In the last two years, our community has learned–and relearned–a hard truth that has been
difficult for some to accept: access to economic opportunity in Charlotte-Mecklenburg is far too often
aligned with the zip code where one lives. For every young person with a bright spark of hope and a
pathway for his or her future, there is another, not so far away, living day to day without the necessities to
light his or her own path.
Our community is not unique. We live in a country that faces the inheritance of inequity daily, but
has very little sense of how to address it together. A fear of unfamiliar people and ideas has crept into our
politics and policies, leading us to focus ever inward. Our communities are divided by race and income.
Our true neighbors are fewer. The circumstances of our daily lives and the way in which our community
has physically evolved over time often inhibit us from crossing paths and knowing people whose lives are
different from ours. Some of us are fearful of the differences and changes occurring around us; many of us
are naturally inclined to stay close to the worlds we know; and others of us are not as aware as we would
hope.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg stands at a crossroads. We must decide whether to remain distant from
one another, or to join hands to build a better future for our city and county. This choice will determine the
potential of generations to come.
For details, visit here: https://fftc.org/sites/default/files/2018-05/LeadingOnOpportunity_Report.pdf