PUHI — Ian Ross, a Kaua‘i Community College student, will be leaving Thursday to attend Opportunity Nation in New York City. Ross was one of 100 leaders from 44 states and the District of Columbia selected for Opportunity Nation, a
PUHI — Ian Ross, a Kaua‘i Community College student, will be leaving Thursday to attend Opportunity Nation in New York City.
Ross was one of 100 leaders from 44 states and the District of Columbia selected for Opportunity Nation, a national campaign launching in November which will work to restore access to the American Dream by increasing economic opportunity and social mobility in America.
With the backing of KCC Chancellor Dr. Helen Cox and Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., Ross was selected to serve on the panel because of his excellent leadership as a student at KCC.
“This is a great opportunity,” Ross said. “I had letters of support from Dr. Cox and Mayor Carvalho, and following the conference, Mayor Carvalho wants to have the Kaua‘i Youth Advisory Council updated on what took place at the conference.”
Opportunity Nation opens at the Apollo Theater Nov. 3 and moves to Columbia University Nov. 4, Ross said. He plans to return Sunday.
“This is quite a big deal,” he said. “Some of the people who are going to be there include New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the head of Catholic Charities, Father Larry Snyder, the head of AARP, and more.”
Opportunity Nation has formed a powerful bipartisan coalition of nonprofits, foundations, educators, business and political leaders who are working together to put promoting opportunity and social mobility back on national, state and local agendas.
The campaign will launch on Nov. 4 with a national summit co-sponsored by AARP, AARP Foundation, Ford Foundation, TIME Magazine, and United Way Worldwide.
While in New York, Ross will serve as part of the Opportunity Nation Leaders and Scholars Program, a national network of experts with personal experience facing barriers to opportunity and a track record of making meaningful change in their respective communities.
Acting as community mobilizers and lending their insight to campaign policy ideas, Opportunity Leaders and Scholars will be essential voices in galvanizing support across the country and making a tangible difference in their communities in 2012, an Opportunity Nation release states.
Visit www.opportunitynation.org for more information.
∫ Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
