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@susandanziger
Last Chance to Enter UBI Lottery
Our lottery for the third cohort for HudsonUP closes in just a few hours -- at 11:59pm tonight. Enter now if you live in the city of Hudson, New York, are 18+ years old and make under the annual median income of $39,346. Entry form can be found at HudsonUP.org -- or use the QR Code below. Pass it on.
Thrilled to see our Spark Of Hudson’s UBI Pilot, HudsonUP, featured in Fast Company. We are changing lives and unleashing human potential. This is just the beginning — one year down, 4+ years of the pilot to go. Thanks to Leah Hamilton for her Year 1 study and Talib Visram for the feature. #UBI #basicincome
https://www.fastcompany.com/90706938/what-happened-when-people-in-this-upstate-new-york-town-started-getting-monthly-500-checks
The pilot organizers of Hudson’s basic income pilot hope that gathering five years of results will show how much human potential extra money
A bit over a decade ago, Susan and I stumbled over a piece in the New York Times that announced plans for a “Free Global University That Wil
Thrilled and honored to have made the list of Worthy 100 — a list of 100+ entrepreneurs “working to make a serious impact both personally and through their businesses”. Many thanks to Worth magazine for this lovely recognition. Here’s what they write:
Susan Danziger
Wally Farms
Industry: Food/Tech
Year Founded: 2018
Headquarters: New York
About Her Business & Career: Susan Danziger is an investor and entrepreneur, founding a venture capital firm along with several social and environmental impact organizations including Wally Farms—a living research project dedicated to finding a food system that is better for the planet, the economy and the consumer. With their eyes set on the future of farming, Wally Farms is looking to find new, more sustainable ways to structure the food industry. By working with farmers, processors, distributors, chefs and more, Wally Farms is actively looking for solutions to the sustainability and nutrition accessibility issues that pervade our current system. Wally Farms also offers an extensive educational program, providing online courses, workshops and events as well as hands-on experiences for the local community at the farm. Additionally, Wally Farms is committed to reducing their carbon footprint by building a microgrid of solar panels. This grid provides Wally Farms with their main, and soon to be only, source of energy. They also reduce their carbon footprint by utilizing electric vehicles, prioritizing electric tools, tractors, cars and bikes for all on-site projects. Why She Made the Worthy 100: Danziger’s project, Wally Farms, is finding innovative ways to improve the farming, processing and distribution methods that make up the American food supply chain. Their holistic approach to improving our current food system focuses on researching ways to address the climate crisis and providing communities with educational experiences as well as access to more nutritious foods. https://www.worth.com/worthy100-2021/
Attn: friends of Hudson, NY residents: DEADLINE TONIGHT at 11:59pm to enter the lottery to be a UBI pilot participant for HudsonUP. $500 a month for 5 years. No strings attached. Enter at: hudsonup.org. Help spread the word. #UBI #basicincome
The time for Universal Basic Income is now. We can build an economy that works for all Americans. Let’s start in Hudson.
HudsonUP’s 2nd Cohort
I’m beyond excited to announce the launch of a second cohort of HudsonUP’s UBI pilot. 50 additional Hudson residents will be drawn from a lottery which opens today. I hope you’ll consider joining us in our support of this truly life-changing initiative.
A bit of background: HudsonUP, a basic income pilot in Hudson, NY, was launched in the Fall of 2020 in the height of COVID-19 pandemic. Through a weighted lottery process, 25 participants were selected to receive $500 a month for 5 years of unrestricted cash -- that is, no strings attached. HudsonUP was the first pilot to launch in a small U.S. city and is one of the longest running pilots at 5 years. As part of the pilot, participants are invited to participate in an in-depth research process which has demonstrated some early promising results. Participants have reported reduced stress, improved family relationships, increased savings and better job opportunities.
Given the overlapping nature of the two cohorts (25 from the first and 50 from the second), 75 people in Hudson will be receiving a basic income. This should also give HudsonUP the largest percentage of participating population in any U.S. pilot, with over 1% of all Hudson residents participating. Albert and I are underwriting this second cohort through our Eutopia Foundation. We are, however, actively looking for other donors to support HudsonUP and diversify the base of contributors. Since we are absorbing the overhead cost, 100% of contributions will go to participants.
It takes $30,000 to support one participant for five years, and this can be pledged upfront but donated annually (i.e. $6,000 per year). If you are interested in supporting one or more participants please contact us at [email protected]. You can also make a smaller donation directly (goes to the Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood which administers HudsonUP).
Here is some media coverage on the HudsonUP Pilot: PBS Newshour and Spectrum News — and check out this blog post announcing the second cohort from HudsonUp.org.
Looking forward to participating in Visions 2030
It’s the 15th of the month. It may not mean a lot to you but for 25 participants in HudsonUP, our UBI pilot in Hudson, it’s payday. Every month, on Day 15 for 5 years, participants receive $500. (Payments began this past October, 2020). Why the 15th? It’s the last week or two of each month that pose the most problems for people. Money from paychecks run out, food is stretched and God forbid there’s an unexpected expense (e.g. a doctor’s visit or car that needs fixing). The $500 is peace of mind. It’s security. It’s the difference between being scared and stressed out — and not. On the 15th of every month let’s think of those receiving basic income — and more importantly, how everyone can live a relatively stress-free life.
Larger than Life
I’ve had the oddest experience over the past few weeks. It’s not the fact that I’ve never actually met colleagues/partners with whom I’ve been closely working over the past year — that’s old news. (I’ve been super careful about preserving my pandemic bubble, avoiding contact with even those who live just a few miles away).
It’s that my perception of them has changed. At least physically. Up until now, I’ve only ever interacted with them over Zoom. Recently, during some usual small talk, we asked each other how tall we were. It turns out women I imagined quite short (similar to my 5’2” inch frame, at a stretch) are practically Amazonian — at lease compared to me — standing at ~5’10. And similarly, they thought I matched their own Amazonian height. We were gobsmacked.
Funny how Zoom can create an alternate reality. I suppose in this case it’s actually made me larger than life.
Virtual Town Hall Today 4pm
Excited to participate in Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson’s virtual town hall today at 4pm to discuss the opening of entries for HudsonUP, our UBI pilot in Hudson, NY. Will be joined by Albert, Joan Hunt and Ethan Dunn. You can watch it live here.
I Swore I’d Be Someone’s First Customer. Now I Am.
“We don’t like to be the first, and we don’t like to be the last.” That was one of hundreds of rejections I received from target customers the year I launched my first startup. Frustrating, to say the least. How was I going to build my business if no one wanted to be my first customer?*
On that day I swore that if I were ever in a position to be someone’s first customer, I’d take a chance on them.
That time has come. We recently commissioned architect Joanie Tom to design The Spark of Hudson — her firm, Glo’s, first major project. When we hired Joanie, Glo didn’t even have a website. This commission effectively put her in business.
We took a chance on Joanie, and it‘s paying off in spades. Working with architect Stephanie Lin, Joanie has surpassed all expectations. One member of Hudson’s Historic Preservation Commission called the design “brilliant.” We agree. (A rendering of it is below). Mark my words, Joanie and Glo will be famous one day. I’m just glad we could help launch her firm.
And how perfect is it that The Spark is a learning center with inspiration and opportunity at its heart. We’re thrilled that the building commission -- and design itself -- reflects these core values. Plus, the fact that I could keep my promise -- and put a woman in business -- makes the design of The Spark all the more sweet.
*My first startup was DailyLit, a pioneer in digital serialization. Shortly after this particular rejection we got our first customer. And others followed suit.
Wasted Years: A Reckoning
I’m still haunted by responses I received a few years ago from a survey I posted on Facebook. I asked, “if you knew as a teenager you’d be given $1000 a month for the rest of your life, how would your life have changed?”
Hundreds of responses (576 to be exact) in just a few hours. Story after story of wasted years and unfulfilled dreams. Aspiring musicians, opera singers, philosophers, painters, writers, architects -- all forced to drop their passions to become attorneys, bankers and engineers. And those who would have “quit crappy jobs sooner” to launch businesses and work on community causes.
Money would have given them the “confidence to be bold”. And this response: “There were so many things I didn't do because failure would have meant no food on the table.”
They would have traveled more (over half said that); been able to afford their own place (independent of boyfriends); and not have had kids so young. Then there were those who would have relished more time at home with their children, with their terminally ill husband, or with their elderly mother.
I wonder what those folks would say today. People who‘ve probably had enough of staying home with their kids or who’ve just lost their jobs (that may not seem so “crappy” after all). Folks now afraid to travel, even if they can afford it. And those who‘ve taken to the streets in protest, not putting off rallying for our community any longer.
But what haunts me the most is all those lost years — years that could have been spent creating, nurturing and exploring. Time is the most precious thing we have — and time is what we’ve been collectively wasting. It’s all the more poignant given how many people have recently perished. Who never had the chance to live out their dreams. And who never will.
(Photo taken at sunset yesterday at Wally Farms)
Who Wins the Lottery?
$500 each and every month for 5 years. Guaranteed. No strings attached. Life-changing for most. But imagine you’re living in poverty. It’s like winning the lottery. In fact, it is winning the lottery. But who gets to enter? And which 20 people are ultimately selected? That’s what we’re trying to figure out as we launch the HudsonUP UBI pilot.
Here’s what we’ve decided: no matter what the outcome, it needs to be a fair, community-driven process.
But there’s tension. The money is all accounted for — $600,000 waiting to be distributed. Countless families are in desperate need of cash (particularly these days). So we need to move quickly. At the same time, we want to ensure the community has real input into how the process is designed. Which takes time.
Here’s what we’re doing: we’re fast-tracking a series of meetings (via Zoom for now) with various Hudson stakeholders (community leaders, individual groups, religious organizations, government officials, students, etc). We’re also planning a series of town hall meetings/calls to which the general Hudson public will be invited.
We’re also translating materials into Spanish and Bengali (first languages for a number of Hudson residents) — and arranging for simultaneous or asynchronous translations of presentations. We want to make sure we reach all members of the Hudson community.
With each meeting, we’re educating, discussing, rethinking and refining our approach. And with each meeting it seems more and more questions arise. Here’s a taste of some we’re grappling with:
-Should applicants be limited to those living at or below the poverty line?
-Should they be at least 18 years old?
-Should the pilot be limited to the City of Hudson or extend to those in the Hudson School District?
-Should we include individuals who can’t afford to live in the City of Hudson and have been forced to move out into surrounding rural areas? Or should we focus on keeping families together, stemming the tide of others leaving town?
-If we decide to limit the pilot to the City of Hudson, should applicants be limited to certain areas or wards in town -- or even to specific (low-income) buildings?
-Should we ensure a diversity of recipients, reflecting the town make-up? So for instance if the Bengladeshi community makes up x% of the Hudson community, should we ensure a similar percentage receives the cash?
-What about groups that have suffered more institutional discrimination or those with specific hardships? Should they be allotted more slots? More women than men? More people of color? How about slots for specific categories (e.g. single, black mothers)? What about the formerly incarcerated or undocumented immigrants?
Lots of questions to parse through. And an urgency on top of it all. Not an easy process. But important we get it right. Or at least try our best.
It’s Tough To Give Away Money
You’d think it would be easy to give away money. Turns out it’s pretty difficult. In the process of launching HudsonUp (our UBI pilot), it’s quickly become clear how many obstacles there in fact are to giving people money.
For instance, we need to make sure the money we give isn’t immediately taxed away (as income or otherwise). In fact, we’re still trying to figure out how much money participants can receive before it’s taxable. After all, the point of the pilot is not to give more money to the government.
We also need to make sure recipients don’t lose benefits in the process — or at least are aware of the consequences. Recipients may have issues with retaining SNAP, receiving social security or staying in low income housing (among others). We want to make sure additional income doesn’t make participants ineligible for these programs. From what I understand, once individuals fall out of certain benefit programs, it can be difficult to get them reinstated.
The last thing we want is for people to be worse off from our pilot than they were before starting the program.
The Columbia County Department of Social Services is helping us navigate the system, at least on a local level (thanks to Commissioner Bob Gibson). We are still looking for others to help us navigate benefits (and other consequences) on the NY State and Federal levels. Please get in touch if you can help.
Once applicants are selected (more on the selection process in another post), we plan to have experts sit down with those selected to discuss possible risks so they can make the best possible decision for themselves and their family. If we’ve learned anything it’s that everyone‘s situation is different. And it should be up to each to ultimately decide if it’s worth participating in HudsonUp.
It may not be an easy choice.
Aunt Ruth for the World
When people ask why I’m such a big supporter of Universal Basic Income (UBI), I tell them about my Aunt Ruth. During WW II, Aunt Ruth fled Berlin for London where she met and married Uncle Kurt. With no children, they were able to set up a trust to benefit the rest of the family. It wasn’t a lot of money, but it gave off a small stream of income I could count on — my own small monthly guaranteed income. This income saved me from a soul-sucking job (more on that another time). And insured I’d be able to make ends meet — no matter what. In essence, that guaranteed income freed me. And let me take risks. I traveled a ton (stayed at cheap hotels) and started companies like DailyLit (a pioneer in digital serialization). I realize how lucky I am to have had an Aunt Ruth. And how I wish everyone could. That’s one reason we’ve started HudsonUp, the UBI pilot in Hudson. To show the world what it’s like to have an Aunt Ruth. And how much better off we’d all be.
That’s Aunt Ruth.
Launching HudsonUP
I'm thrilled to announce that The Spark of Hudson, the learning center we're launching in Hudson, New York, is partnering with Andrew Yang's Humanity Forward to launch HudsonUP, a basic income trial that's coming to Hudson. We're excited to work with the Hudson community to design the pilot and appreciate the support of Mayor Kamal Johnson. Here’s the press release:https://mailchi.mp/89bac3e2693a/hudson-ubi-pilot-program-launch
Happy Belated Earth Day
If I’ve learned one thing living up at Wally Farms this past month it’s that nature doesn’t adhere to our calendar. It may say spring in April, but snow and hail came anyway this past week. So I feel somewhat justified in celebrating Earth Day one day late — or perhaps it’s just an easy excuse.
It’s hard not to get sappy (so to speak) writing about the forests, the fields, the wetlands — all of which I now walk every morning. The blooming trees, the enormous beaver house and dam, the bright green moss growing on fallen trees. It’s simply magical. But I’ve also come to appreciate how neglected the land has been. Vines have been strangling trees, with weeds so overgrown we’ve had to bushwhack our way at every turn.
This past month we’ve started to make real progress, spending afternoons and weekends pulling down vines and clearing trails. Surprising how satisfying it is to walk a path you’ve just cleared.
What I’ve begun to truly appreciate is how no one can really own property (I can hear my law professors reeling). Although our name is on the deed, we‘re actually just stewards of the land, with a real responsibility to care for it. The trees were here hundreds of years before us — and with care, will be here hundreds of years to come.
One last note on this belated Earth Day, if you haven’t yet read The Overstory, the 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner in fiction, it’s a must read.