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Celebrated writer and social commentator David Brooks will speak about America’s crisis of connection and the need to weave a new, inclusive social fabric at the 2023 Visiting SAGE. Brooks will spotlight how we can all help shift our culture to value deep relationships and community success over a narrow focus on personal achievement.
At this special event, Brooks will also talk with two speakers from Weave: The Social Fabric Project, which he founded at the Aspen Institute in 2018. Brooks will be joined by Frederick Riley, originally from Saginaw, Michigan and Dr. S. Renee Mitchell from Portland, Oregon. Together, these leaders are showing what it means to weave community in our schools, our workplaces and in other parts of life. Brooks, Riley, and Mitchell will share stories and insights on how we can better know each other, trust each other, and break down barriers between us.
“Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so.” – David Brooks
About David Brooks
David Brooks is one of the nation’s leading writers and commentators. He is a columnist for The New York Times and appears regularly on PBS NewsHour and Meet the Press.
He is the bestselling author of multiple books and a profound observer of the American way of life and domestic and foreign affairs.
Mr. Brooks also teaches at Yale University, he is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Chair of the Aspen Institute’s Weave project.
About Frederick Riley, Saginaw, Michigan
Frederick Riley’s hometown was once voted one of the most miserable places to live in the U.S. His childhood memories include food insecurity, evictions, and poverty. Yet there were always people at home, school, church and in the neighborhood who showed him strength and love.
His life was woven together by those people and, for him, is a testament to the power of community.He spent much of his career lifting up young adults through community programs at YMCAs around the country.
Now he leads the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project, which connects and supports the people building trust within their communities and weaving a strong, inclusive social fabric.
About Dr. S. Renee Mitchell, Portland, Oregon
After a career as a reporter and later as an award-winning columnist for The Oregonian newspaper, Dr. S. Renee Mitchell quit journalism to focus on her art, which she says saved her life and reconnected her to her purpose.
“I have survived poverty, depression, sexual assault, domestic violence, racial trauma, bullying and other heartbreaks. However, each time I create art, I move further away from the pain that at one point made me think about ending my life.”
She later became a teacher and founded I Am M.O.R.E. (Making Ourselves Resilient Everyday) to help students, community members, and teachers heal from trauma through profound love, art, and skill building.
Event Details
- September 27, 2023
- Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
- Event starts at 6:30 p.m.
- Post Event Reception for Special Admission ticket holders at 8:00 p.m.
- First Congregational Church, 1126 SW Park Ave, Portland, Oregon
Admission
- General Admission Ticket: $25 per person (limited number remaining)
- Due to significant demand, we are also now offering a $10 Simulcast Ticket so you can view the event online. People who purchase a Simulcast Ticket will receive via email a link and password to view the simulcast at the same time as the in-person event.
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor
Thanks to our Additional Sponsors
Thanks to our Promotional Partners
