Leading on Opportunity Genesis
Charlotte in 2014 was all gas, no brakes: construction
cranes filled the sky over Uptown, millennials streamed
into the city, driving the demand for breweries, craft
cocktails and hot yoga. The city was still basking in
the international glow from successfully hosting the
Democratic National Convention two years prior.
Charlotte was a prosperous, thriving city on the rise.
So in that same year when a study by Dr. Raj Chetty
of Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights was
released which ranked Charlotte last among the 50
largest US cities, and Mecklenburg No. 99 out of 100
counties in upward mobility, the reaction in the city was
seismic. It was a wake-up call for some, and an overdue
acknowledgement for others.
For details, visit here: https://www.leadingonopportunity.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/LOO-CaseStudy_FINAL_0325.pdf