The Aspen Institute✓

Economics 101, live from Tulsa. Recorded at #AspenIdeasEconomy, The Dispatch's Remnant podcast features host Jonah Goldberg in conversation with economist Douglas Holtz-Eakin about inflation, Social Security, the federal budget, and the policy choices shaping the nation's economic outlook. Listen:

Better health starts long before a visit to the doctor’s office. At #AspenIdeasEconomy, Dr. Jabraan Pasha, Canaan Duncan, and Dr. Kimberly Henderson explored how transportation, childcare, and healthy food can help communities like north Tulsa thrive. Read more:

The future of work. The cost of everyday life. The opportunities and challenges shaping the economy. At #AspenIdeasEconomy in Tulsa, Newsweek’s Leonardo Feldman spoke with business and education leaders about AI, affordability, and Americans’ perspectives on the economy ahead of the midterm elections. Hear what they had to say:

The future of American industry is taking shape in communities across the country, including northeastern Oklahoma. At #AspenIdeasEconomy, @tulsainnovation highlighted how advances in manufacturing, aerospace, and energy technology — alongside investments in workforce development — are creating new possibilities for regional growth and economic opportunity. See the story from News on 6:

70 million people. $4.4 trillion in economic output. Connections across 22 nations. In the Miami Herald, @AspenConexion Pilar Frank-O’Leary explores how bicultural talent can strengthen US competitiveness and expand global opportunity. Read more:

“I’d rather see journalists engaged with assessing where AI can truly add value, than not doing so, or feeling like they need to hide their AI use.” says Kevin Delaney in the latest edition of Signal and Trust from Aspen Digital. Few people are watching AI reshape both the news business and the wider world of work as closely as Delaney. A news veteran with a product mindset, he is editor in chief of the local news outlet The San Francisco Standard and co-founder of its sister publication, Charter. Delaney spoke with Aspen Digital about building a newsroom in technology’s backyard during the AI era and why the craft of reporting still matters most. Read the interview:

A chance encounter at the Aspen Ideas Festival helped bring “The Score” to Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. At the Festival, Brian Cox’s wife and co-star, Nicole Ansari-Cox, met Simon Godwin, the company’s artistic director and a 2023–24 Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence, and later approached him about staging the U.S. premiere. The production stars Cox as Johann Sebastian Bach and Ansari-Cox as Anna Magdalena Bach. “Cox delivers a towering performance,” The Washington Post writes. Read more here:

What’s next for sustainable business? As energy demand rises and affordability pressures grow, business leaders face a challenge: how to adapt without losing momentum. A new @AspenBizSociety report explores 7 shifts for moving forward, connecting sustainability with innovation, competitiveness, and long-term value. Explore the seven shifts:

Rural communities are home to 1 in 5 Americans, yet median rural household net worth is 24% below the national median. New research from @AspenFSP and @AspenCSG explores three strategies for expanding pathways to wealth building: investing, homeownership, and employee ownership. Lasting progress starts with solutions shaped by communities themselves. Read more:

What if people across the country read the same book and came together to explore what it means to truly see one another? This fall, join Weave’s BIG READ, a nationwide shared reading experience centered on David Brooks’ “How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.” From Oct. 1 to Nov. 5, participants will read, reflect, and connect through virtual events and Weaving Us, Weave’s free online community. The experience concludes with a nationwide celebration and special conversation with David Brooks on Nov. 5. Join the BIG READ:

Why is it so hard to lower health care costs without compromising access or quality? At #AspenIdeasHealth, leaders from across health care explored the tradeoffs, shared responsibilities, and opportunities for collaboration that could help make care more affordable and work better for patients. Listen:

More than 5,000 people die in workplace accidents every year, and millions more are injured, some never able to work again. As Matt Helmer, director of Job Quality and Worker Well-Being at the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, writes in The Hill, it’s time to make workplace safety a priority once again.

What can youth sports teach young people about life beyond the field? At the @AspenInstSports 2025 Project Play Summit, Michael Lewis explores the value of giving young people room to take risks, experience setbacks, recover, and try again. Watch:

Strong businesses depend on strong skills. Literacy, math, digital fluency, and communication can open pathways for workers while helping businesses adapt and grow. Chelsea Miller of Upskill America @AspenEOP explores what effective employer investment looks like. Read more:

What gives leaders the courage to act on their values? Eric Myers, First Movers Fellow @AspenBizSociety and Senior Director at Waste Management, reflects on finding your North Star, servant leadership, and turning conviction into change. Read more:

For families who rely on SNAP, stolen benefits can mean missed meals and added financial strain. A new pilot from @AspenFSP, JPMorgan Chase, and four states is exploring how technology can help protect EBT benefits before theft occurs. Read more:

Gen Z students are optimistic about the future. The key to helping them thrive? Human connection. @AspenRisingGen's Kaya Henderson joined @NBCNews to share how trusted adults can help young people recognize their strengths, find belonging, and feel ready for what’s next. Watch:

AI is advancing quickly. How can the public have a meaningful say in how it’s developed, used, and who benefits? B Cavello, Director of Emerging Technologies for @AspenDigital, spoke with @MotherJones about AI regulation, public ownership, and accountability. Read more:

How can public policy better balance immediate food security with long-term health outcomes? In a new op-ed for The Hill, Moises Arjona Jr, CEO of Unidos Contra La Diabetes and a 2026 Aspen Global Innovators Group Healthy Communities Fellow, draws on his lived experience to examine the link between food access, nutrition quality, and chronic disease prevention in local communities. “If we are serious about building a healthier future, we must address not just food access, but also food quality and nutrition education.” Read the full op-ed:

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