Reimagining philanthropy to get better results

Improving economic and social mobility in our communities is complex work and cannot happen in a vacuum. As the philanthropic sector continues to grapple with the best way to address these layered challenges, the default is often a siloed approach that provides restricted programmatic support to generate outputs rather than a broader collaborative approach to…

‘Create opportunity and then get out of the way’: Insights from equity work in Minnesota

Northfield Promise, a StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network member in Northfield, Minn., launched a Racial Equity Team in late 2019 to create an equitable environment for young people and families. Despite the obstacles of 2020, they made important strides in their first year. Here are three key insights from their work: Start with youth. The…

Unanimously committed: Insights from city’s acknowledgment of systemic racism

Last month, the Spartanburg City Council unanimously approved a resolution to acknowledge systematic racism and apologize to Black community members for the persistent inequities caused by past city policies. The resolution was led by councilmember Meghan Smith, who serves as director of college/career readiness at Cradle to Career Network member Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM).…

More than ready to lead

Jennifer Blatz invited women of color from the Cradle to Career Network to join her and Cecilia Muñoz for a candid conversation about leadership. Muñoz was the first Latinx to lead the White House Domestic Council and is the author of a new book, More than Ready: Be Strong and Be You … and Other…

Leadership in this moment means accountability and systemic changes to ensure justice

This piece was originally published in the Lexington Herald-Leader. Last week, we saw demonstrations in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota, and downtown Louisville. Since then, collective voices have raised across the country with the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor respectively – two African Americans whose lives were stolen in…

Making our world a better place: StriveTogether deepens commitment to racial and ethnic equity

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…