Mauricio L. Miller is the author of the Alternative, a book that challenges the basic assumptions across the political spectrum that low-income families are either lazy or victims needing to be saved. He includes evidence that rather than being treated as charity cases they should have access to benefits, as we provide benefits to the rich, for being contributors to society.   In the book, Mauricio lays out and details his simple, evidenced-based alternative solution to poverty—to invest in people’s demonstrated strengths, rather than weaknesses.

Mauricio founded Family Independence Initiative (FII) in 2001, with a mission to support and accelerate low-income families’ own efforts to improve their social and economic mobility. A first-generation immigrant, Mauricio’s personal history deeply informs his life’s work. He was inspired to develop FII after researching the histories of communities in the United States who managed to rise from intense poverty to middle-class standing. In his research, he found something simple, yet extraordinary: Pathways to success require a group effort. Individuals and families turned to extended family and friends for support and resources, and followed the example of the successful families around them.

In recognition of his unconventional approach to generating economic mobility among low-income families, Mauricio was awarded a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship in 2012. He was appointed by President Obama to the White House Council for Community Solutions, is an Ashoka Fellow, a Purpose Prize winner and was honored with an invitation to President Clinton’s 1999 State of the Union address. Prior to founding FII, Mauricio spent 22 years as the Director of Asian Neighborhood Design, a community development agency in San Francisco and Oakland.

Mauricio’s presentation from the GFA weekly meeting can be found below:

Mutuality: The new standard for change