While visiting D.C., I had dinner last Thursday evening with Brooke Smith, who heads up the Office of Social Entrepreneurship in Louisiana, David Marin and Paul Braithwaite from the government relations firm The Podesta Group, and Flozell Daniels, the Executive Director of the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation.
During dinner, Flozell stated:
“Over 90% of African Americans in New Orleans do not go on to college.’
At that moment, it occurred to me I have written on this blog about the importance of advancing social innovation − but why is it important? Here are just a few more alarming statistics…
- The U.S. healthcare systems is ranked 37th in the world, the lowest of any developed nation (despite highest per-capita spending worldwide)
- One in 100 American adults is in jail
- 21% of American children live below the poverty line
Statistics like these and many more are commonplace all across America from New York to Illinois to California, yet the statistics are not matched by a sense of urgency or voices of outrage.
I do not think this a Republican or Democratic issue; rather, it is imperative that we search for the messages, strategies, and institutions that place a greater focus on making progress on the critical issues of our society. Such statistics in a country that spends as much as we do on solving social problems through taxes and philanthropy should be unacceptable, like littering or not buckling your seatbelt.
When the hurricanes hit New Orleans, they showed us this part of America up close, but the shock quickly retreated with the flood waters. Across America we are not facing this simple fact: we have drastic, systemic problems. Because of this, for many Americans, the American dream no longer holds true. This is why advancing social innovation - investing in what works - is so critical.
As this journey continues I will do my best to keep the “why” front and center.
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