Eight years ago in 2014, Charlotte ranked 50 out of 50 of the nation’s largest metro areas in an upward mobility study from Harvard and the University of California-Berkeley.
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The “Land of Opportunity” study painted a bleak outlook for Charlotte’s poorest residents, but served as a wake up call for city officials and community members.
Leaders took action to address and correct the trends in mobility. Money was raised, programs were launched and attention was paid to areas like pre-K education, affordable housing and transportation.
So, where is Charlotte now?
In this special conversation, host Mary C. Curtis is joined by local leaders and experts at Project 658 in Charlotte to look at how far the city has come, and what still needs to happen to improve upward mobility in Charlotte.
GUESTS
- Ely Portillo, assistant director of outreach & strategic partnerships at UNC Charlotte’s Urban Institute
- Sherri Chisholm, executive director of Leading on Opportunity
- Vi Lyles, mayor of Charlotte
- Charis Blackmon, executive director of West Side Community Land Trust
- Daniel Valdez, senior director of external affairs at Welcoming America
