Wes Moore - All Hands-on Deck: Understanding the Role of Business, Philanthropy, and Government in Creating Economic Justice

SEMINAR SERIES

All Hands-on Deck: Understanding the Role of Business, Philanthropy, and Government in Creating Economic Justice

Poverty is sticking, and often intergenerational and predictable. In this seminar, Wes will examine the root causes of poverty; challenge the persistent and dominant narratives about people living in poverty; and study the effects of systemic racism on poverty. In doing so, we will understand that there’s no quick fix to creating economic mobility; instead it will take an intentional and intersectional effort to move individuals into sustainable economic opportunities. Join us as we identify specific and immediate actions that business leaders, philanthropists, and policymakers can take to make poverty history.

Dates & Times
- Tuesday, February 2 at 5:30 p.m. (ET)
- Tuesday, February 16 at 5:30 p.m. (ET)
- Tuesday, March 2 at 5:30 p.m. (ET)
- Thursday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m. (ET)
- Tuesday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. (ET)

About Wes Moore

Wes Moore is the CEO of Robin Hood, one of the largest anti-poverty forces in the nation. He is a bestselling author, a combat veteran, and a social entrepreneur.

Wes’ first book, “The Other Wes Moore,” a perennial New York Times bestseller, captured the nation’s attention on the fine line between success and failure in our communities and in ourselves. That story has been optioned by executive producer Oprah Winfrey and HBO to be made into a movie. He is also the author of the bestselling books “The Work,” “Discovering Wes Moore,” and “This Way Home.”

Wes grew up in Baltimore and the Bronx, where he was raised by a single mom. Despite childhood challenges, he graduated Phi Theta Kappa from Valley Forge Military College in 1998 and Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University in 2001. He earned an MLitt in International Relations from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar in 2004. Wes then served as a captain and paratrooper with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne, including a combat deployment to Afghanistan. He later served as a White House Fellow to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Before becoming CEO at Robin Hood, Wes was the founder and CEO at BridgeEdU, an innovative tech platform addressing the college completion and job placement crisis. BridgeEdU reinvents freshman year for underserved students. Wes remains chairman of the board of directors at BridgeEDU. He has also worked in finance as an investment banker with Deutsche Bank in London and with Citigroup in New York.

Wes’ proudest accomplishments are his two children with his wife Dawn.

Seminar Details

- February 2, 5:30-6:30pm ET

Starting with Truth

In order to create economic justice, we must first be willing to understand our own complicity in upholding systems that lead to economic disparities among various groups. In this seminar, we will invite world renown experts in truth and reconciliation and poverty historians to discuss our origins and the path forward.

- February 16, 5:30-6:30pm ET

Leveraging the Levers of Government to Create Sustainable Economic Opportunities

Government, whether local, state, and federal, must take the lead role in addressing a legacy of uneven public policies that have left too many chronically impoverished and too many families with miserly apportioned pathways. We will discuss what an equity base policy lens looks like when it comes to addressing issues of economic disparities.

- March 2, 5:30-6:30pm ET

Pushing Philanthropy Out of Its Comfort Zone

Some believe that philanthropy can serve as risk capital, funding needle-moving and innovative ideas and projects around economic mobility. Others believe that philanthropy serves as a tax code supported feel good effort. This seminar will take an honest look at the history of philanthropy and its role in creating a more equitable society.

- March 25, 5:30-6:30pm ET

The Business Case for Economic Mobility

In this seminar, we will make the case for promoting and advocating for economic justice as a business imperative. In this seminar, we will discuss the concept of “conscious capitalism” and whether such an idea lives in our current environment.

- March 30, 5:30-6:30pm ET

Changing the Narrative Around People Experiencing Poverty

In our last seminar, we will highlight the importance of first changing narratives in order to change realities. We will discuss how storytelling has been a key component to social movements and which stories we need to highlight going forward.