To advance this work, Bob founded the Moving Up Media Lab, a non-profit whose mission is to inspire Americans to reflect on who and what has contributed to where they end up in life.
Each year the Lab focuses on developing 1-2 projects that are designed to help people reflect on their own journeys and gain a deeper appreciation for what has helped or hindered their efforts along the way. Research shows that by providing people with tools to reflect on their own life journey, they can become both more supportive and helpful towards others.
Our Projects:
The Invisible Dream: A year-long research project done in conjunction with Public Agenda, asking Americans to share their attitudes about what the American Dream is and what it takes to achieve it. Results and an infographic series were launched at a National Press Club event which featured Fox News political analyst Juan Williams, Isabel Sawhill of the Brookings Institution, Robert Samuelson of The Washington Post and Hedrick Smith, author of Who Stole the American Dream?
Your American Dream Score: An interactive calculator that allows people to see what factors have helped or hindered their own efforts to move up in life. Over 600,000 people have already found their score to date and it is now the basis for curriculum created by PBS Learning and diversity training programs. It was recognized by Fast Company as a finalist for its World Changing Ideas issue.
My Dream Team: A simple online tool for people to name and thank the people, places and organizations that provided the social capital to help them get to where they are today. In the end, each person receives a beautiful, shareable visualization of their Dream Team comprised of all the people, places and groups that made their journey possible
Thank You:
Each piece of content we create is the result of a highly collaborative effort. Without their involvement none of this work would be possible.The foundation is the research relationships with scholars, universities and organizations that study the issues and attitudes surrounding mobility. They include:
- Brookings Institution, Century Foundation, Cornell University, Columbia University, Harvard University, The New School University, Public Agenda, Northwestern University, Penn State University, Stanford University, University of California-Irvine
Our inspiration is drawn from our relationships with those working to help lift themselves or others move up in life, including organizations such as:
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Chasing the Dream, Children’s Health Fund, Family Independence Initiative, Foundation for the Carolinas,The Ford Foundation, KIPP, LIFT Communities, Opportunity Insights, Opportunity Nation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Yonkers Partners in Education
Media organizations provide the platforms necessary for sharing our work.
- PBS, Facebook, Fast Company, New York Times, NPR, The Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, and Yahoo among others outlets have featured our work.
Each project is funded through a combination of individual donations and grants from:
- The Ford Foundation, The Tides Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolina, The Foundation for the Carolinas and Photowings
Throughout the development of this work, we have benefited greatly from the guidance and wisdom of many individuals whose scholarship and commitment to helping others move up is unparalleled. They include:
- Raj Chetty, Brian Collier, Seth Godin, Paul Piff, Shai Davidai, Alfred Ironside, Fiona Guthrie, Crysta Jentile, Kellie-Castruita-Specter, Geraldine Moriba, Eugenia Harvey, Maya Navon, Nina Joung, Will Platt-Higgins, Vicki Zubovic, and Anne Adriance among many others.
Finally, the digital design and development of our tools and this site is made possible by our fantastic partners at Sol Design – led by Adam Rosenkoetter.