Richard Buery is the CEO of Robin Hood, New York City’s largest poverty fighting organization. It supports high-impact community organizations and partners with state and local governments to elevate New Yorkers out of poverty. In 2023 alone, Robin Hood invested $129 million in 200 carefully selected poverty fighting organizations. And New Yorkers need this support more than ever before. Robin Hood’s 2024 Poverty Tracker, released in February, found that nearly 500,000 more New Yorkers lived in poverty in 2022 than in the year prior. But Richard and his team don't see that statistic as a foregone conclusion. It is an urgent call to action to make New York better for all New Yorkers 

In this episode of DB|BD, Buery discusses the most pressing issues New York City is currently facing, including the migrant crisis and growth in post-pandemic poverty. He also shares why coalition building is the foundation of Robin Hood’s work and why the organization is investing in A.I. as a poverty fighting tool. 

Later in the episode we will hear from Cara Eckholm, a fellow at Cornell’s Urban Tech Hub. She’ll share her thoughts on why urban innovation must include technology and how A.I. fits into the urban renewal puzzle.

On this season of DB|BD, co-hosts Jessica Helfand and Ellen McGirt are observing equity by highlighting the “redesigners” — people who are addressing urgent problems by challenging big assumptions about how the world can and should work — and who it should work for. 

This season of DB|BD is powered by Deloitte. 

Visit our site for more on this episode and to view a transcript.

To learn more about Robin Hood, visit their website. 

Robinhood’s 2024 Poverty Tracker

Learn more about Robin Hood’s A.I. Challenge

To explore Daniella Zalcman’s photography, visit her website and revisit this 2019 DB|BD episode.

Women Photograph Database

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Episodes are produced by Design Observer’s editorial team. The views and opinions expressed by podcast speakers and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions of Deloitte or its personnel, nor does Deloitte advocate or endorse any individuals or entities featured on the episodes.