Join us for the 2Gen Summit!

The 2Gen Summit is a virtual event series to spark community collaboration and accelerate opportunities for women and their families.

Join us for a closer look at 2Gen, the research-informed approach behind our philanthropy. Hear from experts and boots-on-the-ground community leaders about tools and strategies to help families thrive.

The 2Gen Summit is presented in partnership with the City of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation and Economic Development.

What to Expect

The 2Gen (two-generation) approach is positioned to break generational cycles of poverty and move entire communities forward by intentionally aligning services and policies to address the barriers facing women and their children together.

Attendees will learn ways to improve family success through a variety of areas including early childhood and postsecondary education, family-centered coaching, public policy, and responses to the current COVID-19 crisis.

The series will feature speakers from Ascend at the Aspen Institute, the leading expert on implementing successful 2Gen models across the country, The Prosperity Agenda, The National Center for Families Learning, and other 2Gen leaders.

All sessions are free. Registration is required to attend.

Event Lineup

2Gen and Responses to COVID

How do we care for ourselves while we care for others? COVID-19 is currently one of the most pressing issues affecting our collective work and lives. Sarah Haight, national 2Gen expert and Associate Director for Network and Outreach at Ascend at the Aspen Institute, will provide an overview of the two-generation approach and begin a conversation about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities. Dr. Nadia Richardson, Founder and Executive Director of No More Martyrs, will continue with a mental health perspective addressing the trauma experienced by those who work alongside vulnerable communities while facing new challenges.

Featured speakers:

• Sarah Haight, Associate Director for Network and Outreach, Ascend at the Aspen Institute
• Nadia Richardson, Founder and Executive Director, No More Martyrs

Tuesday, July 21, 2020, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Watch Session 1: 2Gen and Responses to COVID

2Gen and Family-Centered Coaching

Family-centered coaching is one of the leading best practices in two-generation strategies for disrupting generational poverty. In this session, after a basic overview of the two-generation approach, Franceria Moore, Learning Manager at The Prosperity Agenda, will lead a practical workshop on family-centered coaching and how it differs from traditional case management. Take a dive into the philosophy that begins with “changing the way we think about poverty.”

Featured speakers:

• Franceria Moore, Learning Manager, The Prosperity Agenda
• Christine McLain, Student Success Coach

Tuesday, July 28, 2020, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Watch Session 2: 2Gen and Family-Centered Coaching

2Gen and Postsecondary and Early Education

Education is one of the bedrocks of two-generation approaches. Josh Cramer, Executive Vice President of the National Center for Families Learning, will lead a discussion on why quality early childhood education is a key component of the two-generation approach and offer practical ways to incorporate it. David Croom, Assistant Director for Postsecondary Achievement and Innovation at Ascend at the Aspen Institute, will highlight how creating postsecondary pathways for adults in collaboration with early childhood education pathways exponentially increases family success.

Featured speakers:

• Josh Cramer, Executive Vice President, National Center for Families Learning
• David Croom, Assistant Director for Postsecondary Achievement and Innovation, Ascend at the Aspen Institute

Tuesday, August 11, 2020, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Watch Session 3: 2Gen and Postsecondary and Early Education

2Gen Policy

2Gen programs and initiatives can connect families to much-needed community resources, yet many families still encounter complex, systemic barriers that can’t be addressed by programs alone. This session will explore the intersection of 2Gen and public policy and highlight practical steps state leaders can take to increase family well-being and embed two-generation priorities in their policies and laws.

A panel of experts from women’s foundations across the country will discuss why their organization uses advocacy as a strategic tool for change, their recent 2Gen public policy wins, and how these efforts are building equity for women permanently. Panelists will join us from the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona, Texas Women’s Foundation, and The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Watch Session 4: 2Gen Policy

Questions? Contact Jacob L. Smith, Grants & Research Director at jsmith@womensfundbirmingham.org.