Once again, the nation came together
to recommit to our nation’s children
On April 17-18 America’s Promise Alliance marked its 20th Anniversary in New York City with Founding Chair, General Colin L. Powell (Ret.) and Chair, Mrs. Alma Powell.
Recommit to Kids | The Summit for America's Future honored progress that has been made in delivering the Five Promises and saluted the champions who have been on the forefront of seeing that our country’s underserved children are a priority.
We called on all adults and the nation to recommit to the critical work that remains, which we articulated in a new youth framework laying out all that we must do to help every child realize their American dream, Our Work: A Framework for Accelerating Progress for Children and Youth in America.
Weren’t able to make it? Watch the full day’s performances, remarks, and panel discussions below.
April 17 - 18, 2017
New York City, NY
Co-Hosted by
Hosted by General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) and Mrs. Alma J. Powell

Honorary Co-Hosts
President, Jimmy Carter
President, George H. W. Bush
President, George W. Bush
President, William J. Clinton
President, Barack H. Obama
Recommit to Kids | The Summit for America’s Future
New York Marriott Marquis Times Square
Monday, April 17
6:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Founding Partners’ Welcome Reception
5th Floor Westside Ballroom
Hosted by:
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Communities In Schools
- Corporation for National and Community Service
- MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership
- Points of Light
- United Way Worldwide
Tuesday, April 18
7:00 - 8:30 a.m. | Registration and Breakfast
6th Floor Pre-function Area
8:30 - 10:00 a.m. | How is the American Dream real and at risk?
State of the American Dream
Moderator: Alicia Menendez, Journalist
Panelists:
- Darren Walker, Ford Foundation
- Michael Petrilli, The Thomas J. Fordham Institute
Adversity and the Dream
Moderator: Alicia Menendez, Journalist
Panelists:
- Father Greg Boyle, Homeboy Industries
- Nadine Burke Harris, Center for Youth Wellness
- Anna Deavere Smith, Playwright - Actor - Professor
Place and Belonging
Moderator: Alicia Menendez, Journalist
Panelists:
- Jose Antonio Vargas, Journalist, Filmmaker, Activist
- Arne Duncan, Emerson Collective
- Tricia Raikes, Raikes Foundation
10:15 - 12:00 p.m, | How can we make more progress, for more young people, more quickly?
People of Promise Awardees
Introduction: Nicole Anderson, AT&T
Moderator: Aaron Morrison, Mic
Panelists:
- Yasmine Arrington, ScholarCHIPS
- Sixto Cancel, Think of Us
- Alejandro Gac-Artigas, Springboard Collaborative
- Quardean Lewis-Allen, Made in Brownsville
- Lawrence “Law” Loving, CareerConnect
Pathways in Learning and Working
Moderator: Melissa Harris-Perry, Professor, Author, Intellectual
Panelists:
- Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, BUILD.org
- Michael Sorrell, Paul Quinn College
- Michael Lomax, United Negro College Fund
The Power of Relationships
Moderator: Melissa Harris-Perry, Professor, Author, Intellectual
Panelists:
- Soledad O’Brien, Broadcast Journalist
- Elaine Wynn, Communities In Schools
- Deon Jones, Glenn Kaino Studio
Keynote Address
President Bill Clinton, Founder of the Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | Lunch and networking
5th Floor Westside Ballroom
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | What can each of us do to recommit to kids?
Dream Big, Do Great Things
Tiffany Yu, Diversability
Partnership Announcement
Eric Dawson, Peace First
Heeding the Call to Commit, 20 Years Ago and Today
Marc Benioff, Salesforce
Private Sector, Public Commitment
Moderator: Andrea Mitchell, NBC
Panelists:
- Laysha Ward, Target
- Jake Schwartz, General Assembly
Powell Legacy Award Presentation
Parramore Kidz Zone, Orlando, FL
Communities Coming Together for Kids
Moderator: Andrea Mitchell, NBC
Panelists:
- Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
- Mayor Greg Fischer, Louisville, KY
- Nikole Hannah-Jones, Journalist
Recommit to Kids
General Colin L. Powell, America’s Promise
Mrs. Alma J. Powell, America’s Promise
George Weiss, Say Yes to Education
A Call to Action
General Colin L. Powell, America’s Promise
Mrs. Alma J. Powell, America’s Promise
Updated April 17, 2017
- U.S. Presidents Join Gen. Colin Powell and Mrs. Alma Powell to Urge Americans to Recommit to Kids
- Lodging information
- FAQ
- Learn more about the Recommit2Kids campaign
- Media registration: Media registration is strongly encouraged for media wishing to attend the summit.
Members of the media please email [email protected] or [email protected] if you would like to speak with someone about the 20th Anniversary.
Video Clips and Photographs from the 2017 Summit
Video about America’s Promise Summit Declaration
Media Mentions
Title Sponsor

Ford Foundation
Presenting Sponsor

Target
Presenting Underwriter

Citi Foundation
Welcome Reception Sponsor

Ritz-Carlton Hotels
Travel Sponsor

Southwest
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MetroStar
Contact Information
For more information, please contact the events team.