Who Gets to Participate in Richmond’s Growth?
There is a lot to be excited about in Richmond right now. Employers are investing, industries are growing, and new opportunities are taking shape across our region.
But I keep coming back to a harder question: Who gets to participate in that growth?
Too often, a young person’s access to opportunity depends on the networks around them. Someone knows about a career they have never heard of. Someone makes an introduction. Someone helps them get into the room. Those relationships matter, but opportunity should not depend on whether a student happens to inherit them. September Newsletter
That is part of what we are trying to build differently at Richmond Ed Fund. We want more young people to leave school with more than a diploma: with a clearer sense of what is possible, meaningful experience, relationships that can open doors, and a real path into what comes next. RVA Builds is one expression of that work, beginning with skilled trades and creating stronger connections between school, employers, and opportunity. September Newsletter
The bigger question is one Richmond will have to answer together. If our region is going to grow, how do we make sure the young people growing up here have a real chance to build their futures here too?
I wrote more about that challenge, and why I believe we have an opportunity to build the bridge differently, recently in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.