In partnership with Ascend at the Aspen Institute, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County hosted the inaugural 2Gen Summit in Sarasota. The Summit brought together national thought leaders like Anne Mosle, executive director of Ascend and vice president of
the Aspen Institute, Dr. Aisha Nyandoro, executive director of Springboard to Opportunities, and William Serrata, president of the El Paso County Community College District, along with more 240 local leaders to discuss how our community can take steps to build an intergenerational cycle of opportunity and hope.
We enjoyed attending day one of the Summit today. It is inspiring to connect with people who are passionately dedicated to creating opportunities and addressing the needs of both vulnerable children and their parents – that’s the key to the two-generation approach.
Here are our key takeaways from day one:
1. The starting point for any movement is the inherent value of human life.
We need to start by teaching and believing that every single person has value. From that belief comes the power to motivate people to reach out and help others achieve their full potential.
Neil Philips @visiblemen tells of the importance of teaching the value of each human life. #2GEN #PublicLibraries @sarasotacounty
— Rebecca Freihaut (@RebeccaFreihaut) April 5, 2016
2. Expectations drive behavior.
People don’t rise to low expectations. Create an environment of positive, high expectations and provide support to encourage success. This applies to children in kindergarten as well as to their parents.
#2gen Ponder these words from @WSerrata: I have never seen a child rise to low expectations #glreading @AspenAscend
— Kirsten Russell (@KRussellSRQ) April 5, 2016
3. Change the narrative, change the system.
Listen to the family voice. It’s the narrative of poverty because it comes from people directly affected by the issue. People and poverty are multifaceted — if we only hear a single story about another person or community, we risk a critical misunderstanding. Talk to the children and their parents to hear all sides of the story and better understand the problem.
“The eyes looking up at you are so much more important than the eyes looking down.” No truer words! #2Gen @AspenAscend @CFSarasota
— Brittany Birken (@BBirken) April 5, 2016
4. The decision to take action drives involvement.
A clear goal and action plan are the drivers of community involvement. People unite and get involved if a common aspiration is articulated.
#2Gen steps for success: Start small. Have a clear vision and goal. Listen. Be flexible. Gain community support.
— MagnifyGOOD (@MagnifyGOOD) April 5, 2016
5. It’s not about taking credit.
Communities drive change. This means working together and forming partnerships. At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that the results are what matter. Don’t worry about getting credit — it’s about making a difference and doing good!
@CFSarasota Kathie Roberts: Partnerships do the work and don’t worry about who gets/takes the credit. The results propel all. #2Gen
— Bronwyn Beightol (@BronwynBeightol) April 5, 2016
Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more insights on Day 2 of the Summit.
