Conference Agenda*

All conference events are at the
Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC

Download the Agenda [PDF]

Day 1 - October 15, 2009

8:30 - 9:30am Breakfast

9:30-9:45am Welcome (Palladian Room)

9:45-10:45am Keynote Address (Palladian Room):

Why This Generation Needs A Better Deal
For the first time in a century, young people in their 20s and 30s are less economically secure than their parents and have limited opportunities for social and economic mobility. While the Millennial Generation was intensely engaged in the 2008 elections, their pocketbook concerns remain at the margin of political debates. But young adults are mobilizing to develop a policy agenda for a better deal. What does a better deal mean for this young generation?

10:45-11:15am Break

11:15am - 12:30pm Plenary Session (Palladian Room):

Going Beyond Green: Creating Good Jobs Across the Economy
Going green has become cool, and everyone seems to be talking about the need to create green jobs. But green jobs alone can't reverse decades of declines in job quality, which have left this generation economically worse off than their parents. Jobs in retail and health services are still expected to grow the most over the next decade-how can we turn these often low-wage jobs into good jobs and how can we ensure that green jobs are good jobs? This panel will discuss what has become one of the biggest challenges facing this generation: getting and keeping a good job.

12:30-2:00 Lunch Keynote (Palladian Room):

2:00-3:15 Concurrent Workshops

Panel A (Executive Room):
Failing to Finish: The College Drop-Out Crisis and Why It Matters
Getting a degree beyond a high school diploma has become essential in today's labor market-yet most students who enroll in college will drop out before getting their degree. Gaps in who goes to college, what type of college they attend, and whether they complete their studies are growing by race and class. This panel will discuss the barriers facing young people who want a college degree, what students need to succeed and the need to build a movement around college completion.

Panel B (Diplomat Room):
It's Sick: Why Health Care Reform Matters to Young People With over 18 million uninsured, young people make up the largest group of the uninsured. Though the popular perception is that young people turn down health insurance because they think they're invincible-the real reason is they can't afford it or aren't offered it at their job. Yet the voices and concerns of young people are invisible in the current political debate. This panel will discuss how the nation's broken health care system is hurting young people and what health care reform will mean for 20-somethings.

Panel C (Palladian Room):
A Generation in the Red: Will the New Credit Card Reforms and Student Loan Repayment Plans Make a Difference?
For too many young people, getting ahead today means getting into debt. The problem often starts with student loan debt and spirals out of control as young people turn to credit cards to meet basic living expenses. In the last year, Congress passed two new reforms that could help young people deal with their debt-but is it enough? This panel will discuss the recent credit card reforms, the new student loan repayment plans, and identify other reforms needed to end the debt trap.

3:15-3:30 Break

3:30-5:00 Participant Generated Workshops (Learn More)

6:30-8:30 Reception

Day 2 - October 16, 2009

8:30-9:30 Breakfast

9:30-9:45 Welcome

9:45-10:45 Plenary Session (Palladian Room):

Politics in the Age of Obama: How the Millennial Generation is Remaking American Democracy
Young people played a key role in the 2008 elections and will continue to be a major force in politics for decades to come. The Millennials reflect the growing diversity of our nation and are bringing new ideas about civic participation and problem-solving to the table. This session will explore how this generation is changing our political culture and what this generation is doing now to build a better future for themselves and the nation.

10:45-11:15 Break

11:15-12:30 Concurrent Workshops

Panel A (Congressional A/B Room):
Generational Theft? Understanding the National Debt, Social Security and What It Means for Your Future
Politicians are fond of saying that we are mortgaging away young people's future due to the growing national debt and the rising cost of Social Security and Medicare. But is it true? This panel will examine our nation's finances and expose the big myths about Social Security-namely that it won't be around when you retire.

Panel B (Diplomat Room):
On the Rebound? The Great Recession and Its Impact on Young People.
This recession has been hard on people of all ages-but young people have taken a particularly steep hit in terms of unemployment and rising debt. As states are forced to slash their budgets, higher education and child care funding are on the chopping block-cuts that disproportionately hurt young people. This panel will discuss the current impact of the recession on young people, the long-term effects it will have on our economic future, and what more needs to be done to turn the situation around.

Panel C (Palladian Room):
And Baby Makes Broke: The Desperate Need for Paid Family Leave and Child Care
Most people start families in their 20s-with 25 being the average age a woman has her first child. Today, cultural and economic changes mean that most women with children under the age of 6 are in the workforce. Yet the United States is the only "advanced" nation that does not guarantee workers paid leave after the birth of a child or ensure families have access to quality child care they can afford. This panel will discuss how these issues impact young people, the exciting advocacy campaigns underway to improve our nation's family policies and the critical need for Millenials to lead the way to reform.

12:30-1:00 Wrap-Up and Adjourn

NOTE: * Agenda is subject to change. Please check back regularly for updates, or sign up, here.


The A Better Deal Conference is a project of Demos. For more information about Demos, the Economic Opportunity Program or research on the economic challenges of young people, please visit: www.demos.org.
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