The Itasca Project is a CEO-led civic endeavor that brought to light the stark race, class, and place disparities standing in the way of Twin Cities' successful future. This section presents stories about local efforts to bridge the gap. As Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution emphasizes, eliminating disparities is "not only the right thing to do, but a competitive thing to do" and "it's now time not only to mind the gap, but more importantly to close the gap."
Despite serious disparities similar to other metro regions in the nation, there is hope for improvement in the Twin Cities. The Itasca Project is a group of committed business leaders who have examined the problems, and are actively seeking solutions from within the state and the nation. There is a growing consensus that these issues cannot be resolved solely by the individual efforts of government, businesses or non-profit organizations. All sectors of our society need to come together to deliver on the promise of a successful future for all.
This section highlights stories of hope and success. From individual drive to community efforts, from business leaders to policy makers, from faith-based initiatives to government-led projects, these stories demonstrate how we can take action on eliminating disparities. They also seek to inspire action beyond the classroom to continue engaging our communities, and encouraging dialogue and efforts to improve the quality of life for everyone in the Twin Cities.
|
