Two Generations. 
One Future.
Ascend at the Aspen Institute is a hub for breakthrough ideas and collaborations that move children and their parents toward educational success and economic security. Ascend takes a two-generation approach to our work – focusing on children and their parents together – and we bring a gender and racial equity lens to our analysis.
A Conversation with Philanthropist and Author Carrie Morgridge on Monday, August 6 at 5pm MT
Ascend is honored to host inimitable philanthropist and author Carrie Morgridge in conversation with Anne Mosle on Monday, August 6, 2018 at 5:00 pm MT at the Institute’s Aspen Meadows campus in Colorado. Carrie and Anne will discuss perseverance, being “off the grid and unplugged” for a summer, and finding time to write while transforming philanthropy.…
Statement on Immigrant Family Separation
The United States was founded on the aspirational vision of “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.” Today, it is more important than ever to keep our eyes wide open and reconcile our deeply flawed history of slavery, genocide, and gender inequity with the freedom and opportunities the Constitution set forth for all people. There is…
New Ascend Report Offers Blueprint for State Leaders Fighting Poverty
As prospects seem to diminish for the next generation being better off than the current one, it is essential to elevate the successful work being done to address intergenerational poverty and create a path of opportunity. Two-generation (2Gen) policies have advanced greatly over the past decade, resulting in positive outcomes for families. 2Gen approaches embrace…
The Future of Work and Family Prosperity
Last week, as the Department of Labor announced the latest round of employment numbers, I was fortunate to be with the Aspen Family Prosperity Innovation Community—experts and innovators committed to helping families with low incomes become participants in the economy—engaging in a new conversation about the future of work. The Aspen Family Innovation experts came…