The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation invited Harvard University researcher Raj Chetty, a guru of economic mobility, to Atlanta on Jan. 13 to share his insights on why Atlanta ranked dead last among the major cities in the United States.
The Blank Foundation convened an influential group of business and civic leaders, government and nonprofit representatives, as well as community activists to hear from Chetty and better understand why metro Atlanta currently ranks 50th out of the 50 largest U.S. cities when it comes to economic mobility.
The leaders who gathered at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday afternoon were focused on initiatives the region could implement to improve the economic outcomes for those at the bottom of the economic ladder.
“We need to think about solutions that matter,” said Chetty, who also the director of Opportunity Insights. “Where you grow up really matters.”
Chetty displayed maps that showed the wide disparities of economic mobility nationally and the Atlanta region, where people living only one mile away from each other (Hanover West versus Carver Hills) had a 20-year difference in life expectancy.
“Enough is enough,” said Courtney English, chief of staff for the City of Atlanta. “We are tired of being 50th out of 50.”
English went on to say that when Atlanta makes up its mind to tackle big issues, it usually succeeds. He mentioned how former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson introduced the concept of minority-majority joint ventures in the building of the new airport (now known as Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
“It’s who we are,” he added.
The Economic Mobility Summit, organized by the Blank Foundation, was geared towards bringing people who can make a difference.
“It’s very concerning, and we are motivated to do something about it,” said Fay Twersky, president of the Blank Foundation.
The Foundation has made a $75 million grant to Blue Meridian Partners, a philanthropic entity focused on results, to work on a five-year economic mobility initiative in the City of Atlanta as well as some smaller Georgia communities.
Othello Meadows, a managing director of Blue Meridian and a former Atlanta resident, said the city’s history as a center for civil rights and social justice was an important factor in launching this new initiative.
“You can’t be in the South and not be in Atlanta,” Meadows said. “Atlanta, for a lot of reasons, is a place we have all got our eyes on.”
He went on to mention the presence of Atlanta-based Purpose Built Communities, the business sector and the leadership of Mayor Andre Dickens as factors that led to Blue Meridian’s interest in Atlanta.
“We found a real good partner in the Blank Foundation,” Meadows said. “There’s a lot of work that has to happen. We are trying to make sure we are additive and that we are a supportive player.”
Plus, Chetty’s data showed that the greatest disparities in economic mobility could be found in the Southeastern United States.
“First connect people to opportunity,” Chetty said. Among the tools that can help include job training, education and affordable housing.
Nearly everyone who spoke at the summit acknowledged the long-term nature of tackling economic mobility. “We know this is intergenerational work,” Twersky said. That must be balanced with an action-oriented focus — needing both patience and a sense of urgency.
“We feel bullish that we need to bring in more philanthropic capital,” she said, adding that the beauty of Atlanta was “the privilege of bringing national expertise.”
Sherri Chisholm, executive director of Charlotte’s Leading on Opportunity, spoke of how the North Carolina city was able to go from being 50th out of 50 in Chetty’s 2014 study to being 38th in 2024. That’s when Atlanta went from 49th to 50th.
“Raj’s work lit a fire under us,” Chisholm said of how the Charlotte community galvanized its efforts to improve its economic mobility outcomes.
“That brings me back to Atlanta. You have a great opportunity to use this moment to implement great change,” she said. “This is long-term work. But Charlotte is proof that change is possible.”
Note to readers:
SaportaReport works closely with Atlanta Way 2.0, a nonprofit aimed at strengthening the civic fabric of the Atlanta region. One of Atlanta Way 2.0’s focus areas is economic mobility. SaportaReport will continue to cover the region’s efforts to develop better economic outcomes for Atlanta’s residents.
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