It’s great to see so many Americans voting early this election cycle. In the excitement of the presidential election, don’t overlook local and state candidates and issues that can directly impact the future of our children. While StriveTogether is nonpartisan, we have a clear view on the policies that support better and more equitable cradle-to-career…
Since the earliest days in the collective impact movement, there has been a commonly repeated refrain: “We have to shift narratives. We have to change mindsets.” In 2020, there has been a shift in narratives and in mindsets The country is waking up to systemic oppression and inequities. This summer, the top-selling books were focused…
Next month, leaders across the country will gather for our first-ever virtual Cradle to Career Network Convening. During this time, we will connect, learn and navigate changes happening across 70 communities. We will continue our efforts to break down barriers and transform systems for more than 12 million youth and counting — including more than…
We know racism is the root of many problems across our country, and COVID-19 is unmasking these long-standing inequities. Black, Indigenous, Latinx and Asian communities and communities facing extreme poverty are suffering the brunt of the pandemic due to structural and institutional racism, which leads to inequities in systems like education, employment, health care, housing…
The coronavirus has made inequities in America starkly visible. Virtual learning doesn’t help children without a laptop or wi-fi at home. Stay-at-home orders don’t help parents without housing or jobs that allow them to work remotely. Everyone is vulnerable to the public health threat posed by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, but communities…
John F. Kennedy once said that “the time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” We’ve known our roof has leaks — our systems have been designed to produce wicked disparities in American communities for hundreds of years. But now here we are, in the middle of a storm, with no other…
This is an excerpt of a piece published in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Read the full piece here. The COVID-19 crisis demands leadership at its best and women are answering the call in Cincinnati and Ohio. Women everywhere have the opportunity to step up and lead in their neighborhoods and communities. No act of empathy, kindness…
Dear Cradle to Career Network members and supporters, As we navigate uncharted territory, I’m writing to share my support and encouragement. During times of uncertainty, relationships are paramount. We will get through this and we will do it together. Like many of you, I’m adjusting to working remotely, my children are trying to figure out how…
It’s exciting to begin a new decade and a year that brings us closer to our goal to help 24 communities permanently transform how systems serve kids better by 2023. I am energized by the opportunities that exist in this new decade. To tackle these head on, I’m holding three things front and center to…
“When we’re willing to work — not with community, but in community — that’s when transformation is real.” — Stacey Abrams, activist, author and civil rights leader Reflecting on the recent 10th annual Cradle to Career Network Convening, I am more convinced than ever that we are truly unstoppable when we unite for kids and…
Engaging the community is essential to our work at StriveTogether to ensure every child succeeds in school and in life. That’s why community engagement has been a core principle of our approach since the beginning. Cradle to Career Network members have also identified the need to strengthen communication and engagement, which led to this being…
What we learned from Equal Measure’s evaluation of the theory of action More than 4,000 people from the Cradle to Career Network participated in a three-year evaluation of the StriveTogether Theory of Action™, and findings confirm our framework is helping communities change systems and improve outcomes for kids and families. I am so grateful to…