© Copyright 2020 North Mecklenburg Economic Mobility Collaborative
Website by Orange Reef
Join us in helping break these barriers.
One quarter of households in North Meck are housing cost-burdened, paying more than 30% of income on housing.
Metro-Charlotte, including North Mecklenburg, ranks last (50th out of 50) in economic upward mobility.
Working together for a better community for all
The North Mecklenburg Economic Mobility Collaborative (NMEMC) is a group of nonprofit professionals, faith and community leaders, and engaged citizens working together to create a unified community where everyone can thrive.
Focused on Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville, NMEMC serves as a hub organization dedicated to finding solutions to the challenges of economic stability and upward mobility facing our neighbors.
It is time.
It is just.
We must.
The problem
A child born into poverty in Mecklenburg County has the least chance of mobility upward compared to most other regions in the U.S., reported in the Chetty study of 20141.
That study shows the American Dream is an achievable dream only for some.
Ever present in the minds of those struggling is the worry about what seems insurmountable.
The only constant is a feeling of never quite catching up to economic stability.
Downward mobility is like quicksand. Once it grabs you, it constrains your options.
Should this concern each and every one of us? Yes.
If nothing changes in how our systems inadequately help our neighbors improve their lives, our entire community will suffer. Most importantly, both social and racial injustices will be perpetuated. Economic and business growth will be hampered.
Organizations in Charlotte have rallied to address these challenges, primarily through the work of Leading on Opportunity. However, none of their work has been aimed at North Mecklenburg towns.
North Mecklenburg has strong local organizations and concerned citizens who are working to address pieces of the problem. What’s missing is a central organization that facilitates effective collaboration among stakeholders and focuses on underlying structural obstacles. We intend to change that.
How the NMEMC plans to be part of the solution
As a neutral party, the NMEMC will serve as a “backbone organization,” dedicated to:
- Keeping the voices of those seeking economic mobility front and center
- Identifying system opportunities, gaps, and barriers
- Convening various organizations and individuals, across sectors, to collaboratively address the problems
- Ensuring communication and the sharing of best practices
- Analyzing available data and seeking expert input
- Tracking and building accountability
- Advocating and sharing insights to government, social services organizations, and other stakeholders
- Improving outcomes
Empowered by our residents. Accountable to all residents.
We will convene, facilitate, innovate, and deploy identified solutions to the challenges and barriers our communities face.
Solutions will be shaped by the voices of those impacted.
We will push boundaries and design solutions without the constraints of present-day silos and resources.
This is our core tenet.
1 https://www.leadingonopportunity.org