Learn About HudsonUP

On Thursday, August 20, from 6 to 7 p.m., the Hudson Area Library and The Spark of Hudson will present an informational meeting on the history of Universal Basic Income (UBI) and HudsonUP, a basic income pilot created by The Spark of Hudson and Humanity Forward, the not-for-profit founded by Andrew Yang. The press release announcing the meeting explains:

In the virtual program, Albert Wenger and Susan Danziger, co-founders of The Spark of Hudson and HudsonUP, will talk about the history of UBI and the value of the UBI pilot program for Hudson.

Many advocates of basic income have long maintained that the coming technological shift and wave of automation would wipe out millions of traditional jobs and leave everyday Americans without a safety net. The concept of a universal basic income is a simple one: unconditional, regularly recurring payments made to everyone. With HudsonUP, The Spark of Hudson & Humanity Forward aim to partner with the Hudson community to test this simple concept by providing $500 each month to 22 randomly-selected Hudson residents for five years.

Universal Basic Income has a longer history than some realize. One of the first proponents of Universal Basic Income in the United States was Thomas Payne, author of the Common Sense pamphlet, and individuals as varied as Martin Luther King, Jr., and economist Milton Friedman have spoken in support of the concept. Andrew Yang's presidential campaign highlighted the importance of a national UBI program for the United States.

Register for the virtual meeting, call 518 828-1792, extension 101,  or email programs@hudsonarealibrary.org.