CINCINNATI, OH — More than 400 community leaders, social change agents and policymakers will convene September 11-13 in Washington, D.C., for StriveTogether’s 10th annual national Cradle to Career Network Convening. They represent the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, a national movement that’s sweeping the country and impacting the lives of 13.7 million youth and counting.
“StriveTogether — like so many movements that changed our society — is fueled by passion and a shared belief that we can do better for every child,” said StriveTogether CEO and President Jennifer Blatz. “We refuse to settle for a world where a child’s potential is dictated by the conditions in which the child is born. We are committed to helping every child succeed in school and in life from cradle to career, regardless of race, zip code or circumstance.”
Joining the movement as keynote speakers in September are:
- Stacey Abrams, activist, author, lawmaker and civil rights leader
- David Brooks, cultural commentator, executive director at the Aspen Institute and author of “The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life”
- Cecilia Muñoz, vice president for Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives at New America
- Richard V. Reeves, director of the Future of the Middle Class Initiative at the Brookings Institution and author of “Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do About It”
- Jim Shelton, former deputy secretary of Education and founding executive director of My Brother’s Keeper under President Barack Obama
“They share our cradle-to-career vision,” Blatz said of the featured speakers. “We know the systems designed to serve our youth are failing children and families of color and those living in poverty. We exist to give every child, every chance, cradle to career. We’re here to help create possibilities — giving children opportunities to go further and do better than the generations before them.”
StriveTogether works to break down barriers, change systems and improve outcomes for as many families as possible.Using data to illuminate the nation’s most pressing challenges, StriveTogether lays the foundation for tough conversations and evidence-based actions. This data-driven approach proves what’s working and what’s not and improves outcomes in education and beyond.
The annual convening connects hundreds of community leaders and experts with thought leaders and more than 50 interactive sessions and how-to workshops.
About StriveTogether
StriveTogether partners with nearly 70 communities across the country, providing coaching, resources and rigorous approaches to create opportunities and close gaps in education, housing and so much more. Together, the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network impacts the lives of 13.7 million youth — including 8.6 million children of color — across 29 states and the District of Columbia.