Power of Place 2024
Held in Miami, the third-annual Power of Place brought together hundreds of cross-sector leaders, practitioners, and policymakers who are working tirelessly to drive social and economic mobility, at scale, for the most vulnerable children and families in our country. The convening featured spoken word and dance performances by HCZ Promise Academy and Zone Programs scholars; the presentation of the Power of Place Founding Trailblazer Award to Dreama Gentry, Founder, President, and CEO, Partners for Rural Impact; and inspirational keynotes from place-based leaders.
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.
Power of Place 2023
Held in New Orleans, the second-annual Power of Place brought together hundreds of cross-sector leaders, practitioners, and policymakers working tirelessly to drive social and economic mobility, at scale, for the most vulnerable children and families in our country. The convening featured a dance Performance by HCZ Promise Academy scholars, presentation of the Power of Place Founding Trailblazer Award to Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder in Residence, PolicyLink; and a performance by Kermit Ruffins.
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.
Power of Place 2022
Held in Washington D.C., Power of Place: A Gathering of Leaders 2022 brought together hundreds of cross-sector leaders, practitioners, and policymakers working tirelessly to drive social and economic mobility, at scale, for the most vulnerable children and families in our country.
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.
Leveraging the Power of Place: Strengthening the Field from Networks to Neighborhoods, 1/19/21
The virtual summit focused on place-based, cradle-to-career solutions to confront systemic inequities devastating low-income communities, especially communities of color. Practitioners advocated for systems change through neighborhood capacity building, effective school-community partnerships, and public sector engagement to change the odds for a generation of young people.
