Leading on Opportunity

🌟 Charlotte’s Momentum in Economic Mobility 🌟 - from Spectrum News 📍 Charlotte, NC, once ranked last in economic mobility among major U.S. cities, has made incredible strides. According to the latest Harvard-based Changing Opportunity study, Charlotte is now the third-most improved city, reflecting the resilience and determination of its people. The study, which analyzed data from over 57 million children, highlights key drivers of progress: parental employment among peers and quality education. It’s inspiring to see leaders like Jamese Ivy, interim Chief Impact Officer at United Way of Greater Charlotte, share personal stories of triumph, showing the power of access and opportunity in shaping futures. Organizations like Leading on Opportunity are working tirelessly to ensure this progress continues. As Sherri Chisholm, the organization's executive director, puts it, “There’s no silver bullet—but stable housing, quality education, health care, and employment are foundational.” Let’s celebrate Charlotte’s progress while continuing to commit to building a city where every child has a pathway to success. 📖 Read the full story and learn more: https://lnkd.in/eAaAF65m #EconomicMobility #CharlotteNC #EquityAndOpportunity #CommunityProgress

Words from Sherri Chisholm // Gratitude to Comcast's ProjectUp from Philadelphia, PA. "Thank you, Comcast and Project UP! It was an honor to join your panel on economic mobility last month, alongside such insightful contributors, including Dr. Raj Chetty. As a practitioner, it was a privilege to highlight Charlotte’s journey and ongoing work toward advancing economic mobility—leveraging data, partnerships, and community voices. Your commitment to fostering corporate-community collaborations to address critical challenges is inspiring. The thank-you gifts were such a thoughtful gesture and reflect the care and intentionality you bring to this work. We look forward to continuing to support your efforts as you build on insights from the Chetty studies to drive meaningful change in communities across the country!" #EconomicMobility #CommunityImpact #Partnerships

🎉 Excited to share this inspiring article from The Atlantic, which highlights the impactful work of Dr. Virginia Covill and the Crescent Coalition in advancing equitable opportunities in our community. 💡 This work wouldn't be possible without the thoughtful engagement and support of the Crescent Coalition (🗣roll call!) Carolina Youth Coalition (Aaron Randolph, Maria Diaz) Greater Steps Scholars (Aisha Strothers) The Academy of Goal Achievers, Inc (Courtnie Coble) Road to Hire (Allen Davis (he/him)) UrbanPromise Charlotte (Jimmy McQuilkin) GenOne Charlotte (Ian Joyce) WAYFINDERS (Mollie Thorn James) Friedland Foundation (Dr. Michael Friedland) ...and partners like Deloitte and Council Member David Rizzo. Together, they are demonstrating the power of collaboration in shaping a future where everyone can thrive. Check out the full article to learn how they’re driving change and fostering inclusive growth: Read the article here. Let's keep the momentum going! 💪 #EconomicMobility #CommunityLeadership #Collaboration https://lnkd.in/g7nHTYRX

✨ Leadership, Data, and Impact in Action! ✨ Last night, our Director Sherri Chisholm and Data + Evaluation Consultant Dr. Robert Pinka III, PhD had the honor of representing Leading on Opportunity at the American Leadership Forum - National's Senior Fellows Feast, the annual fundraiser hosted by the Lee Institute. 💡Sherri delivered an inspiring keynote, spotlighting the critical work of Leading on Opportunity, sharing a compelling update on economic mobility through the lens of Dr. Raj Chetty’s research, and offering a heartfelt reflection on her own leadership journey. 📈 Rob led an engaging data workshop, diving into key economic mobility trends across Mecklenburg, York, and Gaston counties—fostering meaningful dialogue about challenges and opportunities in the region. Both were thrilled to connect with fellow leaders across sectors, carrying forward the essential message of collaboration to advance economic mobility through partnerships spanning government, nonprofits, and corporations. Together, we’re moving the needle for a stronger, more equitable future. 💪📊🌍 #EconomicMobility #Leadership #DataDrivenImpact #Collaboration #AmericanLeadershipForum #LeadingOnOpportunity

🎉Congratulations to Community Matters: Insurance Partners of Charlotte on announcing their 2025 nonprofit partners: ➡️ Renaissance West Community Initiative ➡️ The Crescent Coalition (GenOne Charlotte, UrbanPromise Charlotte, Carolina Youth Coalition) ➡️ Freedom Communities 👏 Shoutout to Federico Rios and the team at Foundation For The Carolinas for championing this incredible work! It’s inspiring to see this growing commitment to building a coalition of leaders around Charlotte’s talent pipeline. This collaboration will make a real impact on creating equitable opportunities for our community. 🌟 #EconomicMobility #TalentPipeline #CharlotteCommunity #NonprofitLeadership

#ThoughtfulThursday: Rethinking Portable Tenant Screening Reports (PTSRs) ❓ What’s a PTSR? It’s a reusable screening report designed to simplify the rental process. By paying once, renters can reuse their application for 30 days across multiple properties—at least, that’s the promise. But, in reality, PTSRs often create new barriers for renters: ➡Additional Fees: Landlords can still require their own application fees, making the “one-time fee” a misleading benefit. ➡Landlord Approval: Renters must be “invited” by landlords to use a PTSR, leaving them at the mercy of individual landlords’ preferences. ➡Embedded Biases: PTSRs can codify discriminatory practices, like automatically rejecting applicants with past evictions or criminal records. To better support renters, we need to look beyond quick fixes: ☑ Eliminate rental application fees ☑Lock access to eviction and criminal records to prevent discrimination For a deeper dive into how PTSRs impact renters, check out Upturn’s report: Tenants Pay the Price 🔗 https://lnkd.in/etQhHUmx #HousingEquity #FairHousing #TenantRights

This Week @ LOO // We're thrilled to participate in the inaugural session of CFLeads' Economic Mobility Action Network (EMAN)—a year-long cohort of community foundations dedicated to advancing economic mobility. The national network launched today here in Charlotte, North Carolina! 📸 AJ Calhoun, Rhonda Dean, Nicole Fote, Danielle Frazier, Federico Rios, and Mike Rizer were in the room for Day One! #EconomicMobility #Charlotte #NorthCarolina #CommunityFoundations #Partnerships

📢 Attention Small Business Owners & Community Members! We're excited to announce our Share-Out Sessions for the Small Business Survey on Child Care! 🌟 Over the past months, we've been listening to small business leaders about the challenges they and their employees face with child care access. Now, we're ready to share the insights and discuss potential solutions. Join us for one of our Zoom sessions: 📅 Session #1: November 14, 6 - 7 pm 📅 Session #2: November 19, 12 - 1 pm Open to the public—let’s work together to address this critical issue! 👉 RSVP: jhovis@leadingonopportunity.org for the Zoom link. Let’s build a community where everyone can thrive. #ChildCareSolutions #SmallBusinessSupport #EconomicMobility #LeadingOnOpportunity

Thank you, Right Moves For Youth and Ryan Grammatico for inviting our Director of Strategy and Operations, Dr. Virginia Covill, to speak at your Coffee with the Executive Director event last week! ☕   We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect with current and future leaders, sharing our perspectives and experiences with the vibrant community of Charlotte. Events like these provide a powerful space for learning, inspiration, and building momentum toward a brighter, more equitable future.   Looking forward to continued collaboration as we all work toward positive impact in our community! 💼🌍 📍 Do Greater, Inc. | The Creative Labs   #Leadership #CommunityImpact #CharlotteNC #EconomicMobility #Collaboration #RightMovesForYouth #DoGreater

Thank you, Right Moves For Youth and Ryan Grammatico for inviting our Director of Strategy and Operations, Dr. Virginia Covill, to speak at your Coffee with the Executive Director event last week! ☕   We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect with current and future leaders, sharing our perspectives and experiences with the vibrant community of Charlotte. Events like these provide a powerful space for learning, inspiration, and building momentum toward a brighter, more equitable future.   Looking forward to continued collaboration as we all work toward positive impact in our community! 💼🌍 📍 Do Greater, Inc. | The Creative Labs   #Leadership #CommunityImpact #CharlotteNC #EconomicMobility #Collaboration #RightMovesForYouth #DoGreater