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Over a century ago, Andrew Carnegie wrote the “Gospel of Wealth,” challenging his wealthy peers to be generous with their largesse. Today, in his new book, Ford Foundation president Darren Walker writes that inequality far surpasses that which Carnegie witnessed, and argues that the widening chasm between haves and have-nots demands a new approach to philanthropy.
Art historian Sarah Lewis (Harvard University) and architect Michael Murphy (MASS Design Group) discuss the art and architecture of social justice in America. How do our artistic works create the fabric of national memory both cherished and shameful? How do our structures provide the framework of collective conscience? How does culture help us learn from history and inform...
Our juvenile justice system is too often overly punitive, inefficient, and outdated—especially given new findings about the immaturity of teen and young adult brains and the resulting behaviors. What should be the juvenile justice system’s goals? What are its most egregious failings? Where does it currently show the best results? How could it be better, and what are the mo...
How do we “read” a photograph? What is the relationship between art production, culture, and justice? And how can photography, which has been used to shape notions of racial identity since the 19th century, be repurposed to confront stereotypes and deconstruct myths in the age of mass image creation? Find out in this interactive session led by Sarah Lewis, whose Vision & J...
Since 1980, the number of people incarcerated in the United States has more than quadrupled; the nation now has the largest prison population in the world. The criminal justice system is not only inefficient, it is also ineffective. Reducing mass incarceration and reforming the criminal justice system is bringing together an unexpected and diverse coalition, including Repu...
Instances of wrongful convictions, misconduct by some prosecutors, public concern over mass incarceration, and evidence of racial bias in our justice system have appropriately focused attention on the actions and decisions by prosecutors, who wield unsurpassed power in our justice system. But some prosecutors are changing the role of the modern prosecutor, focusing on crim...
Sometimes the underdog prevails. Acting on principle, with sparse resources and limited support from regulators and legislators, a few determined individuals took on the industry behind the opioid epidemic and found a semblance of justice for those it had harmed. Although Purdue Pharma gained particular notoriety for its deceptive marketing strategies, it did not act alone...
How are the arts effective in correctional institutions and rehabilitation? And how can they act as a positive interceptor for at-risk youth before and after they may have entered the justice system? Join the director and a participant in Chicago’s Storycatchers Theatre, which has worked with at-risk youth for over 25 years, as they discuss the work of the arts in correcti...
If Black women bear the heaviest burdens of the maternal mortality crisis—they are 2.6 times more likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth—they are also the most determined to address it. Moving beyond grief and rage, their leadership is prioritizing culturally sensitive care, respect for best practices, and greater use of community-based models and licen...
Is the current chief justice of the United States a conservative activist, or a neutral umpire concerned first and foremost with preserving the institution of the Supreme Court? He may be a bit of both. An acclaimed recent biography, by a journalist who has known and observed Roberts for two decades, contends that Roberts is torn between two, often divergent, priorities: t...
Criminal justice reform has been a rare area of bipartisan agreement in recent years, with leaders from both sides of the aisle and a broad coalition of seemingly unlikely partners committed to fixing the system. However, recent federal action has reversed course on sentencing reform, which is seen by many as central to any meaningful change. What has to happen in 2018 and...
Bipartisanship is as rare a commodity in Washington as perhaps it has ever been. But as we look to transition from several decades of incarceration-focused criminal justice, Democrats and Republicans often find themselves on the same page. What are the driving values of each party’s proposals for reform? What priorities, ideas, and solutions are the bases for consensus—and...
The Aspen Challenge presents three high school teams from Dallas and one team from Philadelphia who developed innovative solutions to issues that have chronically impacted their communities. See these young change-makers take to the stage to prove that entrepreneurial community solutions can be created at any age. Learn how Emmett Conrad and Sunset High schools are fosteri...
Criminal justice reform is gaining momentum across the country in the hope of turning the page on the era of mass incarceration. But even the best possible laws must be carried out by humans. Implicit racial, religious, and gender biases, confirmation bias, tunnel vision, and myriad other human psychological foibles make objectivity all but impossible. Add to the mix the o...
Remarkable advances in health care technology have extended lives and eradicated diseases. But with commerce driving most health care innovations, many patients are being left behind. How do we foster progress that benefits everyone and reduces widening health care disparities? In four short, provocative talks, members of the Aspen Institute’s Health Innovators Fellowship...
With playgrounds that reach 150 degrees and “heat days” that force schools to close, it’s no surprise that 75% of teens have moderate to extreme climate anxiety. Young people have the right to thrive on a healthy planet, and adults have a responsibility to preserve this right. Explore how school systems are essential to advancing generational justice and enabling future ge...
From her national community policing tour to help improve the relationship between local law enforcement and communities they serve, to transgender rights, to her bold stances on criminal justice reform, Attorney General Loretta Lynch epitomizes the Obama administration's end-of-tenure posture of not shying away from tough issues. Join us for this very special hour with th...
This term, the Supreme Court will decide landmark cases involving partisan gerrymandering, the census, abortion, voting rights, and free speech. With Chief Justice John Roberts as the new swing vote, and Justice Brett Kavanagh’s first full year on the court, the justices will signal their views on issues ranging from the future of Roe v. Wade to their willingness to confro...
In the year plus since the murder of George Floyd and the global outcry for racial justice, much has changed in the world. And yet, systemic racism still casts its long shadow on many aspects of our lives. Join PayPal CEO Dan Schulman and Shartia Brantley to discuss the economic underpinnings of racial injustice and the investments that leaders across the ecosystem can mak...