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Top Reads, Week of 10/8/18

Check out our top three reads of the week. They cover the challenges and opportunities facing American communities right now. This week, we're delving into Universal Basic Mobility, worker co-ops, and new research that looks at the connection between where you were raised and your economic mobility.

Have something to add to our list? Let us know on Twitter at @LISC_HQ


Downward mobility: Where middle-class kids are worse off than their parents
By Christopher Ingraham, The Washington Post

“The Opportunity Atlas data shows that these patterns aren’t apparent only among middle-class kids. The same places that have better outcomes for middle-class kids also tend to have better outcomes for poor and upper-class kids, too. When it comes to neighborhoods, what’s good for poor and middle-class kids seems to be good for rich ones, as well. Rising geographic tides lift all economic boats.” Continue [+]...

Universal Basic Mobility Is Coming. And It’s Long Overdue
By Matt Caywood & Alex Roy, CityLab

“Universal Basic Mobility would be a system of partnerships and/or policies that provide a minimum level of mobility to all members of society. An isolated, static population is unhealthy, unproductive and unhappy. A mobile population is economically, culturally, and socially dynamic. UBM can harness automation and new mobility platforms to accelerate economic growth, providing everyone with access to employment and the means to improve their quality of life.” Continue [+]...

Worker Co-ops Catch on in Philadelphia
By Sandra Larson, NextCity

“The worker co-op model — in which businesses are collectively owned and democratically governed by their workers — has gained broad recognition in some cities as an avenue for tackling income inequality, growing wealth and stabilizing neighborhood-based businesses. New York City legislated $1.2 million in new co-op support funding in 2015. That funding has risen each year. The city has seen a quadrupling of co-ops — from about 20 to around 80 — generating more than 500 new jobs and an uptick in city contracts awarded to co-ops, according to the office of City Council Member Helen Rosenthal, who spearheaded the co-op law.” Continue [+]...

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The views and opinions expressed in the articles above are those of the authors and publications we are listing, and do not necessarily reflect LISC’s perspective.