Check-in and lunch begin at 12:30 p.m.
AÂ reception will follow the program and conclude at 5:15 p.m.
Wealth in the United States is more concentrated today than at any point in decades. Income covers daily needs, but wealth helps families weather shocks and pass security on to the next generation. That distinction may matter more as artificial intelligence and robotics change how we work, potentially shifting returns from wages toward those who own capital. Whether these technologies widen or narrow divides will depend on who owns and controls them, who holds economic power, where investments flow, and the policy choices we make, during the transition and after it.Â
Join the Urban Institute and Policies for Action for a hybrid event focusing on (1) raising the floor so every household has the material foundations for a dignified life and (2) sharing the gains so more people and places can build wealth. Researchers, practitioners, and policy analysts will weigh the evidence on wages, guaranteed income, baby bonds, employee ownership, tax reform, and community investment, with a focus on Black communities and others long shut out of growth. Many of these policies are about repairing past harms and about preparing for what comes next. Because income, wealth, and work shape health and well-being across the life course, these choices touch nearly every part of American life. The goal is not a playbook but a sharper understanding of an economic future still being written.Â
