We all want the same thing for our children – a shot at the American Dream. It is the idea that no matter where you start in life, you have a chance of climbing up the income ladder and becoming successful.
One of the surprising findings from our work was that Charlotte had the lowest rate of upward mobility of the largest 50 metropolitan areas in the country. We were inspired by Charlotte’s response to those findings. Instead of being discouraged by or seeking to challenge the data, local leaders and community members used 50 out of 50 as a call to action, an impetus for convening difficult conversations and beginning the hard work necessary to build a community where opportunity exists for everyone.
Charlotte’s response reinforced our belief that data and research have the power to create real change. We have been pleased to partner with Foundation For The Carolinas, Leading on Opportunity, and a range of local organizations and individuals on the Charlotte Opportunity Initiative to identify policy areas with the potential to increase upward mobility in Charlotte.
Through this work, we began digging deeper into the data in Charlotte itself to understand why Charlotte ranks low in terms of economic mobility for its kids despite having a vibrant, rapidly growing economy. One encouraging finding in the data is that the roots of economic opportunity lie at a very local level: there are neighborhoods within Charlotte itself where kids from low-income families have good chances of rising up. Although examples of promising programs and policies from across the country can be helpful, identifying success stories within Charlotte provides a more concrete path to replicating those successes more widely across the city.
Our research and collaborative work point to real solutions that can change children’s lives for the better – from affordable housing in higher opportunity neighborhoods to better pathways from school to colleges that successfully propel students up the income ladder.
For details, visit here: https://opportunityinsights.org/charlotte/