Convenings

At the second Aspen Forum on Children and Families last month we brought together national leaders – policymakers, practitioners, researchers, philanthropists and parents – to surface big ideas for investing in the full potential of children and families, two generations at a time. Centering parents’ and caregivers’ perspectives is vital to Ascend and our work with …
Meeting Parents Where They Dream: Critical Voices and Lived Experiences Read More »

As state and federal lawmakers prepare for the year ahead, more than 350 practice and community leaders, policymakers, researchers, and philanthropists - including Ascend Fellows, Family Prosperity Innovators, and Ascend Network Partners - joined us at the 2019 Aspen Forum on Children and Families to harness this momentum for investing in the full potential of children and families, two generations at a time.

We are so grateful to all of the people who offered so much wisdom over the course of our two days together for the Aspen Forum on Children and Families. From parents and neuroscientists to presidential appointees and social workers–it felt like they all pushed further into the complex and deeply worthwhile questions of how …

The Ascend Network is full of innovators who are boldly and creatively architecting solutions to change the financial dynamic that changes family dynamics. Here are a few we recommend following: Magnolia Mothers Trust: Ascend fellow Aisha Nyandoro is leading this first-of-its kind effort to give black mothers a guaranteed income. In a black community in …

According to Ascend fellow Dr. Sarah Watamura, and the research of some of her colleagues at Stress Early Experience & Development Research Center, it’s not just your life that is permanently changed by parenthood, but also your brain. We partnered with her on this easy-to-read report on it. Meanwhile, check out some of the surprises …
3 Surprises About How Parenting Affects Your Brain Read More »

The 2Gen movement is being enlivened by a range of cutting-edge approaches to ending poverty so families can thrive: human-centered design, collective impact processes, even neurological research. So what makes the biggest difference? Dr. Raquel Hatter, Managing Director of Human Services at the Kresge Foundation, and the moderator for our first panel, believes it’s simple: …
Parents’ Perspectives Launch 2019 Aspen Forum on Children and Families Read More »