Dear friends,
Bringing in diverse voices on a variety of policy issues is an important way to deepen our understanding and expertise. Over the past two weeks alone, we’ve hosted former NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio about smart cities and artificial intelligence, CNN’s Jake Tapper for our continuing series Democracy in Crisis: Views from the Press, Lourdes Rivera on pregnancy justice as our 2023 Omenn-Darling Health Policy Lecture, and acclaimed poet Airea D. Matthews (MPA ‘15), who discussed her latest work at an event hosted by the Center for Racial Justice.
I hope you browse our video library or join us for one of our upcoming events.
In this edition of The Briefing, we share stories about our community improving public policy: student internships with elected officials; Poverty Solutions’ partnership to launch Rx Kids, the first city-wide program that provides cash payments to expectant mothers; and Kevin Stange’s economist-in-residence stint at the U.S. Department of Education. We also share some outstanding new books from our faculty, including Charlotte Cavaillé’s new book, Fair Enough?: Support for Redistribution in the Age of Inequality and Robert Axelrod’s autobiography, A Passion for Cooperation: Adventures of a Wide-Ranging Scientist.
I am also excited to share that the Ford School opened applications for the Master of Public Affairs program. This terrific 9-month, residential degree program gives seasoned policy professionals–those with at least 5 years of policy-relevant experience–the opportunity to advance their analytic, communication, and leadership skills in coursework with our world class faculty. If you have colleagues who are looking for a boost in their skills, please encourage them to consider joining the Ford School’s powerful network!
Warmly,
Celeste Watkins-Hayes
Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Director, Center for Racial Justice
Jean E. Fairfax Collegiate Professor of Public Policy
University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor
Professor of Sociology
Research and Community Impact Fellow, Anti-Racism Collaborative