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 parents and their children.  A key role for Ascend in supporting emerging communities of practice will be to offer incentives, tools, and a platform to identify and promote proven and promising practices from and the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.

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-generation approaches to move vulnerable families toward economic security.  When considering these approaches and the context in which we live today, 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. global lessons learned about the power of investing in women – that doing so pays dividends for both families and the larger community – is an important step towards securing a thriving future for our children.

Below are links to the presentations of Roundtable participants.

Working Materials

Anne Mosle, Executive Director, Ascend

Movement Toward a Two-Generation Approach

Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, Faculty Fellow, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University

Escape from Poverty: Dual-Generation Education and Training Interventions for Low-Income Families

Celinda Lake, President, Lake Research Partners

Low-income Women & Single Mothers: Perspectives on Economic Security

Heather Boushey, Senior Economist, Center for American Progress

Relevant Data for the Ascend Roundtable

Beatriz Olvera Stotzer, Founder and President of the Board, New Economics for Women

NEW: Community Economic Development Organization

Andrea Levere, President, Corporation For Enterprise Development

CFED: A Legacy of Innovation and Impact

Children's Savings Accounts: Options for Community Innovators

A New Framework for Achieving Household Financial Security

Richard Wylie, President, Endicott College

Keys to Degrees: Educating Two Generations Together

Steven Dow, Executive Director, Tulsa Initiative

Theory of Change: Dual Generation Strategy

Ruby Bright, Executive Director, Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis

Memphis Hope: Transforming Houses into Homes

Memphis H.O.P.E.: Hope, Opportunity, Pride, Empowerment