analyst of Employment Policy, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps Wh…
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015 Top Priority Podcast | Right to Work & Economic Opportunity
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Show: 015 Top Priority Podcast | Right to Work & Economic Opportunity Priority Initiative Date Recorded: January 29, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Erica Jedynak, Director of Employment Initiatives, Stand Together Austen Bannan, Senior Policy Analyst of Employment Policy, Americans for Pro…
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014 **Just In Time** Telemedicine and COVID-19
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Show: 014 Top Priority Podcast | *JUST IN TIME* Telemedicine and COVID-19 Date Recorded: March 25, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Charlie Katebi, Healthcare Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Tom Romeo, Program Officer of Technology & Innovation, Stand Together • What is the impact o…
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013 Top Priority | Healthcare Priority Initiative
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Show: 013 Top Priority Podcast | Healthcare Priority Initiative Date Recorded: December 17, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Charlie Katebi, Health Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Elliott Fox, Director of Healthcare Initiatives, Stand Together Show Notes & Timestamps What is our Sta…
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012 **Just in Time** COVID-19 & Criminal Justice Reform
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Show: 012 Top Priority Podcast | **Just in Time** COVID-19 & Criminal Justice Reform Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Greg Glod, Criminal Justice Policy Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Tyler Koteskey, Criminal Justice Reform Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity What is happening in the Crimi…
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011 Top Priority | The Prison and Reentry Process & Criminal Justice Reform
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Show: 011 Top Priority Podcast | The Prison and Reentry Reform Process // Criminal Justice Reform Date Recorded: June 11, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Rachel Reese, CJR Program Officer, Stand Together Tyler Koteskey, CJR Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity What is the Stand Together…
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Show: 010 Top Priority Podcast | Technology & Innovation Priority Initiative Date Recorded: December 17, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Billy Easley Senior Policy Analyst of Tech & Innovation Americans for Prosperity Jim Fellinger, Communications Lead on Tech & Innovation, Stand Together S…
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009 Top Priority | The Sentencing Process & Criminal Justice Reform
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Show: 009 Top Priority Podcast | The Sentencing Process & Criminal Justice Reform Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Tyler Koteskey, Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity What is the Stand Together Community VISION for the Sentencing Process? min [1:08] What is role of the Key Institution of Gov…
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Show: 008 Top Priority Podcast | Immigration Priority Initiative Date Recorded: January 28, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Jorge Lima, Senior Vice President of Policy, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What does our Community believe about Immigration? min [1:52] We Stand To…
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Show: 007 Top Priority Podcast | History of DACA Date Recorded: January 28, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Kevin Hernandez, Director of Policy, The Libre Initiative Show Notes & Timestamps What is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)? min [1:08] How does DACA differ from the t…
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006 Top Priority | The Trial Process & Criminal Justice Reform
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Show: 006 Top Priority Podcast | The Trial Process & Criminal Justice Reform Date Recorded: May 7, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Greg Glod, CJR Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Foundation What is the Stand Together Community VISION for the Trial Process? min [2:08] What is charge stacking…
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005 **Just in Time** Section 230 of Communications Decency Act
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Show: 005 Top Priority Podcast | **Just in Time** Section 230 Date Recorded: May 29, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Jesse Blumenthal, VP of Tech & Innovation, Stand Together What is Section 230 and how is the Stand Together Community thinking about Section 230? min [1:30] What is the diffe…
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004 *Just in Time* Qualified Immunity and Criminal Justice Reform
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Show: 004 Top Priority Podcast | **Just in Time** Qualified Immunity & Criminal Justice Reform Date Recorded: June 8, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Greg Glod, CJR Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Casey Mattox, Senior Fellow, Free Speech & Toleration, Charles Koch Institute What…
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003 Top Priority | Policing & Criminal Justice Reform
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**Click here for a printable and clickable pdf download of the show notes from this episode.** Show Details Show: 003 Top Priority Podcast | Policing & Criminal Justice Reform Date Recorded: May 20, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Brianna Walden, Associate Director for Criminal Justice Refo…
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002 Top Priority | Overcriminalization and Criminal Justice Reform
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**Click here for a printable and clickable pdf download of the show notes from this episode.** Show: 002 Top Priority Podcast | Overcriminalization, Criminal Justice Reform Priority Initiative Date Recorded: December 17, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Vikrant Reddy, Senior Fellow, Charles …
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**Click here for a printable and clickable pdf download of the show notes from this episode.** Show: 001 Top Priority Podcast | Foreign Policy Priority Initiative Date Recorded: December 18, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: John Byrnes, Director of Issue Education, Concerned Veterans for Ame…
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