opportunity
Imagine a community where all citizens have the opportunity to develop all of their talents and put all of their talents to full use. Where everyone is the CEO of his or her own career, and the community communicates the value of learning every day in every way? Where one’s “portfolio of work” is made up of multiple sources, some paid, some unpaid, that evolves and adapts throughout life to changing circumstances? What would this mean to the ability for all people to climb the economic ladder?
Opportunity events.
The Opportunity Challenge
The places that thrive today are those with the highest velocity of ideas and the highest density of talented people. But developing talent in the fullest sense is not just the result of schools or early childhood education or workforce development. It is also the result of intense practice with the prospect of failure, taking risks, trying new things, putting one’s talent to work in new and unfamiliar settings, the provision of opportunity, a whole web of public amenities such as libraries and community services, and the culture of a place.
What would it look like if your community communicated the value of learning every day? How can a city become a place where everyone is the CEO of his or her own career and where one’s “portfolio of work” is made up of multiple sources, some paid, some unpaid, that evolves and adapts throughout life to changing circumstances? What would this mean to the ability for all people to climb the economic ladder?
On February 16-18, 2011, CEOs for Cities and Mayor AC Wharton asked urban leaders in Memphis to imagine the future of opportunity as expressed in the Declaration of Interdependence: We can develop all of our talent and put all of our talent to work.
Staged over 2.5 days in Memphis, the Opportunity Challenge brought together a team of national experts with local city and civic decision makers and citizens to develop a compelling vision and practical strategies to determine what it takes to develop Memphians’ talent to the fullest extent. The key leadership team included:
National Expert Team
Joe Cortright, Principal, Impresa Consulting
Laurel Dukehart, President, Gateway to College National Network
Peter Smith, Senior Vice President of Academic Strategies and Development, Kaplan Higher Education
Katherine van Jan, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Derring-Do Design
Suzanne Walsh, Senior Program Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Veronica White, Executive Director, Center for Economic Opportunity
Local Stakeholders
Bob Bennett, Vice President of Human Resources, FedEx
Ruby Bright, President & CEO, Women’s Foundation for Greater Memphis
Dr. Richard Irwin, Associate Dean, University College, University of Memphis
Eric Mathews, Co-Founder, LaunchMemphis and Seed Hatchery
Demetri Patikas, Senior Advisor to the President, Duncan Williams Inc.
Dr. Douglas Scarboro, Executive Director, Office of Talent and Human Capital, City of Memphis
Gretchen Wollert McLennon, Program Officer, The Hyde Family Foundations
In addition to producing big ideas and quick-start strategies for Memphis, results of the Opportunity Challenge will be reported nationally as part of a book, generously underwritten by The Rockefeller Foundation, as well as a promotional tour and national policy platform.
Questions? Contact Julia Klaiber at 202-525-5627.
Atlanta Brain Trust
On April 12th, CEOs for Cities, Mayor Kasim Reed and the City of Atlanta, Parkmobile and McKenna, Long and Aldridge hosted the Atlanta Brain Trust, a robust discussion among urban leaders on the trends shaping the future of cities, how Atlanta is likely to fare in light of these trends, and if the local civic agenda needs to shift in response to these trends.
We talked about Atlanta’s success in attracting talented workers and what civic and business leaders are doing to keep them. We discussed the importance of placemaking investments that attach talented people to cities, and finally, we asked how Atlantans can put their talent to work in high wage jobs and innovative fields.
Outcomes of the Brain Trust will be compiled and put to use for the development of a national policy agenda and planned publications related to the US Initiative, including a book.
Questions? Contact Julia Klaiber at 202-525-5627.
