As the Aspen Institute marks its 75th anniversary, it offers an opportunity to reflect on the visionary ideals of our founders, Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke, who believed in the transformative power of ideas, leadership, and dialogue. Walter Paepcke’s early words ring true today, “The difficulty of our time is a difficulty of the human spirit.”  He suggested that our major societal challenges don’t just need technical fixes but require us to know and live our values and make morally sound decisions based on deep understanding of the human condition. What do these words and these times call for if we are to realize a free, just, and equitable society in which all can thrive?

In 2011, I had the great privilege of joining the Aspen Institute with a big idea that has served as my personal and professional North Star for decades. How can we create a world that sees, values, and prioritizes intergenerational family economic prosperity and well-being? That early vision has transformed into a powerful movement with more than 1,000 Partners, Parent Advisors, Fellows, funders, and staff — collectively serving more than 15 million families in all 50 states and growing globally.

At a time when progress and possibility feel threatened, Ascend finds the way forward by working differently. The 2Gen approach has shifted how our country thinks, acts, and invests to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. And it is wildly popular, with 73 percent of voters agreeing that if we want all children to enjoy early learning success, we must invest in their parents’ economic well-being.

Values-driven leadership is in demand. Eighty percent of all voters agree that if we want policies that work better for families, we need different leaders making decisions. At Ascend, we have a network of new-generation leaders who reflect the courage, resilience, and brilliance of our country.

Dynamic leaders in rapidly changing times are the opposite of go-it-alone know-it-alls. They instead seek to know more before they act. They challenge the status quo and collaborate with people who don’t see things the way they do and who value lived experience. Our 2024 Impact and Inspiration Report celebrates leaders forging close bonds with parents as partners to co-create new family-focused policies and practices. These leaders prioritize solutions and unity over the divisive mindset of “winning” and “losing.”

The call for change is in the air. The Ascend community is ready for action. As always, showing is more powerful than telling. I invite you to find inspiration and motivation in the stories highlighted in our 2024 report. The challenges ahead are real, but so is our capacity for leadership and innovation. Expertise comes from lived experience. Diversity is our strength. And meaningful change moves at the speed of trusted relationships.

To this day, I have yet to meet a family whose dream was for the best government program. Yet, I do know that all families want the best for their children and country. We know how to deliver that.

We are strong together. And together, let’s put the Aspen Leaf and Ascend magic to work to build the world that our children and families dream about and deserve.

 Anne Mosle

Vice President, The Aspen Institute
Founder and Executive Director, Ascend at the Aspen Institute
Co-Chair, Aspen Forum on Women and Girls