Guest blog post by Jason Brown, vice president of communications at Envision Utah The prenatal-to-age 3 development landscape is abuzz in Salt Lake City. People from many different organizations are anxiously engaged in making sure parents have the tools, knowledge and support they need to help their children get a great start. When we’re not…
On a brisk October weekend, I joined more than 350 change makers from across America gathered in Bentonville, Arkansas, for an event held by the Walton Family Foundation. With “Meet in the Middle” as the theme for the inaugural Heartland Summit, we learned and networked over four days of speakers, yoga and bike rides, local…
While reading Linda Villarosa’s New York Times article “Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-death Crisis,” I had some visceral reactions as a soon-to-be mother. There are glaring and alarming disparities in maternal and infant health for women of color, particularly for African-American women like myself. The article came to mind last…
Guest blog post by Christian Paige, educator, keynote speaker and spoken word poet. The StriveTogether national Cradle to Career Network Convening last week was nothing short of amazing. The event was a metaphor for me. I had the privilege of opening and closing the convening with spoken word performances honoring two leaders who have made significant…
“What do you look like in the eyes of the enemy?” asked educator and spoken word poet Christian Paige from the stage last Friday as the ninth national Cradle to Career Network Convening drew to a close. More than 500 leaders, equity champions and change agents sat on the edge of their seats, holding their…
“We are community artists. We get to weave big visions with data and information … Sometimes we pull, sometimes we push, and the weaving is as much art as it is science.” — Becky Hoffman The 2018 Cradle to Career Network Convening in Seattle last week was our biggest and best ever! I know we…
When Dr. Jill Biden was a little girl, her grandmother would sometimes take her to work. That meant bringing her to where she taught at an old-fashioned, one-room schoolhouse, crammed with three grades of students. On special days, Dr. Biden got to ring the schoolhouse’s brass bell to call students to class. And when the…
In 70 communities across the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, countless local leaders work tirelessly to improve outcomes for kids, demonstrating commitment, passion and persistence. At the ninth annual Cradle to Career Network Convening, StriveTogether recognized two women who exemplify these qualities by presenting them with the Bill Henningsgaard Cradle to Career Champion Award. This…
Guest blog post by Lindsay Ridinger, manager of Wow! Communications and Marketing at Summit Education Initiative in Akron, Ohio. Growing up, Frank was always “the new kid.” Frank’s family moved so many times during his childhood that it was difficult for him to get on track in school. He stumbled at every step, from cradle…
“Welcome to the bubble,” says Brittany Packnett, activist, educator and writer — a proud Black woman who believes that freedom is within our grasp, as long as we unleash love and build our power. “Inside the bubble, all you need is a white board and a dream. Inside the bubble, all you need is a…
When a community is together then mountains become movable Lights in a collective too bright to be dimmed We didn’t love our communities because they were beautiful. Our communities are beautiful because we loved them. — from Christian Paige’s “Trees” As spoken word poet Christian Paige shared in a performance that kicked off the opening…
In partnership with members of the Cradle to Career Network, StriveTogether has revised the Theory of ActionTM, our guiding framework for getting better results for kids and families. This marks the fourth time we have updated our Theory of ActionTM based on insights from communities from across the country. That’s why we consider it a…