Power of Place: A Gathering of Leaders

“We are building a movement.” Four years ago, Power of Place began as a small convening of 250 place-based leaders in Washington, D.C. — today, it’s a national movement. This year, we welcomed more than 750 leaders, including 450 first-time attendees, to San Diego to advance place-based, cradle-to-career strategies transforming communities nationwide.

At Power of Place: It Takes a Village in 2024, William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children’s Zone featured its national partners, Orlando Kidz Zones and Lift Orlando from Orlando, Florida. Together, they are strengthening place-based solutions and expanding pathways to social and economic mobility for children and families across the Orlando community.

At Power of Place: It Takes a Village in 2024, William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children’s Zone featured its national partners, Bachman Lake Together and For Oak Cliff from Dallas, TX. Both organizations are leading the way in cradle-to-career work — advancing educational opportunities, strengthening families, and creating neighborhoods where children and families can thrive.

At Power of Place: It Takes a Village, William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children’s Zone spotlighted its Place-Based Education Leaders Design Fellowship (ELDF). The ELDF equips K–12 district leaders with the tools, resources, and support needed to build comprehensive, place-based partnerships that drive social and economic mobility for young people and families in historically disinvested communities.

At Power of Place: It Takes a Village convening, William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children’s Zone featured Maryland Governor Wes Moore and inaugural grantees of the ENOUGH Grant Program — Elev8 Baltimore, Inc., the Latin American Youth Center, and San Mar Family and Community Services — to explore how the initiative is set to combat child poverty and transform the lives of children and families in Maryland and beyond.

“We are the village. The village is built on joy, laughter, and excellence.” Our theme for this year's Power of Place was “It Takes a Village” — a testament to the collaborative, cross-sector, and community-based nature of our movement. Bringing together hundreds of national leaders, practitioners, and policymakers in Miami Beach, Power of Place catalyzed the field of place-based cradle-to-career with inspiring speeches and community building. We shared resources, honed our expertise, and renewed our commitment to impact the lives of millions of children and families and put them on the pathway to social and economic mobility.

At Power of Place: The Heart and Science of Cradle to Career, Geoffrey Canada, President and Founder, Harlem Children’s Zone and President, William Julius Wilson Institute, delivered inspiring closing remarks. In his speech, Mr. Canada emphasized the importance of place-based solutions to uplift children, families, and entire communities. His charge to attendees: “When the chips are down, what are you going to do for your children and families?”

Christian Rhodes, Deputy Executive Director of William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children’s Zone, moderated a panel at Power of Place: The Heart and Science of Cradle to Career. The discussion explored the role of local and regional partnerships in addressing inequities, featuring insights from leaders at StriveTogether, Purpose Built Communities, and Partners for Rural Impact.

Cecilia Gutierrez, Managing Director, Portfolio Lead at Blue Meridian Partners, moderates the fireside chat “What Are We Solving For? Unveiling the Problem and Its Drivers” at Power of Place: The Heart and Science of Cradle to Career. Joined by Dr. Jack Shonkoff, Director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, the discussion explored current evidence about the need for place-based, cradle-to-career strategies and how the field has evolved in recent years.

Adrianne Todman, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, delivered a keynote at Power of Place: The Heart and Science of Cradle to Career. Todman discussed the origins, future, and evidence of the department’s Choice Neighborhoods program, emphasizing the power of place-based strategies to uplift children and communities.

Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) CEO Kwame Owusu-Kesse gave a keynote address welcoming guests to Power of Place: Heart and Science of Cradle-to-Career. Mr Owusu-Kesse discussed HCZ, William Julius Wilson Institute, and the power of place-based, cradle-to-career strategies.

Power of Place. It isn’t just a slogan. It’s a field, it’s a movement. Together with neighborhood leaders and policymakers all over the country, William Julius Wilson Institute at HCZ is building a community of practice – bringing together the resources and expertise to impact the lives of millions of children and families and put them on the pathway to social and economic mobility. We continued to build this movement at our Power of Place: Heart and Science of Cradle to Career conference in New Orleans in October 2023. Check out the highlights from our second annual convening.

Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education Secretary; and Geoffrey Canada, President of Harlem Children’s Zone and founder of William Julius Wilson Institute sit down for a fireside chat at Power of Place: A Gathering of Leaders 2022 hosted by William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children's Zone.

Jennifer Blatz, President and Chief Executive Officer, StriveTogether; Carol Naughton, Chief Executive Officer, Purpose Built Communities; Jennifer Park, Executive Director, the Opportunity Accelerator at Results for America; Takema Robinson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Converge Consulting; Robert Runcie, Chief in Residence, Chiefs for Change; and Wendy Viola, Managing Director, Knowledge and Awareness Building, William Julius Wilson Institute, join a panel discussion, "Supporting the Work and Building the Field," moderated by Dr. Ryan Lugalia-Hollon, Chief Executive Officer, UP Partnership, at Power of Place: A Gathering of Leaders 2022 hosted by William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children's Zone.

Jennifer Klein, Chief Development Officer, Harlem Children’s Zone; Andrea Levere, President Emerita, Prosperity Now; and Teresa Wilke, Owner and Principal, Silver Arrow Strategies, joined a panel discussion, "Resourcing Neighborhood-Based Cradle-to-Career Strategies," moderated by Geoffrey Canada, at Power of Place: A Gathering of Leaders 2022 hosted by William Julius Wilson Institute at Harlem Children's Zone.

HCZ CEO Kwame Owusu-Kesse makes remarks at Power of Place: A Gathering of Leaders 2023.

Highlights from Power of Place: A Gathering of Leaders 2022.