Ascend Convenings

We are thrilled to have Erica Smiley and Sarita Gupta join us for a timely discussion about their book, The Future We Need: Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century. Weaving together stories of real working people, the pair...

Do you work at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) or Tribal Colleges and University (TCU) committed to supporting the success of student parents? Ascend at the Aspen Institute’s Black and Native Family Futures Fund is a new...

Do you work at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) or Tribal Colleges and University (TCU) committed to supporting the success of student parents? Ascend at the Aspen Institute’s Black and Native Family Futures Fund is a new...

Many places we look, we are stuck. Stuck in old ways and old thinking. We are burdened by zero-sum thinking and surrounded by the word ‘can’t.’ Our best way to get unstuck is to follow and stand with visionary leaders that don’t get...

For over a decade, Ascend at the Aspen Institute has lifted up parents’ voices and experiences to inform bold solutions for economic mobility in the United States. How does lived expertise influence the way programs and policies are created? What...

From San Antonio to Boston and from Los Angeles to Cincinnati and thousands of communities between, the Power of Place is about unearthing collective purpose and capital. Hear from visionaries who zero in on historical traumas to rebuild trust and a...