Andrew Yang Podcast How to Propel the Fight Against Poverty in America
Jul 14, 2025
In a compelling conversation, Jimmy Chen, the founder and CEO of Propel, shares his journey from a financially constrained immigrant background to creating a tech platform that aids over 5 million low-income Americans in navigating government benefits. He discusses how the Propel app simplifies access to food stamps and financial management. The dialogue addresses the urgent need for modernization within the American safety net and explores the impact of policy changes on families facing poverty, emphasizing the importance of user-centric technology and community engagement.
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Jimmy Chen's Humble Beginnings
- Jimmy Chen grew up in a financially tight immigrant household in Kansas City, different from Andrew Yang's background.
- His parents worked in restaurants and construction, shaping his early experience with poverty.
Two Internets Divide America
- The internet serves two kinds of users: those building tech and those struggling to meet basic needs.
- Tech innovations often miss low-income people who can't influence or build these tools themselves.
Pivot from Facebook to Poverty Tech
- Jimmy left Facebook to do a nonprofit fellowship in Brooklyn to research poverty tech solutions.
- He learned that navigating social safety net programs consumes significant time and energy for low-income families.
