Featured Events
Join us for our online discussion with Jay Van Bavel, co-author of The Power of Us.
Questions? Contact Steve Crabtree, scrabtree@braverangels.org; Bill Roos, broos@braverangels.org; Len Breslow, lbreslow@braverangels.org
See you there!
** This event is open to the media upon approval. Media contact: Ciaran O’Connor, ciaran@braverangels.org
Join us as we launch our Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better Jobs.
About this event
The COVID-19 pandemic produced widespread economic collapse, exposing and exacerbating many pre-existing challenges and barriers that low- and moderate-income workers face to achieve financial security and upward mobility.
In April 2020, unemployment rates peaked nationally at 14.8 percent. While overall reported trends indicate that unemployment caused by the pandemic is decreasing with a national reported U-3 unemployment rate of 4.1 percent (unemployed people actively seeking a job) in April 2022, this number does not paint a complete picture of the economic distress that some groups are experiencing. As of April 2022, the U-6 unemployment rate was 7.9 percent (discouraged, underemployed, and unemployed workers), and we continued to see disparate impacts in Black (7.3 percent) and Latino (4.9 percent) worker populations compared to White (3.6 percent) workers.
Furthermore, between February and March 2020, 11 million women lost their jobs compared to 9 million men and an additional 2.65 million women left the workforce due to caretaking demands or inability to find accommodating employment. Alarmingly, over two years later, the women’s workforce participation rate has not recovered and in fact has decreased even further, with an additional 275,000 women leaving the workforce in January 2022, placing the women’s workforce participation rate at 57 percent, a record low since 1988.
In response, Convergence is convening the Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better Jobs, which seeks to address why millions of job seekers – low- to moderate-income earners who are currently employed, under-employed, or long-term unemployed – are unable to access and navigate resources, tools, and opportunities to move into new, improved, and stable avenues of employment.
The Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better Jobs brings together a diverse and influential group of stakeholders representing workers, workforce trainers, policymakers, employers, and post-secondary education providers of all types. This collaborative problem-solving Dialogue is aimed at building trust and identifying and exploring areas of common ground to foster innovations that balance worker needs with those of employers.
Through this Dialogue, our goal is to find ways to better connect workers with appropriate opportunities to build their skills and qualifications, and to navigate the on- and off-ramps that will build economic mobility and financial security for their future. This work will build on two previous Convergence efforts in the area of economic mobility and security: Convergence Dialogue on Economic Mobility (also known as Working Up, 2018) and our project on Economic Recovery for America’s Workers (2020).
Join us for this virtual discussion featuring cross-sector experts on economic mobility and job training to publicly announce the launch of this Dialogue. The conversation will be moderated by Anita Chandramohan, Director, Convergence Dialogue on Pathways to Better Jobs.
We will be joined by Dr. Stephen Goldsmith, Derek Bok Professor of the Practice of Urban Policy and the Director of the Data-Smart Cities Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government; Dr. Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua, Professor of Engineering Program Director, Smart Manufacturing Technology Program, Ohlone College, Fremont, California and; Anson Green, Economic Opportunity, CSR, Tyson Foods.
Now, more than ever, we need to come together across political, ideological, sectoral, and other divides to advance short-, medium-, and long-term solutions on behalf of America’s workers and businesses and to safeguard against future detrimental and destabilizing events. We hope you’ll join our discussion.
Through two successful elections in rural red districts in Maine that few thought could be won by a Democrat, twentysomethings Chloe Maxmin (D-District 13) and campaign manager Canyon Woodward saw how the Democratic party has focused for too long on the interests of elite leaders and big donors, forcing the party to abandon the concerns of rural America.
Maxmin and Woodward are now barnstorming the country promoting their new book, Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends On It, with appearances on Real Time with Bill Maher and articles in the NY Times and The Nation.
On Tuesday May 24th at 3pm ET Open Primaries President John Opdycke will speak to Maxmin and Woodward about their new book and dive into the lessons they’ve learned from political organizing in rural America. They’ll explore not just how the political parties, but the political reform world as well can learn from them and how Maxmin successfully employed her brand of organizing to successfully pass open primaries in Maine as the lead sponsor of newly enacted legislation.
We’re honored to have these in demand leaders and authors on our program. Trust us-you won’t want to miss it!
Climate change and human impacts on the environment continue to capture headlines with increasing urgency. Despite ongoing debates about whether we’re facing a climate challenge or crisis, major industries now feel pressure to ramp up their environmental protection efforts. Yet it remains unclear if consumers understand what it will cost to really make a difference. Has this urgency changed the behaviors of individuals OR corporations? Should it?
Join American Public Square at Jewell for a program that explores the implications of climate policy on business and industry, and the role consumers play in larger efforts to address environmental concerns.
The event will be moderated by: Martin Rosenberg, energy and sustainability sector journalist and thought leader.
Distinguished panelists include:
Johnathan Arnold, principal – Arnold Development Group
Chuck Caisley, senior vice president of public affairs and chief customer officer – Evergy
James Taylor, president – The Heartland Institute
American Promise continues its series of conversations with top American leaders on May 25, 2022 at 8:00 PM ET. Join us for a conversation moderated by American Promise President Jeff Clements on why now is the time for the American people to seize the moment to connect around common ground and collaborate despite our differences to build a better republic and future for all Americans.
What to expect:
Learn about the progress of the nonpartisan Our Common Purpose Commission’s recommendations to save American democracy—including the For Our Freedom Amendment—over the past 24 months, and what’s coming ahead.
Hear about the inspiring vision and plans for the powerful, cross-sector Partnership for American Democracy (PFAD) group, just after its launch event, Elections: A More Perfect Union.
Get an insider look at Our Common Ground, a new book exploring why Trump voters and Biden voters have more in common than we may think, and how we can build on that common ground for transformation.
How to get involved:
RSVP for the virtual event on Zoom.
Invite your friends to join this important conversation.
Take action to build our common ground and work toward a better future for all Americans.
Featuring:
Danielle Allen, co-chair of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship;
Diana Aviv, CEO of Partnership for American Democracy (PFAD), a powerful group of political, civic, business, and philanthropy leaders;
and Diane Hessan, author and award-winning entrepreneur and innovator.
RSVP now for the May 25 event.
Join the National Strategy Call to protect our elections from authoritarian takeover.
Anti-democratic forces are trying to take control of elections so they can install the candidates of their choice, regardless of what voters want. Their plan is to barrage election officials with threats – from legal attacks to threats to their families to death threats – pressure them to resign, and undermine the integrity of our nonpartisan election process.
If authoritarians succeed, they can make it harder to vote, stop vote counts, or even refuse to certify the results of elections if they don’t like the outcome. But there’s a plan to fight back. With help from Americans all over the U.S., RepresentUs is launching a campaign to protect our elections from authoritarian takeover – and you can play a key role.
Join policy expert Marianne Drysdale and National Organizing Director Jenny Zimmer to learn the game plan for how we’ll save democracy together.
Here’s everything you need to know to join:
What: A strategy call to go through the ins and outs of the plan to protect our free and secure elections.
When: Thursday, May 26th at 8pm ET
Where: Right from your computer on Zoom!
RSVP to get all the info you need to join the event sent directly to your inbox!