Future Hindsight

Jennifer March is the Executive Director of the Citizen’s Committee for Children of New York. This non-profit and nonpartisan child advocacy organization combines public policy research and data analysis with citizen action. We discuss family homelessness, juvenile justice, and the power of effective advocacy.

Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke represents his hometown, El Paso, TX. Currently a Candidate for US Senate, he is running a people-powered campaign, visiting every single county in Texas and listening to the needs and concerns of the state's constituents. We talk about how to rebuild our democracy, the necessity of bipartisanship, and how big money corrodes our political process.

Rebuilding democracy from the ground up:

We need representatives who truly represent the people by directly engaging with and listening to their constituents. Removing the power of political action committees (PACs), special interests, and corporations is vital to getting our democracy back and making sure that elected government is responsive to the interests and concerns of human beings.

Work together and set aside differences:

Achieving bipartisan collaboration comes through putting the small differences, including parties, behind us. Compromise is key in being able to pass legislation that will benefit all Americans on issues as diverse as healthcare, the cost of higher education, and immigration.

Big Money corrodes our democracy:

Our representatives are not corruptible on the issues that they really care about, but they often vote along with special interests when they are not experts, and don't have a specific need to vote a certain way. It's these little decisions in the aggregate that create dysfunction and disconnect between Congress and the people.

Find out more: Beto O'Rourke is the US Representative for El Paso, TX, and is running for US Senate for Texas.

Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke represents his hometown, El Paso, TX. Currently a Candidate for US Senate, he is running a people-powered campaign, visiting every single county in Texas and listening to the needs and concerns of the state’s constituents. We talk about how to rebuild our democracy, the necessity of bipartisanship, and how big money corrodes our political process.

Ruth Milkman is a sociologist of labor and labor movements, and Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the CUNY Graduate Center and at the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies. We examine the role of unions for workers, the main factors of de-unionization, and the potential leadership by millennials in this space.

It's safer to speak up as a group:

The purpose of unions is to give workers a collective voice in relation to their employers. They also negotiate contracts and collective bargaining agreements, and promote and defend workers' concerns in the public and political spheres.

Factors that led to the decline of unionization:

Employer opposition is at the heart of the de-unionization. They have successfully mounted a series of direct attacks against them, such as double breasting in the construction industry. Two other big factors are the decline of manufacturing and deregulation.

The time to engage is now:

Many workers experience precarious labor conditions, such as in retail, where they often don't know their schedule from week to week and they don't know how many hours they will end up working. Teachers in non-union states are striking instead of collectively bargaining, which is more disruptive than organizing.

Find out more:

Ruth Milkman is a Sociology Professor at the CUNY Graduate Center and at the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies.

Ruth Milkman is a sociologist of labor and labor movements, and Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the CUNY Graduate Center and at the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies. We examine the role of unions for workers, the main factors of de-unionization, and the potential leadership by millennials in this space.

Robert Hammond is the executive director and co-founder of Friends of the High Line, which was the driving force behind turning an abandoned elevated railroad in New York City into a public park. We discuss the essential role of a city's public open spaces and how exhilarating it is to pursue your dreams.

Parks are at the intersection of social issues:

Parks have a role in our social issues from economic injustice to education and the environment. A city's true ingredient is people, and parks allow for the ultimate human experience of people watching, voyeurism, and interacting with others. All communities benefit from having safe, free, and open public spaces.

Get involved in your city:

Community board meetings are open to the public, and they always need people to get involved. They're only as good as the people who participate. Many opportunities exist to volunteer in your area of interest and expertise.

Go after your dreams:

Pursuing a crazy idea is freeing, fun, and exciting. Perseverance and skepticism are a part of this process. Even if your specific vision does not come true, there is still value in thinking, talking, and organizing around the issue of public open spaces.

Robert Hammond is the executive director and co-founder of Friends of the High Line, which was the driving force behind turning an abandoned elevated railroad in New York City into a public park. We discuss the essential role of a city’s public open spaces and how exhilarating it is to pursue your dreams.

Nick Ehrmann is the founder and president of Blue Engine, which was borne from the discovery that the strongest predictor of college completion is sustained academic rigor in high school coursework. The organization re-imagines the classroom in order to teach students how to master core academic skills and be truly ready for college.

Prepare for success

College readiness is defined by the ability to persist and complete degrees. We need to equip students with skills and habits of mind that allow them to have true choice at the cusp of adulthood, whether it is in college, a technical trade school, or the work force.

Proximity matters

Education systems need to be designed with the students at the center. Strong, integral, human relationships between educators and students are directly correlated with high levels of academic rigor and success.

Taking action can take many different forms

Get out of your space, fight stereotypes, and challenge your assumptions. Do something where you are informed, proximate, and engaged.

Nick Ehrmann is the president and founder of The Blue Engine.

Nick Ehrmann is the founder and president of Blue Engine, which was borne from the discovery that the strongest predictor of college completion is sustained academic rigor in high school coursework. The organization re-imagines the classroom in order to teach students how to master core academic skills and be truly ready for college.

Tyler Ruzich is a 17-year old Republican candidate for governor of Kansas, one of eight teens in the race this year. We discuss what it means to be a Republican of the next generation, why it's important to get involved now, and what young people can do to become more engaged.

Young people offer fresh perspectives:

We can make better decisions when we are well informed and more educated. Young people bring ideas and perspectives that may not have been considered before. They're eager to do something and bring authenticity to the table.

Evolve and Change:

Political parties need to shift along with cultural and societal changes. Addressing the issues that are important to young people – LGBTQ rights, gun control, education – is a way to prepare for the future.

Be Responsible, Get Involved:

Take charge, do good, and take accountability for yourself. Serve on a teen council and learn how governmental issues are addressed. Volunteer for a congressional, state, or local race in 2018 or 2020. The best person to fight for the issues that are important to you is you.

Find out more:

Learn about Tyler Ruzich's campaign for governor of Kansas at https://www.ruzichforgovernor.com/