Ted Audio Collective

Hello there, I'm Chris Anderson, welcome to another episode of the Ted Interview.

Well, I think we can agree that people are hurting right now in 70 ways

from the fear and financial us as the pandemic to the inequality that's growing ever more obvious before our eyes.

You would think that in a moment like this philanthropy could make a really big difference.

But for that to actually work, for that money to help us rebuild a better world than we had before,

we may need to radically rethink how it can be put to its best use.

There are implications here for big foundations, for those who donate to them, for all of us, frankly.

Today's guest is here to explain.

Darren Walker is the president of the Ford Foundation, a major international social justice philanthropy,

with more than $10 billion in assets.

In that role of the last seven years, he supported many, many initiatives to battle poverty, inequality and injustice.

He's also played an outsized role in championing culture and the arts.

Darren himself has a remarkable story of upward mobility that, as he points out, is becoming ever harder for people to replicate.

So how do we reverse that?

Well, Darren shares many insights about the power of discomfort, about how, as we try to give our way to healing,

we can move from token measures to real transformation, and about which kinds of investments will truly help us build back better.

This interview was recorded before a live virtual audience at 1020, which is now in its final week of an eight-week run.

Before I dive into questions, first I thought we should give Darren a few minutes just to give us the lay of the land as he sees it.

So without further ado, Darren Walker.

Thank you very much, Chris. I'm really grateful and honored to be here.

I have the privilege of leading the Ford Foundation, a foundation that has existed for 80 years.

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