Ascend

Two Generations, One Future: A Roundtable

On March 29th, Ascend hosted its first Roundtable at The Aspen Institute, welcoming field innovators, philanthropists, and leading researchers to breakthrough ideas and proven strategies for moving parents, especially women, and their children beyond poverty. The Roundtable was an opportunity to address and discuss a powerful way to move vulnerable families beyond poverty, which is to build a community of practice around strategies that address the needs of two generations in a family: both the parent and their children. This means offering concrete incentives, tools, and a platform to identify and promote proven and promising practices from both the public and private sector.

As noted by Executive Director Anne Mosle in her introductory remarks, there is an opportunity today to tap unexpected partners - from journalists to businesspeople, philanthropists to policymakers - to create a network of leaders that promote two-generational approaches that move vulnerable families toward economic security. When considering these approaches and the country in which we live right now, it is also important to examine and lift up the resilience and strength of our most vulnerable families, particularly those headed by women. Applying to the U.S. the lessons learned globally on investing in women - that doing so pays dividends for both families and the larger community - is an important step towards securing a safe and thriving future for our children.

Below are links to the presentations of some the Roundtable's participants.