Sunday, August 18, 2013

Social Capital is the Number One Factor in Economic Mobility

I just saw this segnment on CNN and feel it is so important to share asap:  http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/bestoftv/2013/08/17/exp-gps-0818-take.cnn&iref=allsearch#/video/bestoftv/2013/08/17/exp-gps-0818-take.cnn

Based on a collaborative Harvard/Berkley study of the factors that affect economic mobility, and for the USA "The American Dream"--the element a community has or does not have that is #1 factor is Social Capital.  Considering the Arizona Daily Star's recent series, Losing Ground, which explored poverty in the Tucson region, I strongly encourage followers to spread the word that this study and its findings could be the basis of an indepth "Gaining Ground" response.  As a Reading Seed Volunteer for five years (and now a TUSD/classroom reading volunteer), I certainly support the Star and our mayor's call to increase the number of Reading Seed Tutors as one way to create a more positive potential outcome for our community's children.  But we need a deeper conversation about poverty in our midst and I believe the CNN story and research it cites is a good beginning.

Let me know if you are interested in moving forward with this approach by emailing me at acfonte@aol.com .

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