Leading on Opportunity

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be speaking at the #ProsperitySummit2024 at the National Harbor in Maryland, where Tonya Jameson and I will be discussing how to bridge community voice with data to advance economic mobility. Join my team from Leading on Opportunity and over 1,500 professionals dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a clear path to financial stability, wealth, and prosperity. With financial insecurity and inequality at record levels, it’s crucial for professionals from all sectors to unite. Meet me at the summit!

🌈 A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Amazing Volunteers! 🌈 For the second year in a row, our Leading on Opportunity team proudly participated in Charlotte Pride, and it wouldn't have been possible without the incredible dedication of our volunteers. Your enthusiasm, energy, and commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity made our booth a vibrant space where everyone felt welcomed and valued. Thank you for your continued support and for being the driving force behind our efforts to promote opportunity for all. Together, we are making a difference and showing that #OpportunityForAll truly means everyone. 🌟 We’re grateful to each and every one of you for your hard work and passion. Let’s keep the momentum going! 💪 #CharlottePride #CLTPride #CommunityImpact #VolunteersRock #LeadingOnOpportunity #Gratitude #DiversityAndInclusion

Join us for “Changing Opportunity: Understanding The Data Behind The Latest Economic Mobility Study” 📅 Friday, August 23rd 🕐 1:00 p.m. 📍 Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City (320 E. 9th St.) 🔗 Link to RSVP: https://lnkd.in/e3DKiw9c We look forward to seeing you there!

💻Tune In Tomorrow!💻 #BrookingsWebinar Join the The Brookings Institution and an esteemed panel — including Leading on Opportunity Executive Director Sherri Chisholm — for a discussion on “The Changing Landscape of Economic Opportunity By Race and Class in America: New Data and Policy Implications.” 🕐 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. EST 📆 July 31st, 2024 📍 Online Webinar 🔗 Register Here: https://lnkd.in/eDBAQFAV.

Opportunity Insights, the Harvard University-based research group led by Dr. Raj Chetty, today published “Changing Opportunity: Sociological Mechanisms Underlying Growing Class Gaps and Shrinking Race Gaps in Economic Mobility,” which shows Charlotte moved from No. 50 to 38 in economic mobility (the ability of children from low-income families to climb the income ladder and thrive). Charlotte is ranked No. 3 out of 50 on economic mobility progress, moving upward faster than peer cities. In addition, Mecklenburg is the only county in the country where low-income white children experienced no decline in economic mobility. “Charlotte is a city that in many ways has and continues to be ahead in our approach to community progress,” says Sherri Chisholm, Executive Director of Leading on Opportunity, an organization formed in 2017 in response to the initial study, which advocates for and tracks the progress in Charlotte that is often not readily available to the public. “We refused to accept our low ranking, and made a commitment to improve lives in Charlotte.” Read the Update: https://lnkd.in/eCZhY_id #EconomicMobility #CharlotteNorthCarolina #LeadingOnOpportunity #OpportunityInsights #Partnerships #Charlotte #Mecklenburg

🎶 "Something inside so strong" rang out loud and proud from Freedom School Partners #Harambee this morning at Renaissance West STEAM Academy. Our Director of Research (and star reader if we do say so ourselves) AJ Calhoun enjoyed being the morning reader with the scholars this morning. Thank you to: 🍎 Renaissance West for creating this space 📕 Freedom School partners for all of the work you do to combat summer learning loss and improving students’ opportunities through literacy, one summer at a time. 🎒 The scholars for being your best and brightest every day. Learn about Freedom School: https://lnkd.in/d6RryKg

Did You Know That: ➡ One year of childcare in for an infant N.C. costs more than four years of in-state tuition? What Else Do We Know? ➡Childcare costs are rising. The end of COVID ARPA Funds will exacerbate this strain. Community Impact: 🍎 Providers: Many will be forced to close, lose spaces, and raise tuition. Providers and employees will leave due to low wages. 👪 Families: Affordable childcare access will dwindle, potentially forcing parents to stay home and leave the workforce. 🏢 Businesses & Workforce: We might be facing a decline in workforce participation. As a Business Owner, What Can I Do to Help? 🌟 Highlight the crisis in media interviews 🌟Contact key legislators 🌟Advocate for making childcare a business priority Thank you to the CLT Alliance Foundation for sharing in uplifting this cause. #Childcare is a #Workforce issue.

#TalleresEnEspañol | Small Business Workshops in Spanish 📅 July 15th, 11:30am - 1:00pm 📍 LACCC / Prospera NC 145 C Scaleybark Rd. Charlotte, NC 28209 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/efNd7Jv7 The childcare shortage is affecting small businesses as employees miss shifts or adjust schedules. To help, Leading on Opportunity is offering workshops in English and Spanish, discussing the childcare crisis, gathering feedback from small business owners, networking, sharing stories, and providing resources to alleviate childcare burdens. La escasez de cuidado infantil está afectando a las pequeñas empresas, ya que los empleados pierden turnos o ajustan sus horarios. Para ayudar, Leading on Opportunity está ofreciendo talleres en inglés y español, discutiendo la crisis del cuidado infantil, recopilando comentarios de los propietarios de pequeñas empresas, creando redes de contacto, compartiendo historias y proporcionando recursos para aliviar las cargas del cuidado infantil.

Opportunity Insights & Leading on Opportunity // 📍 Greetings from Cambridge, MA. 👋 Thank you to Sarah Oppenheimer and the Opportunity Insights team for welcoming us in and having us share about our work with your team for this summer's staff retreat. #EconomicMobility #Partnership

Last Week at LOO // 📍 Greetings from Washington, D.C! 👋 Last week, our Civic Advancement Director, Tonya Jameson, attended the inaugural National Child Care Innovation Summit. This trailblazing event, presented in partnership with the: ➡ U.S. Chamber of Commerce ➡U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation ➡U.S. Department of Commerce Brought together diverse stakeholders to tackle the escalating child care crisis. As the nation grapples with this critical issue, the Summit underscored the pivotal role of accessible, affordable child care in bolstering economic competitiveness and supporting working parents. We are proud to be part of this transformative movement and look forward to driving meaningful change alongside such dedicated partners! 🚀 #ChildCareInnovation #EconomicGrowth #PublicPrivatePartnerships #PolicyImpact #WorkingParents