Ariel Investments Co-CEO Mellody Hobson Says the Pandemic’s Economic Hardships Can Make Us ‘Smarter About the Future’

Ariel Investments Co-CEO Mellody Hobson Says the Pandemic’s Economic Hardships Can Make Us ‘Smarter About the Future’

As the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, businesswoman Mellody Hobson says the best way to prevent further financial turmoil is for lawmakers to act and get more money into the hands of average Americans. The Ariel Investments President and Co-CEO spoke to TIME Senior Editor Emma Barker Bonomo for a TIME100 Talks conversation, and also noted that it makes sense to provide additional unemployment benefits to lower-income workers in the midst of this unprecedented time.



"Confidence is the name of the game when it comes to the economy,“ Hobson argues. "You don't want that consumer confidence to fall off a cliff because the consumer is so important to the gross domestic product in this country.“



Hobson acknowledges that there is no quick fix during