Frank discussion. Diverse views. Solutions that can move us forward. In our continued learning series that seeks to bridge divides and build solutions, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, in collaboration with American Enterprise Institute (AEI), will present Woven Together: What It Takes to End Poverty at 6 p.m. May 6, 2024, at Red Mountain Theatre, 1600 3rd Ave. S. in Birmingham. This robust discussion will feature two former members of the presidential administrations of Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump.
Two leaders in their fields, Kevin Corinth and Maurice Jones, will bring their considerable experience and knowledge to bear on the topic of poverty, its causes, and how communities can build paths to social mobility and economic opportunity. Ryan Hankins, executive director of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA), will moderate.
Kevin Corinth is a senior fellow and the deputy director of the Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility at the American Enterprise Institute, where he researches economic mobility, poverty, safety net programs, homelessness, social capital, and other issues. Before joining AEI, Corinth served as the staff director of the Joint Economic Committee in Congress and chief economist in the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers during the Trump administration.
Maurice Jones is founder and CEO of MJ Connects and the former CEO of OneTen, a coalition of companies dedicated to creating one million jobs for Black Americans by the end of the 2020s. Prior to OneTen, he was president and CEO of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national community development financial institution. He served as the Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the Obama administration and as the Virginia Secretary of Commerce in the cabinet of Governor Terry McAuliffe.
“Our Woven Together learning series encourages frank discourse so that as a community we can navigate diverse narratives about our most pressing issues,” says Christopher Nanni, President and CEO of The Community Foundation. “To create lasting change, we must first create opportunities for discussion and listening.”
The Community Foundation is sponsoring the event in partnership with the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington D.C.-based public policy think tank.
Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be available following the event.
Tickets for Woven Together: What It Takes to End Poverty are now available here. Seating is limited.
About The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham is a philanthropic organization committed to improving the quality of life in the Birmingham region by addressing community needs and supporting charitable organizations. The foundation supports initiatives aimed at addressing critical issues, fostering collaboration, and promoting systemic change in the community.
About the American Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) is a Washington D.C.-based public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. AEI’s scholars conduct independent research and develop innovative reform ideas to solve some of America’s greatest challenges, including leveraging the right tools in US trade policy; addressing the scourge of opioids in communities across the country; narrowing America’s skills gap; and thwarting transnational threats emanating from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.