The American Dream Is Not About Hard Work, Right?

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The idea of giving poor people money goes against, like this very deeply entrenched american belief that the way that you make it is you work hard. "Success really is about either you have power and privilege cause you are born with it, or you get lucky and you become an exception," she says. 'If money is our kind of currency, i mean, literal currency for us to access things that are human rights, then every one should have it'

What do you think of when you hear the word “family?” For some, it’s feelings of love, belonging, support. For others, its estrangement, friction, and angst. Especially over these last few years. Which is why the notion of chosen family has become an increasing part of the conversation about who we surround ourselves with, how they make us feel, and how, together, we can expand the idea of family to create a bigger impact ripple in society.

This is one of the topics we dive into in today’s powerful Best Of conversation with Mia Birdsong. As the founding Co-Director of Family Story, Mia lifted up a new national story about what makes a good family, and as Vice President of the Family Independence Initiative, she leveraged the power of data and stories to illuminate and accelerate the initiative low-income families take to improve their lives. Mia is a Senior Fellow of the Economic Security Project, was an inaugural Ascend Fellow and faculty member with The Aspen Institute, a New American California Fellow, and Advocate-in-Residence with the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. In her book How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community, she examines community life, reimagines family and chosen family, and points us toward the promise of our collective vitality.

You can find Mia Birdsong at: Website | Instagram

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