Better Life Lab Experiments (BLLx) is a project of the Better Life Lab at New America that aims to empower families through education, awareness, and innovative strategies to more fairly and sustainably share the load of household work and care work at home, ultimately reducing their stress and overwhelm.

We believe we must tackle this problem at its root, to move from addressing just the division of labor to the overall amount of labor families must juggle. With your help, we will translate the latest research from academics and other researchers into stories real families can relate to and learn from; communicate the urgency of these issues to decision-makers who have the power to change existing systems and institutions contributing to this problem, including greedy workplaces, corporate culture, and individualistic, and punitive or unsupportive public policies; evaluate emerging solutions from the private and public sector for equity and effectiveness for diverse families; expand, diversify, engage with and harness our audience of beta testers to build a broad and inclusive community of thinkers and doers to learn from each other and to challenge and change policy, workplaces, schools, and other institutions; and work with that community to co-create and co-design our next collection of solution-oriented experiments.

The Center on Education & Labor explores the changing relationship between education, social mobility, and economic security—with the goal of promoting shared prosperity and middle-class renewal.

Our work spans the education-to-career continuum, with special initiatives focused on supporting young adults, strengthening community colleges, expanding access to apprenticeships, navigating the future of work, and advocating for policies that improve the quality of jobs. We work directly with communities to identify barriers to economic mobility and to develop policies and practical solutions that reflect their needs and aspirations.

The Learning Sciences Exchange (LSX) is a problem-solving platform focused on transforming education by applying the science of learning to help children and youth thrive. We work to develop solutions and build a field of talented multidisciplinary leaders through fellowships, design-thinking and networking workshops, convenings, and coalition-building efforts across sectors.

New America’s Thriving Families issue area works toward a world in which individuals and families can thrive with the time and resources to care for themselves and their loved ones.

The Us@250 Fellowship invests in people and projects seeking to tell a more comprehensive American story, expand our concept of American culture and identity, and model an inclusive multiracial society. It supports civic engagement, narrative change, storytelling, and cultural education that foster public participation.

The Better Life Lab tells stories that bring the intersection of work and care to life. For over a decade, we’ve built top-tier research and storytelling capabilities—recruiting seasoned journalists and researchers while equipping new voices to share their experiences in powerful, unexpected ways. Through this work, we spark cultural change and drive progress toward a society where individuals, families, and communities thrive—supported by fair, universal care infrastructure; meaningful work; and cultural norms that value equity, connection, and well-being.

We are scaling our impact across diverse political and cultural landscapes and strengthening our role as a leading voice in the movement to reimagine work and care in the United States. Seeing storytelling as a unique strength and part of our DNA, we aim to provoke narrative shifts that transform norms, policies, and workplace practices. As part of a broader movement, our work contributes to lasting societal change—helping to build a fairer, more caring America for all.

The New America Fellows Program supports thinkers, creators, and storytellers whose work shapes public conversation on the defining issues of our time. Each year, we select a diverse group of writers, journalists, filmmakers, and innovators who pursue ambitious investigative projects that bridge storytelling with research and lived experience.

Through unrestricted funding, a supportive community, and increased visibility, New America Fellows bring big, bold ideas to life—through books, films, longform articles, podcasts, and other creative nonfiction narrative forms.