berkeley and environs

[chris macrae]

he Blum Center for Developing Economies is UC Berkeley’s interdisciplinary hub for students, researchers, and scholars focusing on global poverty and inequality.

The Center enables interdisciplinary problem-solving in key areas such as energy, health, education, financial services, food, water, and sanitation — operating on the notion that a world-class public university must be a force for tackling society’s most urgent and important problems. Since its founding in 2006, the Blum Center’s mission has been to train people, source and support innovations, and develop scalable solutions.

The Blum Center has five initiatives:

  

BigIdeas@Berkeley: BigIdeas@Berkeley is one of the oldest and most international university-based student idea contests. In a rigorous, yearlong process, the contest provides funding, support, and mentoring to students seeking to have real-world impact in the areas of clean energy, global health, and food security, among other global challenges. Since 2005, Big Ideas has attracted over 5,000 student participants from more than 18 universities, and has launched dozens of companies, nonprofits, and social enterprises. Winning Big Ideas teams have gone on to secure more than $55 million in additional funding to support a wide variety of ventures with impact all over the world.

  

Social Innovator OnRamp Resources: The Social Innovator OnRamp helps students grow their ideas for social impact while they are still in school. The OnRamp course and its online resource guide are designed to bridge the gap between early stage ideation (from design classes, research, or competitions like Big Ideas) and off-campus implementation. The program supports graduate and undergraduate students from across campus with best practices, tools, and networks as they plan, grow, and evaluate their own social change projects and social startups.

  

Global Poverty & Practice Minor: Global Poverty & Practice (GPP) is one of the most popular academic minors at UC Berkeley. GPP trains undergraduates to critically analyze the history and sources of poverty and inequality, and prepares them to engage with poverty alleviation in communities all over the world. To date, more than 13,500 UC Berkeley students have taken GPP classes and have worked across the United States and in over 50 countries, graduating to join a new generation of innovators, social entrepreneurs, activists, and scholars.

  

Development Impact Lab: Founded in 2012 with a $20 million investment from USAID, the Blum Center’s Development Impact Lab (DIL) is a global consortium of researchers, nongovernmental organizations, and industry partners committed to advancing international development through science and technology. Today, more than 90 DIL innovations are being tested and scaled in 30 countries with partners in the private and nonprofit sectors.

  

Development Engineering: Development Engineering is an interdisciplinary training program launched in 2014 for UC Berkeley graduate students who aim to use technology to address the needs of people living in poverty. Development Engineering coursework prepares students in engineering, business, and the social sciences to create, pilot, and evaluate technological interventions and solutions for low-resource settings. The program is the first of its kind in the country.

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ABOUT

 

SPEAKERS

 

AGENDA

 

WEBCASTS

 

VENUE

 

SPONSORS

 

PAST MEETINGS

Agenda

* All times listed are Pacific Time

 Printable View

FRIDAY, APRIL 1ST SATURDAY, APRIL 2ND SUNDAY, APRIL 3RD

 

BREAKFAST

8:00 AM -

 8:45 AM

 

PLENARY SESSION

9:00 AM -

 10:00 AM

Stronger Together: Moving from Conflict to Cooperation

From the Charleston shootings and the spread of ISIL, to the ongoing discrimination against vulnerable groups, there is no shortage of reminders that the world must continue to address the ongoing risks of intolerance and extremism. While access to information is a powerful tool for combatting these threats, a true culture of inclusion requires more than information alone—even in our tech-focused, increasingly interconnected world. To truly achieve equality of opportunity for all individuals, it is critical that students also expose and speak out against discrimination and violence, and go beyond this by taking part in the challenging work of building networks of cooperation and trust. This session will explore how students, universities, and civil society can:

• Move beyond tolerance alone and begin the hard work of building cross-cultural alliances.
• Create proactive dialogue with historically underrepresented, marginalized, or insecure sectors of society.
• Launch effective and inclusive social movements that can harness online tools for tangible, offline impact.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Gianna Toboni, Correspondent and Producer, VICE on HBO 

PARTICIPANTS:

Obiageli Ezekwesili, Senior Economic Advisor, Africa Economic Development & Policy Initiative (AEDPI), Co-Convener, #BringBackOurGirls Movement 
John Lewis, Congressman, Georgia's 5th Congressional District Representative 
Abuzar Royesh, Founder, One Two Three Organization 
Maysoon Zayid, Comedian, Writer, Disability Advocate, New York Arab American Comedy Festival 

 

SKILL SESSIONS

10:30 AM -

 11:45 AM

Design Swarm: Session I

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

“Design swarming” is a collaborative problem-solving process during which small teams of CGI U students will address a relevant design challenge selected from one of CGI U’s five focus areas. In this session, students will work with experts in order to generate an innovative, compelling, and realistic set of tangible solutions. Participants will have an opportunity to address a design problem relevant to environment, health, and human rights issues.

No previous design experience is required, but attendance at both the morning and afternoon sessions is mandatory for all participants.

 

Monitoring and Evaluating Your Results

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

How can CGI U participants ensure that their commitments are achieving tangible progress and fulfilling their mission? Discussions will explore measurement and evaluation methods that can enhance the quality and effectiveness of commitments, enable attendees to identify potential design flaws, and build upon existing strategies to maximize outcomes and inform future efforts. This session is intended for students looking to use data to inform strategy and improve impact.

PARTICIPANTS:

Allison Duncan, Founder and CEO, Amplifier Strategies 
Jason Rissman, Managing Director, OpenIDEO, IDEO 

 

Raising Money for Your Commitment

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

How can CGI U students best access and leverage the funding opportunities and resources available to them? Participants will learn to navigate traditional, grant-based funding streams as well as maximize the benefits of online fundraising tools, social media, and other digital marketing platforms. This session is intended for students who want to hone their skills in pitch-making and establish enduring connections with potential funders.

PARTICIPANTS:

Breanna DiGiammarino, Senior Director Social Innovation, Indiegogo 
Kim Meredith, Executive Director, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society 

 

Strengthening Organizational Capacity

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

Limited personnel and organizational capacity can significantly reduce the ability of CGI U participants to carry out their commitments and bring them to scale. This session will introduce strategies for managing and building a staff, as well as recruiting, organizing, and retaining an engaged volunteer team. In addition, students will learn how to expand their reach and impact by identifying and securing partnerships with a wide range of campus and community partners.

PARTICIPANTS:

Eric Nonacs, Principal, Golden State 
Eliza Pesuit, Executive Director, Global Glimpse 

 

WORKING SESSIONS

10:30 AM -

 11:45 AM

Beyond Diversity: Inclusion and Empowerment on Campus

Peace and Human Rights

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

Recent campus protests have highlighted the urgent need to address racial inequality and injustice across American society. It is critical that universities move beyond a focus on diversity alone in order to build truly open and inclusive campuses. This requires a willingness to engage in honest, challenging discussions about race, privilege and identity, and a willingness to build tangible programs and enterprises as a result of those conversations. A growing social movement on campus and beyond is calling for urgent reforms and meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities in order to create an environment that is more inclusive and equitable. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Build an inclusive classroom environment that reflects a diversity of voices and opinions in its curriculum, faculty, and student body. 
• Develop effective recruitment and retention programs for African-American, Hispanic-American, and indigenous populations, both on campus and in the workforce.
• Address racial discrimination and inequities in schools, the workplace, and the criminal justice system. 

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Vanessa Camones, Chief Executive Officer, theMIX agency 

PARTICIPANTS:

Mike de la Rocha, Founder and CEO, Revolve Impact 
Reggie Harris, Director of Organizing , The Black Organizing Project 
Brittany Packnett, Executive Director, Teach for America, St. Louis 
Nick Tilsen, Executive Director, Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation 

 

Educating Refugees and Children in Crisis

Education

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

More than 40 million young people do not have access to formal education as a result of armed conflict and humanitarian crises around the world, and over 2 million children are currently out of school due to the Syrian refugee crisis alone. Education during these times is critical, not only to provide a sense of safety and normalcy to young people, but also to ensure that individuals in displaced communities are equipped with the tools and long-term solutions necessary to rebuild their lives. Concerted cooperation across sectors can prevent millions of children from becoming a lost generation. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Ensure that education is a fundamental part of effective humanitarian policy and response, with a focus on training high-quality teachers. 
• Establish a global emergency education financing mechanism. 
• Support refugee children through skilled volunteering, online distance learning programs, and the distribution of essential school materials.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Kate Jastram, Lecturer, Blum Center for Developing Economies, University of California at Berkeley 

PARTICIPANTS:

Maya Alkateb-Chami, Director, Jusoor 
Elias N. Bou Saab, Minister of Education and Higher Education, Lebanon 
Yad Faeq, Founder and Research Software Engineer, 4th n Town Engineering 

 

Expanding the Circular Economy

Environment and Climate Change

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

A circular economy offers the opportunity to disrupt the way we produce, consume, and reuse products, reducing both the extraction of raw materials and the waste that goes to landfill. These circular models are increasingly attractive to companies around the world and have the potential to generate a total of $1 trillion a year for the global economy by 2025. Furthermore, the departure from individual ownership models to shared economy solutions, such as carpooling and co-working spaces, can support a broader shift in consumption behaviors. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Leverage innovation in recycling technologies to enable production of high-quality, affordable, and sustainable products.
• Reduce our ecological footprint by sourcing materials in regenerative loops rather than linear flows.
• Maximize impact through sustainable design and biomimicry—studying nature’s models to address human-made challenges.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Adva Saldinger, Associate Editor, Devex 

PARTICIPANTS:

  
Kate Brandt, Lead for Sustainability, Google 
Lynelle Cameron, President and CEO, Autodesk Foundation and Senior Director, Autodesk Sustainability, Autodesk, Inc. 
Davida Herzl, Co-Founder and CEO, Aclima 
Beth Rattner, Executive Director, Biomimicry Institute 

 

From Mobiles to Drones: The Next Leapfrog Technologies

Poverty Alleviation

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

Over 1 billion people worldwide live more than two kilometers from a passable road. Without reliable transportation, many of the world’s poor lack a basic foundation for economic growth. However, just as mobile phones leapfrogged landlines, drones and other new technologies may allow us to overcome geographical barriers such as impassable roads, mountains, and rivers, and bring the tools for economic development to those living at the last mile. While the increased use of drones has raised public safety and security concerns, drones also have the potential to transport supplies and services—such as medicines, market goods, and broadband Internet—to some of the world’s hardest-to-reach regions. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Engineer safe and low-cost drones that can be built and repaired in the regions where they are needed most.
• Build off of successful mobile phone platforms and efforts to utilize drones, satellites, and lasers to deliver affordable internet services and ensure access to opportunity in remote parts of the world.
• Support and advance other new technologies that enable online learning and market expansion to last mile communities.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Dan Costa, Editor in Chief, PCMag.com, Ziff Davis 

PARTICIPANTS:

Alice Agogino, Roscoe and Elizabeth Hughes Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley 
Lauren Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer, BioCarbon Engineering 
Dava Newman, Deputy Administrator, NASA 
Paola Santana, Co-Founder, Matternet 

 

Mental Health Care: Fighting Stigma with Social Support

Public Health

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

CGI is partnering with Refinery29 to address the topic of mental health.

The number of young Americans affected by mental illness has increased 35-fold since 1990. Despite progress in the diagnosis and drug-based treatment of mental health disorders, more needs to be done to reduce the stigma of mental illness and strengthen the social support systems that are critical for effective treatment. While individuals in some cultures believe that mental illness is caused by supernatural forces, for others the subject is simply taboo, and these beliefs increase prejudice against those suffering with mental health problems. However, young people are leading the way in combating this stigma through self-expression and by strengthening support systems, and they are harnessing both social media and offline networks as powerful tools to share their own struggles and destigmatize mental health issues. In this session moderated by Refinery29 Health and Wellness Director, Anna Maltby, panelists, students, and civil society stakeholders will explore how to:

• Understand and reduce stigma associated with mental illnesses around the world. 
• Develop programs to increase access to mental health care on college campuses.
• Expand effective social media platforms and social support systems for mental health challenges.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Anna Maltby, Director of Health and Wellness, Refinery29 

PARTICIPANTS:

Khaliya, Co-Founder, Falkora 
Lauren Carson, Founder and Executive Director, Black Girls Smile Inc. 
Kimberly Wayne, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Seneca Family of Agencies 

 

OFFICE HOURS

12:15 PM -

 1:00 PM

Office Hours with Select Program Participants

Office hours allow attendees to directly connect with program participants and special guests, who share their personal stories or elaborate on comments made during the panel discussions. Attendees can also share their own questions and thoughts, and seek specific advice on commitments.

PARTICIPANTS:

Breanna DiGiammarino, Senior Director Social Innovation, Indiegogo 
Kim Meredith, Executive Director, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society 
Craig Minassian, Chief Communications Officer, The Clinton Foundation 
Eric Nonacs, Principal, Golden State 
Dan Osheyack, Chief Marketing Officer, Clinton Global Initiative 
Beverly Watson, Chief Operating Officer, XQ Institute 
Maysoon Zayid, Comedian, Writer, Disability Advocate, New York Arab American Comedy Festival 

 

NETWORKING EVENT

12:15 PM -

 1:30 PM

Lunch

 

OFFICE HOURS

1:00 PM -

 1:45 PM

Office Hours with Select Program Participants

Office hours allow attendees to directly connect with program participants and special guests, who share their personal stories or elaborate on comments made during the panel discussions. Attendees can also share their own questions and thoughts, and seek specific advice on commitments.

PARTICIPANTS:

Alice Agogino, Roscoe and Elizabeth Hughes Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley 
Kate Brandt, Lead for Sustainability, Google 
Cady Coleman, NASA Astronaut, NASA Office of the Chief Technologist 
Ashley Collier, Community Manager, MasterCard Foundation 
Haben Girma, Staff Attorney, Disability Rights Advocates 
Jenny Norton, Social Justice Minister, Ramsey Social Justice Foundation 
Adam Smith, Executive Director, Global Communications, Public Affairs & Social Impact , Laureate International Universities 

 

PLENARY SESSION

2:00 PM -

 3:15 PM

Beyond Good Intentions: Designing for Unintended Consequences

Even the most seemingly well-designed initiatives can have unforeseen outcomes, despite experts in nearly every sector working to identify these scenarios in their own work. A campus ban of bottled water can result in increased soda sales on campus. Anti-malaria nets that are used for fishing can deplete regional fish stocks. These examples illustrate that any new project is entered into a system of highly complex processes that encompass intricate social and economic dynamics. By taking into account some of the intended—and unintended—consequences of a proposed solution, the opportunity to create greater sustainable, long-term impact can emerge. This session will explore how student innovators and advocates can:

• Gain extensive knowledge of projects’ target populations and local economies before developing solutions in close collaboration with them. 
• Address the root causes of issues rather than immediate symptoms.
• Ensure solutions have the necessary infrastructure and buy-in to be effectively adopted.
• Invest early in evidence-based methodologies while having the humility to change course if unintended consequences emerge.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation 

PARTICIPANTS:

Mohamed Barrie, Co-founder and Chief Strategic Officer, Wellbody Alliance 
Catlin Powers, Co-Founder and CEO , One Earth Designs 
Premal Shah, Co-Founder and President, Kiva.org 
Rajiv Shah, Distinguished Fellow, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service 
Laura Tyson, Professor, UC Berkeley - Haas School of Business & Blum Center for Developing Economies 

 

SKILL SESSIONS

3:45 PM -

 5:00 PM

Design Swarm: Session II

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

“Design swarming” is a collaborative problem-solving process during which small teams of CGI U students will address a relevant design challenge selected from one of CGI U’s five focus areas. In this session, students will work with experts in order to generate an innovative, compelling, and realistic set of tangible solutions. Participants will have an opportunity to address a design problem relevant to environment, health, and human rights issues.

No previous design experience is required, but attendance at both the morning and afternoon sessions is mandatory for all participants.

 

Monitoring and Evaluating Your Results

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

How can CGI U participants ensure that their commitments are achieving tangible progress and fulfilling their mission? Discussions will explore measurement and evaluation methods that can enhance the quality and effectiveness of commitments, enable attendees to identify potential design flaws, and build upon existing strategies to maximize outcomes and inform future efforts. This session is intended for students looking to use data to inform strategy and improve impact.

PARTICIPANTS:

Ruchira Gupta, Founder, Apne Aap Women Worldwide 
Heather Lofthouse, Director of Special Projects, Blum Center for Developing Economies, UC Berkeley 

 

Raising Money for Your Commitment

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

How can CGI U students best access and leverage the funding opportunities and resources available to them? Participants will learn to navigate traditional, grant-based funding streams as well as maximize the benefits of online fundraising tools, social media, and other digital marketing platforms. This session is intended for students who want to hone their skills in pitch-making and establish enduring connections with potential funders.

PARTICIPANTS:

Christopher Ategeka, Founder and CEO, Rides for Lives 
Jim Bildner, Chief Executive Officer, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation 
Steph Cordes, Vice Chair, Cordes Foundation 
Eric Stephenson, Portfolio Director, Cordes Foundation 

 

Strengthening Organizational Capacity

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

Limited personnel and organizational capacity can significantly reduce the ability of CGI U participants to carry out their commitments and bring them to scale. This session will introduce strategies for managing and building a staff, as well as recruiting, organizing, and retaining an engaged volunteer team. In addition, students will learn how to expand their reach and impact by identifying and securing partnerships with a wide range of campus and community partners.

PARTICIPANTS:

Ann Marie Burgoyne, Managing Director, Social Innovation, Emerson Collective 
Premal Shah, Co-Founder and President, Kiva.org 

 

WORKING SESSIONS

3:45 PM -

 5:00 PM

Big Data and Human Rights in the Digital Age

Peace and Human Rights

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

Ninety percent of the world’s data has been created in the last two years alone, and by 2020, this data is expected to grow to 44 trillion gigabytes. While big data is often used for e-commerce, search engines, and marketing campaigns, large data sets can also serve as powerful tools for social impact. Human rights activists can use mobile devices, cameras, and a wide range of technologies to gather critical data to monitor human trafficking, reduce electoral fraud, and even anticipate conflict. Yet these campaigns can require significant resources and infrastructure. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Harness affordable, user-friendly data-gathering and analysis tools to democratize the growing field of information activism.
• Utilize artificial intelligence, drones, and sentiment analysis to verify data, detect early warning signs, and prevent and respond to a wide range of humanitarian crises.
• Analyze data from social media, text messages, and satellite imagery to create digital crisis maps that reflect real-time situations on the ground.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Laura Ling, Director of Development & Host, Discovery Digital Networks’ Seeker 

PARTICIPANTS:

Betsy Beaumon, President, Benetech 
Ann Mei Chang, Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Director, U.S. Global Development Lab, USAID 
Emily Jacobi, Founder and Executive Director, Digital Democracy 
Jennifer Lynch, Senior Staff Attorney, Electronic Fronteir Foundation 

 

Investing in a Food Secure Future

Environment and Climate Change

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

More than 800 million people around the world suffer from chronic hunger, and billions more suffer from malnutrition. At the same time, one-third of all food produced worldwide, worth approximately $1 trillion per year, is lost or wasted. The global food system is increasingly vulnerable to climate change, as instability in soil temperature and moisture levels adversely affect crops. Empowering farmers to increase yields on nutrient-rich foods and decrease their ecological footprint will not only reduce hunger, but alleviate poverty by creating new jobs and long-term economic growth. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Develop innovative financing models for small agribusinesses that can mitigate risk for local banks, investors, and smallholder farmers.
• Reduce raw material, water, and energy inputs in the production process and food waste in the consumption cycle.
• Equip women with the tools and resources necessary to become active financial stakeholders and ecological stewards within the agricultural economy.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Tom Kalil, Deputy Director for Technology and Innovation, The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy 

PARTICIPANTS:

Kanchan Amatya, Founder, Sustainable Aquaculture and Microfinance Initiative 
Carl Anthony, Co-Founder, Breakthrough Communities 
Paloma Pavel, Co-Founder, Breakthrough Communities 
Alejandro Velez, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Back to the Roots 

 

Lessons from Ebola: Investing in Responsive Health Systems

Public Health

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

West Africa is recovering from the worst Ebola epidemic ever recorded, with nearly 30,000 confirmed cases and more than 11,500 deaths. Women were particularly affected by the outbreak, with United Nations sources in Liberia estimating that 75 percent of the Ebola fatalities there were women. While largely contained to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Ebola sparked a widespread public health emergency and exposed dangerous gaps in global health priorities, systems, and governance. In particular, the epidemic highlighted the need for more substantial investment in the foundations of health systems, including human resources, surveillance, infrastructure, and community outreach. The hardest hit countries are now focused on rebuilding health systems to be nimble and accountable, and are sharing lessons that can help prevent future epidemics. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Support the restoration of the health systems and economies of Ebola-affected countries through the work of non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academia, and social justice advocates. 
• Strengthen the essential role of women in rebuilding, sharing knowledge, and enhancing care in the aftermath of epidemics.
• Influence the priorities of humanitarian and global health communities to invest more in prevention systems and be more responsive to the needs of vulnerable countries.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Amy Lockwood, Chief of Staff, University of California, San Francisco, Global Health Sciences 

PARTICIPANTS:

Mohamed Barrie, Co-founder and Chief Strategic Officer, Wellbody Alliance 
Kassia Echavarri-Queen, Board of Directors, Doctors Without Borders 
Dan Hymowitz, Acting Director of Development and External Relations, Africa Governance Initiative 

 

Reinventing High School: How Young People Can Transform Public Education

Education

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

A Michigan State University study found that the skills employers seek most in their future workforce are leadership, communication, and creative problem solving; yet the current high school and college education systems are rooted in the workforce needs of the Industrial Revolution. Students themselves recognize this skills gap, and they are pushing the boundaries of an outdated public school system through youth-driven campaigns and organizing efforts. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Support student and youth-led education reform through organizing forward-looking strategies and action. 
• Engage students and youth to become active and direct participants who design and have agency over their learning and skills development. 
• Brainstorm tangible and practical ideas for empowering students and improving high schools in order to close the skills gap so that students graduate prepared to succeed.

REMARKS:

Linda Murray, Strategic Advisor, XQ Institute 

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Marlene Castro, Manager of Student and Community Strategy and Relations, XQ Institute 

PARTICIPANTS:

Courtney Brousseau, Student, University of California, Berkeley 
Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca, Founder and CEO, DREAMers RoadMap 
Carin Watson, EVP of Learning and Innovation, Singularity University 

 

The Gentrification Debate

Poverty Alleviation

SESSION FEATURES:  SNACKS AVAILABLE

From Mexico City to Beijing, gentrification is transforming and often displacing low-income, vulnerable communities as wealthier residents and businesses move to “up-and-coming” neighborhoods. In the United States, gentrification has more than doubled in the past 15 years, with 1 in 5 lower-income neighborhoods now affected nationally. Median rents have tripled in the last 20 years in San Francisco, with evictions of low-income tenants increasing by 55 percent in the last 5 years. In Luanda, Angola—where more than two-thirds of the city’s residents live on less than $2 a day—luxury one-bedroom apartments rent for as much as $10,000 per month. Yet gentrification, which brings new capital and consumer demand to affected neighborhoods, can create job opportunities for low-income residents if they can remain participants in the local economy. In this session, panelists and CGI U commitment-makers will explore how to:

• Enable low-income residents to access emerging job and entrepreneurship opportunities.
• Advocate for diversity and inclusiveness in affected neighborhoods while increasing access to legal services surrounding tenants’ rights.
• Support grassroots organizations that are working to prevent evictions and preserve long-term affordable housing.

Panel Discussion:

MODERATOR:

Olis Simmons, President & CEO, Youth UpRising 

PARTICIPANTS:

Sebastian Albuja, Senior Program Manager, American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative 
Abdirashid Hashi, Executive Director, Heritage Institute for Policy Studies (HIPS) 
Doniece Sandoval, Founder and CEO, Lava Mae