A shared vision for what’s possible for every child, cradle to career, is at the heart of our work. The systemic obstacles we’re facing are too large for any one entity to tackle on its own — it takes a collective approach to address the underlying challenges youth and families are facing. To be…
StriveTogether is partnering with Walmart.org to support the Retail Opportunity Network, which is a community of leaders focused on upskilling and learning, job success, and economic mobility for all people working in frontline roles across America. Orlando Cazarez, a senior program manager at the Center for the Future of Arizona shares some of his learning…
The StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network is uniquely positioned to leverage the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) given our decade-long experience building civic infrastructure in nearly 70 communities across 29 states. We have the knowledge, skills, tools and relationships to support districts and municipalities with the direction of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Our aim…
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to be a part of an amazing all-female panel discussing the role of neighborhood organizations and the networks that support them in improving outcomes for youth and families. Moderated by the brilliant Angela Glover Blackwell, I joined Dreama Gentry and Sondra Samuels to share what we have learned…
Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack” begins to play as the StriveTogether Leadership Program seminar concludes. Several participants chuckle as they pack their materials to head home, having discovered that the music over the previous two days was themed given the activity or time of day. For decades, researchers have studied how music affects people’s productivity,…
This is an excerpt of a piece published in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Read the full piece here. The COVID-19 crisis demands leadership at its best and women are answering the call in Cincinnati and Ohio. Women everywhere have the opportunity to step up and lead in their neighborhoods and communities. No act of empathy, kindness…
“If everybody can be successful, imagine what our community is going to be,” says Danae Davis, executive director of Milwaukee Succeeds. Danae was interviewed for StoryCorps by Parvathi Santhosh-Kumar, StriveTogether’s vice president of equitable results. Listen to their conversation to learn why Danae thinks her community is poised for real change. Listen to the interview
When I moved into my new house a few months ago, I received a beautiful plant as a housewarming gift. I wanted this plant to thrive. But I didn’t pay enough attention to its proper care — what type of soil did it need, what type of pot accommodated its roots or how frequently should…
I love succession planning. Not because of my history operationalizing it at scale, not because my knowledge of its many benefits, but because of how during a succession planning process, I was able to self-actualize through a supportive and encouraging environment. In short, it allowed me to feel valued and heard, as so many employees…
“Trust comes from truth telling,” Hanh Cao Yu from the California Endowment said from the plenary stage at the Grantmakers for Effective Organizations Learning Conference last week in Seattle. Her words rang true from multiple perspectives. As I’ve learned in my work with communities across the country applying StriveTogether’s collaborative improvement approach, one of the most…
In the Spring 2019 Stanford Social Innovation Review, you’ll find two articles written by three thought leaders who see promise in StriveTogether and our Cradle to Career Network. Jim Shelton, the former head of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s education division and former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, encourages investors to place “big bets”…
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Martin Luther King Jr. On the day in which we celebrate the life, achievements and influence of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., I find myself searching his writings for some hope and inspiration…