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.
2019 Aspen Forum on Children and Families
As state and federal lawmakers prepare for the year ahead, there is tremendous momentum for bold ideas that move families toward opportunity. The second Aspen Forum on Children and Families, held on February 26-27, will bring together national leaders – policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and philanthropists – to surface big ideas for investing in the full potential of…
Statement on the Government Shutdown
The partial government shutdown is now the longest in history, and families are suffering for it. News reports indicate that communities of color and Native American tribes are being hit particularly hard. Ascend at the Aspen Institute is deeply concerned about the painful impact of the shutdown on the economic security, educational success, and health…
Dreams Don’t Work Unless We Do
Ascend at the Aspen Institute and GOOD+ Foundation convened fathers, researchers, thought leaders, policymakers, and social service program leaders to explore the father factor – a critical link in building strong families and communities – at the end of November 2018. Reverend Dr. Raphael Gamaliel Warnock, Ascend Fellow and senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church…
The Women Wave: Fueling a Revolution of Respect and Dignity for All
Photo caption, from left to right: Ingrid Saunders Jones, National Chair, The National Council of Negro Women, Inc.; Cathy Trost, Executive Director and Senior Vice President, Freedom Forum Institute; Lorraine Hariton, President and CEO, Catalyst; Anne Mosle, Vice President, Aspen Institute, and Executive Director, Ascend at the Aspen Institute In the fall of 2017, the courageous stand by…
New Mexico Forum on Early Childhood Development and Family Well-Being