Daily Archives: 07/22/2013

(Community Matters) A new study on income mobility shows where children are raised makes a significant difference in the likelihood they will rise in family income levels – the determinants appear to include: strong school systems, low & middle income families interspersed, and the quality of public transit.

both liberals and conservatives have grown worried about diminished opportunities following more than a decade of disappointing economic growth. After years of focusing more on inequality at a moment in time, economists have more recently turned their attention to people’s paths over their lifetimes.

In previous studies of mobility, economists have found that a smaller percentage of people escape childhood poverty in the United States than in several other rich countries, including Canada, Australia, France, Germany and Japan. The latest study is consistent with those findings.

Hat Tip: Lynn Meredith

(Community Matters) Friends are posting this Romany Malco column from the HuffPost. It reminds me of a David Brooks piece – provocative and sorta silly logic but stated so eloquently it’s hard not to just go with it.

“The only reason people are even aware of Trayvon Martin is because it became a topic within mainstream news and pop culture” . . . well, ah, duh . . . but that doesn’t impact the facts or context of the case. And, absolutely, there are hundreds if not thousands of other cases similarly deserving, if not more, of attention and indignation but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t examine and investigate this case. Reminds me of the star fish story I learned in Leadership Austin.

As for the President’s comments – I hope anyone who has an opinion on this has read or watched his comments – there’s enough to piss off either side. Though, I’m pretty sure they were intended to remind each side of perspective, of context. I’ve included here http://bit.ly/15ZHvPD

Saturday night, Steven and I hosted a dinner for two seminarians from Virginia Theological Seminary (not a liberal establishment). There was a diversity of guests around the table – age, wealth & ethnicity. The conversation around Trayvon was solemn. The African American men at our table and the mother and sister of African American men shared similar stories of profiling – similar to those shared by our President of being followed in department stores, feared by women in elevators, passengers clicking their car door locks as they pass, and the mom fearful for the life of her son around law enforcement – btw, her son is a capitol police officer in DC. I mean this as respectfully as i can say it – white people should not declare that we’re living in a post-race society. It’s something we ought to wait to hear from those who’ve experienced cumulative discrimination.

(Community Matters) Such a treat to host to Virginia Theological Seminary students this weekend – Broderick Greer and Carlos de la Torre. For one, it makes my husband’s heart sing to engage in these conversations, and I thoroughly enjoyed both these bright, committed young men.

Super dinner at our place in their honor Saturday night. Eleven around the table for hours talking about St James, the seminary, one’s calling, being lifted up by one’s community, Trayvon Martin, Freedom Schools, and everything else. Many thanks to Rev Lisa Saunders for organizing their visit.

(Community Matter) David Mixner linked

(Community Matters) Excellent article by Jonathan Chait in the New York magazine.

Hat Tip: Huffington Post