WorkingNation is getting ready for SXSW EDU in Austin in March of 2025!
We’ve got a dynamic list of panel proposals addressing the intersection of education and work, and offering solutions to barriers that are keeping people from good, family-sustaining jobs and careers.
We have partnered with some fantastic organizations and thought leaders on these proposals and we are asking for your support in bringing these panels to life on the stages at SXSW EDU.
Turn these ideas into reality by casting your vote through the SXSW EDU 2025 PanelPicker.
It’s easy to be part of the voting community. Go to the PanelPicker page to sign up (it’s free!) and sign in. You can search for the WorkingNation proposals using the titles below. OR, even easier, check out the panel proposals below, then follow the proposal links in this article to cast your vote.
Help send our WorkingNation-moderated panels to Austin!
AI: Ethics, Education, and Work
The AI genie is out of the bottle and there’s no turning back. AI has already made its way into the classroom and the workplace, so It’s important we continue to examine how we harness the benefits in an ethical way, while we minimize the potential negative impacts on students, workers, and society. Our panel features renowned ethicists and people who have practical experience in the fields of education and work.
- Cansu Canca, founder & director, AI Ethics Lab
- Michael Collins, vice president, Center for Racial Economic Equity, JFF Jobs for the Future
- Vilas Dhar, president, The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
- Ramona Schindelheim, editor-in-chief, WorkingNation (moderator)
Follow this link to cast your vote!
Reinventing the Heartland
To thrive in the 21st century, America’s heartland cities must create their own innovation economies and grow in more inclusive ways. While tech jobs, venture capital, and R&D are concentrated on the coasts, cities across the heartland are making historic efforts to reinvent themselves for the innovation age. Learn how to reorient civic ecosystems around inclusive tech-led growth from the very people who are doing it.
- Robert Burns, director, Home Region Office, Walton Family Foundation
- Nicholas Lalla, urbanist, social entrepreneur, & author, Reinventing the Heartland
- Josh Sirefman, CEO, Michigan Central
- Ramona Schindelheim, editor-in-chief, WorkingNation (moderator)
Follow this link to cast your vote!
Making the Economic Case for Workforce Access for Immigrants
Multiple studies, including those from the Congressional Budget Office and Boston University, find increased immigration in the U.S. increases economic growth. Even low-wage workers contribute to the economy through taxes and the greater the education and skill level of migrants, the greater the economic benefit. The panel examines initiatives and programs that are helping immigrant and refugee populations achieve financial mobility through upskilling and continued education, further adding to their local economies.
- Katie Brown, founder & chief education officer, EnGen
- Jina Krause-Vilmar, president & CEO, Upwardly Global
- Laura Aka, senior correspondent, WorkingNation (moderator)
Follow this link to cast your vote!
Space as the Ultimate Classroom Catalyst
Space excites kids. It should excite teachers. Technology development, commercialization, and miniaturization are enabling students to participate in developing and operating space systems in the classroom. This panel will empower educators with tools/strategies to harness space as an educational resource, push the needle for literacy/math & prepare students for career readiness through career technical education. Speakers will offer multiple viewpoints & discuss the excitement of space, workforce development & the importance of STEM research to build effective space curriculum.
- Dr. Kristina Otero, vice president of education, Aldrin Family Foundation
- Dr. Melissa Patton, vice president of education, Space Foundation
- Keisha Schahaff, commercial astronaut, Virgin Galactic
- Ramona Schindelheim, editor-in-chief, WorkingNation (moderator)
Follow this link to cast your vote!
Breaking Barriers: Justice-impacted People in the Workforce
An estimated 79 million Americans have a criminal record of some kind, with 19 million incarcerated or formerly incarcerated. Having a conviction or even an arrest record can often stand in the way of someone being able to get a job and earn a decent wage. In some cases, it can also stand in the way of acquiring education benefits that could lead to economic mobility and curb recidivism. This panel will take a deep dive into the issues facing the justice-impacted, sharing examples of programs and initiatives that are making a positive economic change in people’s lives. We will be joined on the panel by two people who run these programs.
- Michelle Armstrong, president, Ares Charitable Foundation
- Ramona Schindelheim, editor-in-chief, WorkingNation (moderator)
Follow this link to cast your vote!
