The problems facing today's world are too immense to be tackled by solitary thinkers. Only when change agents work together across sectors can we make a significant and long-lasting impact. This summer, I will be working with the White House Council for Community Solutions to do just that.
Established by an executive order by President Obama in December 2010, the Council is a group of high-profile leaders from across different sectors who are charged with the task of moving the needle on catalyzing local cross-sector solutions to connecting young Americans to great educations and a stronger career trajectories.
I am incredibly grateful to the Women and Public Policy Program and the Adrienne Hall Fellowship for supporting my summer internship. The work I'll be doing is the perfect merger of my intersecting interests in urban education policy, civic engagement, and asset-based community development.
I don't leave for D.C. for another two weeks, but I've been so excited that I've been talking to people at the Kennedy School and beyond and reading as much as I can about collective impact, cross-sector community solutions, disconnected youth, and more.
The Council meets as a large group once every quarter (and I'll be fortunate enough to be in D.C. for one of these this summer). Their first gathering was held in February, and you can watch most of the proceedings online. Here's the opening segment from that first session:
Over the next few months, I'll be documenting my internship and reflecting on the work I'm doing. I hope you'll enjoy reading about what I'm doing, and once I gather the links from my fellow WAPPP colleagues, you can read all about their fabulous internships as well.
What a wonderful opportunity, Parv! Excited to read about all the great work you'll be doing this summer.
ReplyDeleteGeo get 'em. You're a bright lady and you look great in a suit.
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