The Brookings Institution shared data from How We Rise: How social networks impact economic mobility in Racine, WI, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC. This study focused on the differences in an individual’s social networks and how those differences impact economic mobility. City of Racine Alderman, Maurice Horton, represented the Racine community in a panel following the presentation.

We are proud of our community showing, once again, that we can have a greater impact when we work together to create change in Racine County. As we close out this year, take a look at all the great work our partnership has accomplished in 2020 in our new, digital annual report format.

We are requesting proposals from active community members in and around the Racine community to be a Community Power Consultant, create and implement our community engagement strategy with Higher Expectations. Proposals are due by November 25th, 2020 and the Community Power Consultant will begin work with us in January 2020.

On Friday, June 5th, after navigating a few speed bumps, four pallets of foods and drinks filled with healthy snack items, meal sides, coffee k-cups, drink mixes, protein bars, and candy were donated to the YMCA to distribute to families!

The Higher Expectations team mourns the loss of the precious lives that have been taken too soon as we’ve collectively failed to address racism in our systems and structures.

As an organization committed to eliminating barriers for our community, we understand that in order to create true change in our system we must listen to and be led by those most impacted by racist structures. We are committed to doing this work.

In the spring of 2019, the City of Racine was selected as one of nine cities to participate in the What Works Cities (WWC) Economic Mobility initiative, a new program designed for cities to increase their residents’ economic mobility prospects and to share how cities and local communities can help reverse the national trend of declining economic mobility.

We want to talk to more families to get a better idea on what matters most to Racine residents when it comes to child care and show decision makers just how many families could be impacted by new, or improved, child care policies.

Last week, we gathered a small group of our partners to work through a case study of a family living in Racine and discuss how to work more collaboratively to support whole families.

As a part of our Talent Hub work to reach the goal of increasing post-secondary credential attainment rates to 60% of adults in our region and close equity gaps for African American, Hispanic, and low-income populations, our partnership brought experts from the Charles A. Dana Center to facilitate a day-long Math Symposium.

Southeastern Wisconsin higher education, business and community leaders came together last week at We Energies to formally launch an unprecedented collaborative called the Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA).

In 2019, we collaborated with Racine Unified to bring a data fellow from Education Pioneers, a national education leadership development program, into our work. Our Data Fellow, Lauren Marinoff, closes her year working with us this week so we wanted to take the time to reflect on the great work she has accomplished this year.

Yesterday, we gathered along with 18 colleges and universities across our region to celebrate the launch of the Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA). HERA, which was first announced in 2018, represents more than 150,000 students across southeastern Wisconsin who are key to driving the economy.