This post first appeared on MySweetCharity by Jeanne Prejean. Read the original article here →
Conversations That Drive Student Opportunity
“The future of Dallas depends on the opportunities available to today’s students.”
That opportunity is shaped by more than what happens inside a classroom. It is influenced by housing, workforce development, technology, health, transportation, business investment and the strength of the communities surrounding our schools.
Those issues affect all of us, and they deserve thoughtful discussion.
That is why I serve on the committee for United to Learn’s Margaret J. Hirsch Women’s Forum, a partnership of D Magazine and United to Learn.
Each year, the forum brings together engaged community members for conversations about issues affecting Dallas students and families. Participants come to learn, ask questions, challenge assumptions, and better understand the forces shaping our city.
I choose to invest my time in Women’s Forum because these conversations matter. Dallas’ future will be shaped by how intentionally we create opportunity for today’s students. That work does not belong to schools alone. It requires business leaders, philanthropists, nonprofit partners, educators, and community builders to understand the forces shaping our neighborhoods and to act together. The Women’s Forum creates a rare space for that kind of learning, dialogue, and shared responsibility. I hope Dallas leaders who care about the strength of our city will join us and help bring the ideas, resources, and solutions needed to expand opportunity for our students, our families, and our community.
Exploring Student Opportunity in Dallas
This year’s theme explores how Dallas creates opportunity for students.
The series will dive into these timely topics:
- Building the Conditions for Opportunity
What conditions do students need to truly thrive? How do neighborhood infrastructure, school facilities, public investment, demographic change, and cross-sector partnerships shape educational opportunity in Dallas? - Future Workforce Readiness
What skills and experiences will students need to succeed in a changing economy? How can Dallas help prepare them? - Collective Impact: Can Dallas Solve Big Problems Together?
What happens when education, business, philanthropy, government and community leaders work toward the same goal? Where are we making progress, and where do we need to do more?
Women’s Forum creates space for conversations that often do not happen in our day-to-day lives. The discussions are thoughtful, practical, and grounded in the realities facing Dallas students and families.
If you are curious about the future of Dallas, I hope you will join us. Subscribe to United to Learn’s monthly newsletter to receive event invitations. Once you register for an event, you will even have the opportunity to submit a specific question for the panel. Learn more at unitedtolearn.org.
It brings me joy to see people coming together to build their awareness and learn about ways they can make a difference in their community. Thank you for this MySweetOpportunity!
Story via MySweetCharity, by Jeanne Prejean.