We refuse to believe there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Place Matters. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. was not alone in recognizing that access to opportunity is at the core of success in America. A significant body of research has established that community assets and the availability of resources such as thriving schools or employment affect chances for success and quality of life.

Race Matters. 

Opportunity is not available on an equal basis. Blacks and Latinos live disproportionately in areas that are isolated from opportunity. Whites and Asians are more likely to live in resource-rich communities. 

Outcomes Matter. 

Racial and ethnic disparities in Connecticut are deep and, in many cases, stunning. Many of these outcomes can be traced back to differences in access to opportunity at a neighborhood level. Open Communities Alliance works to connect the dots between race, ethnicity, income and place.

Diversity is Connecticut's Future - including its Economic Future! 

In Connecticut, lower opportunity areas are primarily in our cities and some inner ring suburbs which are home to most of the state’s Black and Latino population. 

Fostering access to opportunity and neighborhood choice for residents in under-resourced  neighborhoods is about more than simple justice and fairness – it is critical to our state’s future. By 2030, almost 40% of Connecticut’s population will be people of color. We all need our future teachers, care givers, engineers, lawyers, and economic drivers to have the opportunities to succeed!

What does opportunity access look like in Connecticut?
Check out a map of opportunity in the state.