On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, twelve Springfield teens came together at an event sponsored by several local organizations, including the Springfield Institute, to discuss violence–the insidious forms it takes, the root causes, and what can be done. The teens articulated an everyday culture of violence, unengaged parents and schools, and how Facebook is used to bully and perpetuate violence.

To learn how Americans view opportunity and economic mobility, we began this campaign with a listening tour; we heard from experienced social policy researchers and non-profit Executive Directors, creative young organizers and social entrepreneurs, and several community groups around the country.