Summertime, and the living is…engaging, enlightening, and full of ideas! We couldn’t be more excited about our summer schedule, which features Aspen Ideas: Health, the Aspen Ideas Festival, Aspen Security Forum, the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, and a whole host of events from Aspen Community Programs and the Society of Fellows.

Events like these are the lifeblood of the Aspen Institute, an organization founded seven decades ago with a gathering in that now-famous mountain town. Then, as now, we brought together artists, thinkers, business people, and policymakers to share ideas and find a better way forward for humanity. Though our mission has expanded and our message has spread around the globe, we still believe in the value of face-to-face interaction—and the incredible energy that arises when an open smile meets an open mind. We hope to see you in person soon!

Gitanjali Rao is a teenage inventor, aspiring scientist, and worldwide promoter of STEM. Prior to taking the stage at Aspen Ideas: Health later this month, she chatted with us about her work and how to encourage more kids to become interested in the sciences. Gitanjali says parents and teachers should let students know that even the youngest scientists can come up with transformative solutions.

For centuries, American Indian and Alaska Native peoples were excluded from wealth accumulation due to discrimination baked into government and private-sector policies. More than half of these populations are un- or under-banked, and access to capital is difficult. The Institute’s Financial Security Program and Center for Native American Youth teamed up with the Oklahoma Native Assets Coalition to discuss how to create solutions in partnership with Indigenous communities.

Workers play a shifting role in today’s economy. The last few months have seen employee walkouts and union wins at major corporations like Amazon and Starbucks. How should companies respond? Danielle Holly and Miguel Padró at the Business and Society Program believe it’s time to take a new position on worker voice, recognizing employees as valuable sources of knowledge and leadership.

Shortly after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, students spoke out about the looming threat of gun violence.

In the News

This week the College Excellence Program announced ten community college finalists for its 2023 Aspen Prize. The $1 million prize, awarded every other year since 2011, recognizes outstanding institutions selected from more than a thousand public community colleges nationwide. News of the finalists was shared by local media from Texas to California, and throughout the country.

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Summer Words

June 19-24

Join Aspen Words for an engaging series of craft talks featuring insights and inspiration as well as and a reading from Summer Words faculty. Summer Words is a six-day celebration of words, stories, and ideas held annually in Aspen, CO. Panel discussions and craft talks provide inspiration and insight for writers and readers alike. Plus, Aspen Words hosts its annual benefit dinner, Book Ball, on June 21.

Information Session: Aspen Leadership Seminars Design and Impact

June 22, 12:00-12:30 PM ET

Join Executive Director Todd Breyfogle for an information session on the Institute’s unique seminar design and why it’s so transformational for leaders. You’ll also learn how the seminar experience translates into various formats and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Practitioner Talks: Economic Mobility for Frontline Workers

June 15, 12:00-12:30 PM ET

Join the Business and Society Program and WorkRise as Neena Potenza, people and culture strategic initiatives manager at Ingka Group/IKEA shares insights on how IKEA is approaching job quality and worker voice for frontline retail workers. Potenza will be in conversation with Todd Greene, executive director of WorkRise.

Changing the Landscape of Early Childhood

June 15, 1:00-2:00 pm ET

Ascend will launch Towards a More Equitable Future: A Landscape Analysis of Early Childhood Leadership. Join the live webcast, which will look at what’s needed to build a vibrant, racially equitable, and effective early childhood field. Register to watch via Zoom or livestream it on LinkedIn.

July 27-30, 2022

Aspen Ideas Digital

For everyone. From anywhere.

Now you can experience some of the best of Aspen Ideas Festival 2022, even if you are not able to make it to Aspen. Our digital passes give you access to view a curated sample of the best in-person sessions and participate in live, virtual-only Q&A sessions with our distinguished speakers.

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