Photo courtesy of 42 Jules
“Opportunity is central to the American Dream,” Governor Deval Patrick emphasized at the Opportunity Summit I attended on September 19th. As U.S. citizens we expect to be able to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and work hard for the things we desire, for that American Dream. “When one door closes, another opens. But what if there are no doors open in the first place?” asked one Youth Build alum. It occurred to me then that so many of our friends and neighbors are without opportunity and lacking the skills necessary to reach their own career goals perhaps in part because of the state in which they live.
Opportunity Nation maps out our goals with the second release of the Opportunity Index. The Index, developed in partnership with Measure of America, uses a number of indicators at the state and country level to determine contributions to economic mobility and opportunities. As we learned at the Opportunity Summit, where you live has so much to do with the opportunities you are given. The Index rates each county and state with an overall Opportunity Score and grade based on economy, education, community, and civic health key questions.
According to Opportunity Nation, “The places where people live are pivotal to the opportunities open to them. Neighborhoods and regions matter for employment, education, housing quality and stock, law enforcement and public safety, community organizations and political processes. Some communities have characteristics that open many windows of opportunity for their residents; others do not.”
My hometown in North Carolina was given a B minus. Where does your state rank?
A large focus at the summit was dedicated to strengthening and creating new pathways for youth and young adults to enter careers. We talked about what works for youth including mentorship programs, earn and learn programs, dual enrollment, accelerated learning programs, and encouraging employers to collaborate with and support youth in the workplace. In what ways can you help support your county and state to better the opportunity score? Opportunity Nation offers some ideas here.
In addition to Governor Patrick, summit participants also heard from Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Harkin, Senator Coons, Michellen Nunn of Points of Light, Meg Garlinghouse of LinkedIn, and other representatives from TIME, IBM Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Brookings Institution, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and more. Special guests Arianna Huffington and Jordin Sparks took the stage to discuss the Huffington Post initiative to uncover job creation called #WhatIsWorking and what it means to make a difference in your community. Friends from City Year, Year Up, Public Allies, and Youth Build were also in attendance.
We are hearing more and more about the job crisis fueled by unemployment and lack of access to higher education among other leading socio-economic issues. What solutions for youth in particular do you think work and how can we ensure upward mobility for future generations to create a nation filled with opportunity?