Aspen Global Leadership Network

I spent the past week in Aspen, Colorado, after being invited to attend the Resnick Aspen Action Forum at the Aspen Institute. This experience was transformative at a time when our country and our world can often feel divided. The guiding question of the forum was: “What defines our humanity in this moment—and what does humanistic leadership demand in the era ahead?” My answer is this: our shared humanity is found in our love for one another, our shared struggles, and the values that connect us far more than the labels that divide us. I had the privilege of learning alongside leaders from Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Guatemala, Colombia, across Africa, South Carolina, Kentucky, and so many other places. I listened to stories of people building schools in Ukraine during war, parents turning unimaginable personal loss into purpose after losing a child to cyberbullying, and leaders working to bring people together in moments of deep political uncertainty, regardless of party or ideology. One moment that will stay with me was our Generations Over Dinner conversation. Around one table sat people from different generations, backgrounds, professions, and perspectives. We created a space where listening was more important than speaking. We weren’t trying to win an argument or convince one another, we were trying to understand one another. That conversation reminded me that empathy begins when we choose curiosity over certainty. The more stories I heard, the more I realized that while our languages, cultures, and ZIP codes may differ, the things we care about are remarkably similar. We all want dignity. We all want opportunity. We all want a better future for the people we love. I leave Aspen deeply grateful, challenged, and inspired. Leadership is not only about the positions we hold, but about how we choose to show up for one another in our communities and in the world. The work continues.

Last week, I attended the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, with hundreds of leaders from around the world to discuss what defines our #humanity in this moment. Far from philosophical musing, I was struck by how critical it is to pause on this question to determine the course of our actions, as leaders, parents, family and community members. Under a little dome in the middle of Nature, I discussed with fellow attendees what are the consequences of being "right" or "certain" about our positions. I questioned what I have been trained to believe in and pondered with others what stands in the way of my own agency. I engaged in a conversation about where my need for "permission" comes from, and how lack of permission can be an excuse to not take action. And I was called to dream, to have courage and to give others "permission to speak in first draft" (I love that metaphor). Like the logo of the event, I feel this gathering was the stone that hits the water and creates ever expanding ripples. And the gift of being in Nature, including that hummingbird that visited the last day, was so needed to restart my brain. Congratulations and a big thanks to Dar Vanderbeck, Tyler Penfield and the entire Aspen Global Leadership Network team for an amazing event. #AspenAction

I did not know what to expect coming to the 2026 Resnick Aspen Action Forum. And nothing prepared me for the genuine openness and excitement with which my team and I from Your Attention Please were welcomed into the The Aspen Institute community. A day in, I realized with surprise that I barely knew what anyone I had spoken to did for a living. Here in Aspen, sharing the experiences we had as fellow humans became more important than how we defined ourselves around the narrow metrics of job descriptions and career successes. This was both exciting and intimidating. The programming challenged us to interrogate our inner self, who we strive to be, and what is getting in the way. Kesha taught me that songwriting can be a collective art, and—with a nod to Rick Rubin—that embracing my unique form of crazy is the starting point. The young leaders who attended reminded me of the power to be daring and speak a bold and vulnerable truth. And how it can free the elders in the room to find it in their hearts to open up. There was hunger for action. Both in the programming choices—the Samurai workshop was by far the most sought after!—and in the discussions. One theme emerged time and again: Concern about the growing forces of dehumanization. Whether through war, surveillance, AI, or the erosion of human presence—these aren't abstract threats discussed in theory. They're what families experience daily. And they're what Your Attention Please documents in real time. There was a shared feeling that the very essence of what makes us human is increasingly under threat. It was a particular honor to contribute to this conversation alongside Kristin Bride, who together with Lori Schott, M.S. and Marlon Peterson spoke on the closing plenary about finding courage and moral clarity when life thrusts you into unbearable circumstances. Her vulnerability and strength in that room, and in the film, embodies what Aspen was asking all of us: How do we show up when the old maps no longer work? Many connections were forged with educators, policymakers, and advocates committed to rebuilding a more human-centered world. Plans were made to deepen this conversation beyond Aspen. But most of all, the film struck an emotional chord across generations and cultures, a humbling and heartening experience. Thank you to Dar Vanderbeck and Philip Javellana for having us. To Tyler Penfield, Charlotte Lewis and Nikki Lohr for taking care of us every step of the way. To Sejal S. and Richard Phillips for their kind and thoughtful moderation in our seminar. And to Kristin Bride and Lori Schott, M.S. for their courage and perseverance. 

“The mountains are calling and I must go.” I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got the call to head to The Aspen Institute . After a week in the mountains, I now understand. A necessary disruption from the mundane, a place where going deep is commonplace and tears are welcomed. I can only summarize my week in quotes from my lovely session mates and fellows: “We’re in your face, but we’re on your side.” “Let’s not think about being right. Let’s think about being just.” “Lean into the triggers.” “History teaches us we need to question past assumptions.” “Nonprofit is a sector that absorbs the pitfalls of capitalism.” “Tension held well can be generative.” “I’ll never be ready, but I’m going.” Until we and the mountains meet, do good and be well.

“I use AI for mental health because even though I see a therapist too, my appointments aren’t always at the same time as when I need support. Plus I can bring parts of my AI conversations into my therapy sessions.” This was one of the many honest reflections shared from a youth leader during our multigenerational, international conversation at the Aspen Global Leadership Network on human connection in the age of AI. Together with psychologist Warren Y.K. Ng, LearnerStudio CEO Kim Smith, Gen Z leader Grace Bradbury, and Rithm Project founder Michelle Culver, we explored the opportunities and tensions emerging as AI becomes part of our relationships. Warren reminded us that those already most vulnerable are also the most vulnerable to sycophantic AI that reinforces harmful thinking. Grace shared a moment where she turned to AI as a thought partner in a tricky moment with her boyfriend at the time. Kim and Michelle asked whether our concerns about cognitive stunting should also include relational stunting—what happens when lose key opportunities early on to practice conversations that help us build empathy, resilience, and trust? We closed by playing The AI Effect, creating space for participants to wrestle with these questions together rather than search for easy answers. This practice of reacting to a shared provocation in self reflection and curiosity about others’ lived experience is central to the Socratic seminars at The Aspen Institute. The future won’t be shaped by AI alone. It will be shaped by the quality of the conversations we have about how we choose to use it. Let’s keep growing this conversation together!

I have the good fortune to be at The Aspen Institute this week surrounded by people doing extraordinary work in communities around the world. I found myself scribbling down things I heard people say, along with what I took them to mean. Here are some of the gems: “Each of us has a responsibility to be proximate to suffering.” “Leadership is the art of disappointing your people at a rate they can absorb.” “Business is a form of peacebuilding.” “We can be like-hearted even when we are differently minded.” “Is this the moment to play the game—or to change the game?” “The people who tell you to wait are usually the people with the power to do so. Waiting is easy when you are comfortable.” “The work requires a restless urgency.” “[Name] is one of my favorite people to dream and build with.” “Bring me a better idea.” “Sometimes being ‘right’ is not about what is true. It is about who has the power to define the truth.” And my absolute favorite: “Live in a city with more than one kind of asshole. Because any place dominated by one industry, one institution, or one worldview eventually begins to confuse its own culture with reality." The best ideas do more than sound good in a room; they follow you home and change the way you lead. Thank you to my brother Ashley D. Bell for welcoming me into this extraordinary group.

What does it mean to be a young scholar for a world in transition? That question took on new meaning for me throughout the Resnick Aspen Action Forum. 💡Day 1: Imagination The term imagination contains the full richness of the verb “to see.” It is to see, not passively, but with the “mind’s eye” and a force of vision. Together, we imagined the forces shaping human experience today — from big technology and institutions to local communities. Then, we re-imagined what matters most right now: our deep affection for place and life, and the important things we want to restore and rebuild amid external forces. 📝Day 2: Application In reality, tensions appear when applying our core values to our work. Just like the capitalist market motivated by the desire for money, academic achievement is often measured by quantitative metrics. This can lead to a distance between research and lived reality. To make both academic and social impact, we may need a “remote control” that carries remote statistical knowledge back to the human heart and toward the social good. I hope to find my own way of doing so in the coming years. 🧡Day 3: Transformation I left Aspen thinking that a young scholar for a world in transition will require three forces. (I) Imaginative force: the vision to see what future cities and mobility need beyond existing systems. (II) Collaborative force: the humility to know that theoretical innovation has to be paired with local knowledge and stakeholder insight. (III) Technological force: the capacity to work with artificial intelligence, big and small data, and emerging methodology. These reflections were inspired by the people I met: Amy Benziger, who connected me with leaders in social and technological innovation; Brett Alexander Hurt, who generously gave me his book exploring brain-computer interfaces and the unity of science and spirituality; Jen Zhu Scott, who showed me the art of “productive disagreement” and how it brings radically different possibilities; Michelle Culver, who listened to my story and encouraged me to step more fully into my ideas; Nikki Lohr, who shared an MIT project using AI to explore the changing rhythms of public space. My heartfelt gratitude to The D. H. Chen Foundation for giving me this opportunity to join the Forum, and Vanessa Cheung, my mentor for four years, who planted in me the seeds to strive for people-centred research.