What if we've been thinking about education all wrong?

As a mother, I've always believed that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and discover what they're capable of. But here's something I keep coming back to: Why are we still expecting every child to learn the same way, in the same classroom, following essentially the same model we've used for generations?

My guest this week is my dear friend Katie Gorka, and I absolutely loved this conversation because Katie has spent so much time getting out into schools, talking with teachers and parents, and seeing firsthand what's really happening in education across America.

Katie is the Executive Director of the America 250 Civics Education Coalition at the America First Policy Institute, a bestselling author, and someone who cares deeply about the future of our country and our children.

We talked about something that really surprised me. America spends roughly $1 trillion a year on K–12 education, yet so many of our children are struggling with basic reading and math. Where is all that money going? And why aren't we seeing better results?

Katie shared some incredible stories from her visits to schools across 14 states, including educators who are completely rethinking what a classroom can look like. We talked about microschools—which I have to tell you, I knew very little about before this conversation!—and how families are coming together to create learning environments that actually work for their children.

And we talked about school choice. I was fortunate to have choices when raising my own children, and I know what a difference that made for our family. But what about the single mother working two jobs? Or the family living in a rural community where the nearest alternative school might be an hour away? Those are real challenges, and I loved hearing Katie's thoughts on how we can begin addressing them.

One of the things that stayed with me most was our conversation about teachers. We have so many wonderful, dedicated teachers in this country who genuinely love their students. Yet we've created a system where they're buried in paperwork, struggling with classroom discipline, and too often unable to do what they entered the profession to do—teach!

Katie also shared the remarkable progress happening in Mississippi, where a renewed focus on reading fundamentals and accountability has helped students make tremendous gains. It's such an encouraging reminder that improvement really is possible.

And of course, we talked about something close to both our hearts: raising children who understand character, responsibility, kindness, and what it means to be a good citizen. Because education is about so much more than passing a test. We're helping shape the next generation of Americans.

I walked away from this conversation feeling hopeful. There are people all across this country doing extraordinary things for our children, and I think we need to spend more time celebrating them, learning from them, and giving families the freedom to find what works.

I hope you'll join Katie and me for this important conversation about our children, our schools, and the opportunities we can create when we're willing to think a little differently.

Thank you for watching!

OXO,

Stacey

What does it look like when God takes one of the most painful chapters of your life and gives you the courage to use it for someone else?

My dear friend Kayleigh Kozak is one of the strongest women I know. She is a wife, a mother of five, a survivor, an advocate, and a member of our incredible team at the America First Policy Institute. But what I admire most about Kaylee isn’t simply what she has accomplished. It’s the courage, grace, and faith with which she has chosen to keep showing up—even when showing up means revisiting the most painful parts of her own story.

Kayleigh was just a child when she was sexually abused by a teacher and coach she should have been able to trust. Her abuser was eventually convicted, and Kaylee and her family believed the “lifetime” probation attached to his sentence meant exactly that: lifetime.

Thirteen years later, Kayleigh learned that it didn’t.

She received word that her abuser was seeking to have his probation terminated—and with it, the protections that had prevented him from contacting her. Suddenly, Kayleigh was back in a courtroom, facing the man who had abused her and discovering gaps in the justice system she never knew existed.

But Kayleigh did something extraordinary with that knowledge. She asked a simple question: If this can happen to me, how many other survivors are facing the same thing?

That question became a mission. And that mission became Kayleigh’s Law.

In this episode of Truth Be Told, Kayleigh and I talk about the fight to create lasting protections for survivors, the journey that took her from an Arizona courtroom to testifying before Congress, and what she has learned about a justice system that can force survivors to keep returning to court long after a conviction. We also talk about the myths surrounding “lifetime” sentences, why laws differ so dramatically from state to state, and why Kayleigh believes survivors deserve protection that does not come with an expiration date.

But this conversation is about so much more than a law.

Kayleigh opens her heart about the parts of this journey people don’t always see—the trauma that doesn’t simply disappear, the exhaustion of continuing to fight, the husband and five beautiful children who walk through it with her, and the faith that carries her on the days when she wonders how she can possibly keep going. She talks about asking God “why?” and trusting that He can still use her story to protect someone else.

That is what stays with me most about Kayleigh. She never asked for this story. But she has chosen, again and again, to use her voice so another survivor might be safer, stronger, and better protected because she did.

Sometimes purpose is found in the places we never would have chosen for ourselves. Sometimes courage is simply deciding that what happened to you will not be the end of the story.

And sometimes God takes our deepest pain and uses it to become protection for someone we may never even meet.

Thank you for watching!
OXO,
Stacey

What does it really mean to live with purpose?

I think sometimes we imagine purpose as one big calling—a career, a title, a platform, or a moment when everything suddenly falls into place. But my dear friend Kelly Holscher is such a beautiful reminder that God can use every season of our lives, and that some of our greatest impact happens when we simply look at where He has planted us and ask, “What’s possible here?”

Kelly is a member of the America First Women’s Initiative Advisory Council, a former media and marketing executive, a community leader, a wife, and an incredible mother of five. She grew up in Alaska with a natural curiosity and determination that eventually carried her into a remarkable career in media, where one idea at the Los Angeles Times grew into an entirely new way to educate readers about investing and connect the newspaper with some of the biggest names in financial media.

But what I love about Kelly’s story is that her ambition didn’t disappear when her life changed—it found a new purpose.

When Kelly stepped away from corporate America to raise her family, she took the same creativity, courage, and instinct for bringing people together and poured them into her children, their school, her church, and her community. She helped build service programs that taught children to care for everyone from veterans to the elderly to children in need. And she has worked to raise her own children with the understanding that when you see a problem, you don’t just complain about it—you ask how you can help solve it.

In this episode of Truth Be Told, Kelly and I talk about motherhood, resilience, faith, mentorship, gratitude, community, and the courage to pursue an idea before you know exactly where it will lead. We also talk about something I believe so deeply: women don’t need a title, a perfect plan, or someone else’s permission to make a difference.

God has already given each of us gifts. Our job is to recognize them, use them, encourage them in others, and be willing to plant seeds even when we may never see how far they grow.

Kelly’s story is proof that success isn’t only about the career you build. It’s about the people you invest in, the values you pass down, and the lives that are different because you were willing to show up and serve.

That is leadership. That is legacy. And that is purpose.

Thank you for watching!
OXO,
Stacey

What does freedom mean to you?

It’s one of those words we use all the time, but I think it can be easy to forget just how precious it is when you’ve never known what it feels like to live without it. My guest this week, Enes Kanter Freedom, has—and I walked away from our conversation thinking about freedom, courage, and what it really means to stand by your convictions in a completely different way.

Most people know Enes from his incredible career in the NBA. But his story is so much bigger than basketball.

Enes was raised in Turkey and came to America as a teenager. He told me about growing up surrounded by messages about who he was supposed to hate—including Americans—and about the lesson his mother taught him as a boy that would ultimately shape so much of the man he became: Don’t hate anyone before you meet them.

Then he came to America and did exactly that. He met the people he had been warned about. He experienced this country for himself. And years later, when he became an American citizen, he chose to add “Freedom” to his name because he understood in such a deeply personal way what those freedoms actually mean.

But what I admire most about Enes is that his gratitude for freedom has never been passive. He has been willing to use his voice to defend it, even when doing so came with enormous personal consequences. Today, that same willingness to speak out has brought him into the fight to protect fairness and opportunity for women and girls in sports.

As a mother of daughters—and as someone who has spent years fighting to protect women’s opportunities—this part of our conversation hit home for me. Enes could easily stay out of this fight. Instead, he has chosen to step directly into it because he believes women deserve a fair playing field, privacy, safety, and the opportunity to compete.

And yes, we laughed—a lot. If you know Enes, you know it would be impossible not to. But underneath all that humor is something incredibly serious: a man who knows what freedom costs and refuses to take it for granted.

That may be what stayed with me most after this conversation. Freedom doesn’t sustain itself. It depends on ordinary people being willing to use their voices, stand by their convictions, and tell the truth—even when there is a price for doing it.

I hope you’ll join us for this very special conversation about America, family, courage, women, and the freedom worth fighting for.

Thank you for watching!
OXO,
Stacey

What is happening in America when no one is paying attention?

Episode 15 of The Brief looks beyond the headlines at the political movements, policy decisions, and institutional changes quietly shaping the country—and why Americans need to understand what is happening before the consequences become impossible to ignore.

The 119th Congress has delivered sweeping tax relief, overturned Biden-era regulations, and made consequential policy choices that voters will soon have the opportunity to judge for themselves. At the same time, a sophisticated political movement is organizing around Americans’ economic anxieties, with groups like the Sunrise Movement training and mobilizing young activists around an agenda that challenges the principles of free enterprise, individual liberty, secure borders, private property, faith, and national sovereignty.

College sports are undergoing their own transformation. NIL, revenue sharing, the transfer portal, and conference realignment have created a national marketplace where the wealthiest programs hold an enormous advantage—and where opportunities for walk-ons, women’s sports, Olympic sports, and smaller schools are increasingly at risk. The Protect College Sports Act offers a path toward national standards that protect athletes and preserve the broader institution of college athletics.

And amid these gradual changes come two reminders of moments when history changed all at once. One year after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, his commitment to debate underscores a fundamental principle of a free society: political disagreement must be answered with argument and persuasion, never violence. Twenty-five years after September 11, America remembers the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the extraordinary courage and service displayed that day, and the unity that followed.

Policies, movements, and institutions shape the direction of the country. But America ultimately depends on something even more fundamental: people willing to pay attention, stand for what they believe, serve something bigger than themselves, and teach the next generation why this country is worth defending.

Thank you for watching!
OXO,
Stacey

There are few issues moving faster—or creating more questions for parents—than artificial intelligence. For that reason, I was so ready to sit down for this episode of Truth Be Told with Joel Thayer, Senior Fellow for AI and Emerging Technology Policy at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI). Joel has an incredible ability to take something that can feel complicated and overwhelming and bring it back to what matters most: our children, our families, our faith, and our future. AI is here, it is advancing every single day, and the question isn’t whether we embrace innovation or protect our families. We absolutely can do both!

As a mom, this conversation really hit home for me. Joel walked us through some of the very real dangers families are facing online, from deepfakes and sextortion to the ways technology can be used to exploit our children. We talked about how difficult it has become for parents to protect their kids in a world where technology follows them everywhere—even into the classroom.

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation was Joel’s reminder that the right to parent is fundamental. Parents are the protectors and advocates of their children, and no corporation should have greater access or authority over a child than his or her own mother and father. That led us into a conversation I absolutely loved about faith, family, freedom, and the principles at the heart of our constitutional republic. Our rights don’t come from government—they come from God—and government has a responsibility to respect and protect that sacred bond between parents and their children.

But this episode isn’t about being afraid of technology! It stood out to me how optimistic Joel is about what AI can do when we get it right. It has the potential to fuel American innovation, advance medicine, make our lives more efficient, and help America continue leading the world. I loved the way Joel framed that idea: efficiency itself isn’t the ultimate goal. The goal of any technology advancement should be to make our lives better so that we have more time for the people we love! That is such an important way to think about innovation.

We also talked about something every parent needs to understand: AI companions. Our children are growing up in a world where technology isn’t simply answering questions or providing entertainment—it can actually present itself as a friend or confidant. That means parents need to understand what their children are interacting with, ask questions, stay engaged, and demand safeguards that put children first.

And of course, America has to lead! We are in a global race for AI dominance, particularly with China, and Joel makes such an important point: we should absolutely want America to win, but our children cannot become casualties in the race to get there.

What I loved most about this conversation is that Joel doesn’t approach AI from a place of fear. He approaches it from a place of purpose. What are we trying to build? Who should it serve? What values are we unwilling to sacrifice along the way? Those are questions every parent, policymaker, innovator, and American should be asking right now.

The future of AI will not be decided by technology alone. It will be shaped by the values we choose to defend. If we keep faith, family, freedom, and human dignity at the center, I believe America can lead this next generation of innovation without losing sight of what we’re leading for. Our children are worth protecting, our families are worth fighting for, and the future is ours to shape!

Thank you for watching!
OXO,
Stacey

Some conversations remind you that the next chapter of your life may be the most meaningful one yet. In this episode of Truth Be Told, I sat down with Lisa Copeland, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and founder of the Lioness Movement, to talk about courage, purpose, and what it really means to build a life that leaves a lasting impact.

Lisa has achieved incredible success, but what I appreciated most was her honesty about the moments when self-doubt still crept in. So many women know that feeling of questioning whether we are ready, qualified, or brave enough to take the next step. Lisa’s message was exactly what many of us need to hear: stop waiting for fear to disappear. Your voice matters, your experience matters, and sometimes courage simply means moving forward while you are still scared.

We also talked about something I care deeply about: helping women recognize that purpose does not come with an expiration date. Whether you are twenty-five, forty-five, or sixty-five, God may still have some of your most important work ahead of you. The wisdom we gain through every challenge, success, and setback can become a gift to the people coming behind us.

That is where mentorship and legacy become so important. Lisa and I both understand what it is like to build careers without always having women ahead of us showing the way. Today, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to change that. Real leadership is not simply about what we accomplish for ourselves. It is about who we encourage, equip, and empower along the way.

My biggest takeaway from this conversation is simple: do not wait until you feel perfectly ready. Take the step. Make the call. Use your voice. God has given each of us gifts for a reason, and the world needs women who are willing to use them.

As Lisa says so beautifully, do it scared.

Thank you for watching!

OXO,

Stacey

As a mom and advocate for healthier families, I was thrilled to sit down for this weeks episode of Truth Be Told with Lori Taylor, the powerhouse behind The Produce Moms. Lori has made it her mission to help families, especially moms, bring more fruits and vegetables to the table every single day. She’s spent her career connecting American families with real, healthy food and showing us that small choices can lead to big changes. In our conversation, we dug into why nutrition truly begins at home, why supporting American farmers matters, and how every family can take simple steps to build a healthier future right at their own kitchen table.

What stood out most to me was Lori’s reminder that healthy living isn’t about perfection or complicated plans. Most of us know fruits and veggies are good for our families, but what we really need is practical, real-life advice that fits into our busy days. Lori shared tips like shopping the outer aisles and circumference of the grocery store and prepping produce first when making meals simple habits that can truly change lives. Her encouragement was clear: you don’t have to do it all; you just have to take that first step.

We talked about something close to my heart: the powerful role mothers play in shaping the next generation’s health. Lori knows, as I do, that moms are the heartbeat of their families. When we introduce our kids to new foods, cook together, or just sit down for a meal, we’re doing more than feeding them, and we’re building habits and memories that last a lifetime. Real change starts right at home, one meal at a time.

We also took time to honor the hardworking men and women who grow our food. Lori’s gratitude for American farmers and ranchers was clear; they are the backbone of our food system, working day in and day out to keep our shelves stocked. Thanks to their dedication and innovation, families like ours can enjoy fresh produce all year.

Supporting American agriculture isn’t just about what’s on our plates; it’s about protecting our future and making sure every family has the freedom to choose what’s best for them.

Lori’s story as an entrepreneur is inspiring. She started with a simple blog from her office cubicle and turned her passion for helping families into a brand that now reaches millions. Her journey proves that when you lead with purpose, grit, and a heart for service, you can open doors you never dreamed possible. Lori’s authenticity and commitment have made her a trusted guide for families who want healthier lives.

This episode is all about hope. Healthier communities start with families who are informed, parents who feel empowered, and daily choices that put real food and real connection first. When we come together at the kitchen table, support our farmers, and invest in our children’s health, we’re not just making dinner, we’re building stronger families and a stronger America.

Thank you for watching!

OXO,

Stacey