‘1 in 5’ Episode 7: Meet Lori Barr

March 29, 2021 | Aspen Postsecondary Success for Parents, Press Releases

Lori Barr and her son, Anthony Barr are the co-founders of Raise the Barr, a philanthropic organization focused on increasing opportunity and economic mobility for low-income single parents and their children through education in Minneapolis and Los Angeles.

While a young single mother, Lori experienced challenges that have shaped her desire to pursue a more just and equitable system that supports low-income families, and students with dependents who rely on systems to dismantle barriers that lead to thriving individuals, families, and communities.

Lori spent over 20 years in public and private education serving in multiple roles that ultimately led to executive positions overseeing operations and strategic planning/development of programs and Human Resources.

Lori and Anthony founded Raise the Barr in 2016. Lori’s life experiences have included attainment of both post-secondary and post-graduate degrees, while raising her sons alone and working for hourly wages, and ultimately earning a salary with a family-sustaining wage.

Listen

You can read the episode transcript here.

Resources

Raise the Barr, a philanthropic organization focused on increasing opportunity and economic mobility for low-income single parents and their children through education in Minneapolis and Los Angeles.

Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund (JRF) provides scholarships and support for low-income women ages thirty-five and older across the US to build better lives through post-secondary education.

Emerge Mothers Academy is a social service providing support services to single mothers across the Twin cities.

Student Parent Stories

Related Posts

The 2Gen Accelerator Community is a new effort bringing together 15 local and national organizations with best practices for two-generation (2Gen) or whole-family approaches.
Press ReleasesDecember 6, 2023
Graphic featuring a photo of Michaela Martin, Yolanda Johnson-Peterkin, Ariel Ventura-Lazo, and Dr. Daria Willis.
An episode of firsts! Our first live episode recorded at the inaugural Ascend Parent Advisor Convening in Aspen, CO in front of an audience of student parents.
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsOctober 27, 2023
Headshots of 4 Fellows
Today, the Aspen Institute announced its 2023 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellows, 20 leaders from across the United States who are transforming systems so that all children and families can thrive.
Ascend FellowshipOctober 10, 2023
Graphic showing a student's hand holding a graduation cap against a blue background.
Today, Ascend at the Aspen Institute announced that four community colleges from across the United States have been selected as partners to its Postsecondary Leadership Circle Activation Fund.
Press ReleasesOctober 3, 2023
Group photo of Ascend Parent Advisors standing outside in Aspen, Colorado with their arms outstretched upward.
Snapshots from the 2023 Ascend Parent Advisor Convening in Aspen, Colorado.
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsOctober 2, 2023
Graphic featuring headshot photos of Dr. Deana Around Him, Julian Thompson, and David Croom.
What does college success look like for Black and Native student parents? This podcast episode sheds light on student parents’ and administrators’ experiences at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, and Tribal Colleges and Universities, or TCUs.
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsSeptember 12, 2023
100 Ascend Fellows will join the Aspen community for two afternoons of conversations aimed at Building Well-Being for Children and Families and Prioritizing Joy and Human Thriving.
Press ReleasesJuly 25, 2023
Ascend at the Aspen Institute is excited to announce the launch of the 2023 Parent-Powered Solutions Fund, which will provide financial resources and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations and institutions focused on increasing postsecondary success among parents.
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsJuly 20, 2023
A collection of different photos featuring Christian Ortiz, his daughter, and his mother
Reflections on the experiences, challenges, and joys that shape the life of student father and Ascend PSP Parent Advisor Christian Ortiz.
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsJune 16, 2023
Cover of the digital chartbook, "We Are Here Too: Who Are the 1 Million Fathers in College?". A student father in a graduation cap and gown is seated with his son and daughter, smiling.
Among the one in five postsecondary students who are parents, there are close to 1.1 million student fathers. This chartbook synthesizes the available research on student fathers to help inform the field’s efforts to support the success of all student parents.
Aspen Postsecondary Success for ParentsJune 16, 2023
Cover of the digital chartbook, "We Are Here Too: Who Are the 1 Million Fathers in College?". A student father in a graduation cap and gown is seated with his son and daughter, smiling.
Today, Ascend at the Aspen Institute (Ascend) released the second season of “1 in 5,” its highly rated podcast that explores the multifaceted lives of the one in five college students raising children.
Press ReleasesJune 16, 2023
A photo of students and their children at Santa Fe Community College
On May 9, members of the Ascend team had the opportunity to visit Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico. Here are three takeaways from our site visit.
Ascend NetworkJune 14, 2023
We’ve selected four projects from the 2021 Class of Fellows that show impressive potential in both their scope and capacity to address timely issues. 
Ascend FellowshipMay 25, 2023
In an Inside Higher Ed article, David Croom and Generation Hope provide important perspective into why the student parent population is important for higher education institutions to prioritize.
Media MentionsMay 9, 2023
Photo of student parent Waukecha Wilkerson with her family at her graduation ceremony.
Today, Ascend at the Aspen Institute (Ascend) released the second season of “1 in 5,” its highly rated podcast that explores the multifaceted lives of the one in five college students raising children.
Press ReleasesMay 3, 2023