Hope, Education, & Pathways to Progress: A conversation with Arne Duncan
Watch our recap of former U. S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, for the inaugural Youth Lead Now! Virtual Town Hall in conversation on how youth can stay engaged with community action and foster hope in the face of adversity during these unprecedented times. Moderated by Kriste Dragon and Jasmine Adams, the discussion explored why youth are essential for community-driven leadership and how they can play a pivotal role as leaders during the current COVID-19 crisis.
Arne Duncan
Former Secretary of Education
Henry Crown Fellow
As managing partner at Emerson Collective, former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan works to improve the lives of young adults in his hometown of Chicago. Through partnerships with local business leaders, community organizers, and nonprofit groups, he aims to create job and life opportunities for disconnected youth between the ages of 17 and 24. Duncan serves on the boards of: Ariel Capital Management, Aspen Institute, Communities in Schools, Lucas Museum, My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, National Association of Basketball Coaches, Pluralsight, Revolution Foods, Thrive-Chicago and Catapult Learning, LLC. He also serves as Co-chair of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.
Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Duncan served as Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools. Duncan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1987, majoring in sociology. At Harvard he served as co-captain of the basketball team and was named a first team Academic All-American.
Kriste Dragon
CEO, Pahara Institute
Pahara-Aspen Education Fellowship
Kriste Dragon is the chief executive officer of the Pahara Institute. In her prior role as Co-founder and CEO of Citizens of the World, a national network of tuition-free schools committed to serving diverse communities across the country, Kriste and her team’s work has been recognized as a model for building understanding and connection. Kriste has served as a moderator for numerous fellowships and programs including Pahara-Aspen, Pahara-NextGen, Resnick Aspen Action Forum, and Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship. Kriste holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Alabama. She is based in the Los Angeles Area, where she lives with her three children.
Jasmine Adams
Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship
St. Louis Cohort
Jasmine Adams is a 19-year-old civic leader from the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Jasmine currently holds two associate degrees and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from The St. Louis College of Pharmacy. She intends to eventually enroll in medical school to become a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology. At The St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Jasmine sits on the executive board of Student Government Association and the Community Service Scholars. Although very busy, Jasmine never loses sight of what is most important to her which is serving the underserved. The disparities Jasmine observed growing up in her community motivated her to become a leader both inside and out of her career. Jasmine was a member of the inaugural cohort of The Aspen Institute’s Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship (AYLF) St. Louis.
