Blog
Experiencing ThinkXChange: A Parent Ambassador’s Perspective
Follow @SRMHughes When I began my journey as a single parent, I had a fledgling law practice that did not generate consistent income. Living on inconsistent income made our household vulnerable to life’s uncertainties. It also taught me that my children and I must be holistically equipped so that our family unit can persevere in…
How Impact Investing Can Advance Economic Mobility in America
As a country, we have long believed in the American Dream: that through hard work and opportunity, we can reach our goals. But with millions of Americans struggling financially, those dreams are eroding, social and economic mobility is stagnant, and inequality is rising. Tackling entrenched problems like intergenerational poverty requires the commitment and resources of…
Family Feedback: A Lesson from the Rockies
The Valley Settlement Project is a two-generation program focused on school readiness, elementary school achievement, economic stability and community engagement for local families. Its focus is low-income families who are not successfully settled or attached to the community in which they live. Through community organizing and partnerships with local nonprofits, schools and government agencies, Valley Settlement Project…
Injustice and Hope 51 Years Later
“How does it feel reading ‘Letter from Birmingham City Jail’ as a Birmingham native?” Sitting at a dinner table in Aspen, Colorado this question seemed absurd. Even though I grew up near Birmingham, hearing stories of Birmingham, I never knew that Birmingham. I felt just as removed from the history of that letter as the…
Taking a two-generation approach to helping families impacted by the justice system
The Vera Institute of Justice works to make justice systems fairer and more effective through research and innovation. It uses its unique approach to work with government officials on a range of criminal and social justice topics. This blog post was orignially posted on the Vera Institute blog page, October 23, 2014: http://www.vera.org/blog/ Earlier this…
Top Ten Policies to Lift Children and Parents out of Poverty
The past few years have been marked by polarization in America — red states, blue states, stalemates in Congress, intense debates on social programs. So when a policy approach comes along with broad and strong support from Americans across race, gender, geography, and political parties, it is time to take notice and act. Breaking the…