Economic Mobility Is a Team Sport. Is Atlanta Ready to Play?

By Libby Saylor Wright, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta

In my last article, I shared a simple belief that young people need more than safe spaces; they need opportunities, experiences, relationships, and preparation for what comes next. This belief has been the hallmark of the work we do at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) and will continue to shape the future of the organization.

Over the next five years, our ambition is to become a driver of economic mobility in Metro Atlanta by helping young people become truly ready for the real world, equipped with the skills, experiences, confidence, and connections they need to succeed in college, career, and life. But here is the truth, economic mobility is not something any one organization can solve alone. Not BGCMA, schools, businesses, government, or philanthropic organizations. Economic mobility is a team sport. And if we are serious about creating lasting impact for Atlanta’s young people, then we must move beyond talking about the challenge and begin acting together on solutions.

The Opportunity Before Us

Atlanta is known as a city of opportunity. We are home to world-class corporations, thriving entrepreneurs, leading universities, and one of the most dynamic economies in the country. Yet research continues to tell us something uncomfortable. For too many children, where they grow up still heavily influences where they end up. Opportunity is not equal across our region, and economic mobility remains a challenge for many families. In fact, research from Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, led by economist Raj Chetty and colleagues, shows that Atlanta ranks at the bottom nationally for upward mobility among children from low-income families.

If we want a different future, we must ask ourselves different questions:

• What would happen if we treated economic mobility as a shared responsibility rather than an individual challenge?
• What would happen if every sector aligned around preparing young people not just to graduate, but to thrive?
• What would happen if we focused as much energy on creating pathways as we do on discussing barriers?

One insight from economic mobility research stands out above all others; relationships matter. According to Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights research, economic connectedness, which is the degree to which young people develop meaningful relationships across socioeconomic backgrounds, is one of the strongest predictors of upward mobility in America. In communities where young people have greater exposure to mentors, networks, and opportunities beyond their immediate circumstances, long-term economic outcomes improve significantly.

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, we see this every day. A young person meets a mentor who helps them imagine a future they had never considered; a peer who works hard to accomplish similar goals; a corporate volunteer introduces a career path they did not know existed; a college tour transforms a dream into a plan; an internship creates confidence and opens doors; and a conversation changes a trajectory. These moments may seem small, but collectively they build social capital, aspirations, and opportunity.

Economic mobility is not only about income. It is about access. Access to experiences, networks, information, and possibilities.

What If We Focused on Future Readiness?

For decades, success has often been measured by whether young people graduate from high school or enroll in college. Those milestones still matter. But in today’s economy, they are no longer enough. We should also be asking:

• Are young people developing the communication skills employers demand?
• Do they understand financial literacy?
• Can they collaborate, solve problems, self-regulate, and adapt?
• Have they been exposed to industries and careers that are shaping Atlanta’s future?
• Do they have trusted adults and professional networks that can help them navigate life’s next steps?

At BGCMA, these questions inform our work and our strategy. Our goal is to prepare young people to be future ready, not only academically, but socially, professionally, and personally, because opportunity favors preparation. But this requires a collaborative effort beyond conversations.

The encouraging news is that Atlanta already has many of the ingredients needed to make meaningful progress. We have employers looking for talent, schools preparing students, nonprofits creating support systems, foundations investing in communities, and civic leaders who care deeply about the future of our region. So, it’s not whether resources exist; it’s whether we can align them. 

A Call to Action

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, we are committed to doing our part. We will continue creating safe, inclusive environments where young people can learn, grow, and thrive. Our workforce and college readiness, leadership development, and life skills programming will continue. And helping the over 8,000 young people we serve annually build the confidence, capabilities, and connections they need to navigate the real world will always be a priority. But we cannot do it alone. Economic mobility requires all of us. The future workforce sitting in our classrooms, community centers, and BGCMA’s 26 club locations today will shape the future of Metro Atlanta. 

We all care about economic mobility, but what are we willing to do to advance it? If we genuinely want lasting impact, the time for conversation alone has passed. It’s time for collaboration. I invite you to connect with me directly and let us collaborate on driving change for our region.

This is sponsored content.