Ep 35: Facebook Founder, Chris Hughes, Makes the Case for Guaranteed Income
On today’s Catalysts for Change, Jill talks to Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook and co-chair of the Economic Security Project. As the Shah Foundation begins to support a new guaranteed income program in Chelsea MA, Chris’s work with the Economic Security Project and focus on guaranteed income is relevant and important to understanding guaranteed income initiatives.
Chris’s work with the Economic Security Project focuses on supporting policies and initiatives for guaranteed income, which provides individuals with a set amount of money. As co-founder of the Economic Security Project, he has led work to rewrite federal and state tax codes to create a monthly tax credit for Americans most in need, a policy which would create a guaranteed income for working people in the United States, among other initiatives. In addition to his work at the Economic Security Project, Chris also works with the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank working to reimagine the rules of the economy. Before becoming involved in work with guaranteed income, Chris co-founded Facebook and also worked for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008.
Initiatives in guaranteed income have been seen across the country, with many advocates calling for nation-wide programs, especially with the rise of unemployment rates and wealth gaps during the COVID-19 crisis. We talk to Chris about the basics of guaranteed income, its effects, his work with the Economic Security Project, and more about current policies and pilots.
The Foundation excited to be piloting a guaranteed income program in Chelsea MA. If you’d like to learn more about this initiative as well as more info about guaranteed income and Chris’s work, check out the resources listed below.