As a child growing up in Chicago, my community and family provided a strong support system. For many children, the community in which they grow up shapes their perception of who they are and the life they imagine for themselves.

As the President has said, "A child's course in life should be determined not by the zip code she's born in, but by the strength of her work ethic and the scope of her dreams."

That idea has always stuck with me, and early on in my career, I worked in the neighborhoods of Chicago and Detroit, dedicating my life to working with youth and supporting community development. I experienced firsthand the challenges of working with the federal government, like having limited resources and time to pursue complicated grants, or trying to navigate confusing agency structures.

I began to imagine how the federal government could be a better partner for communities, how they could more effectively help us on the ground meet our unique challenges in ways that help every child.

President Obama’s Promise Zones initiative is the flagship of that approach. It’s about creating a new way for federal and local communities to be better partners and better serve communities in need.

Eight years ago, I took advantage of an opportunity to better understand the inner workings of the federal system through the Presidential Management Fellowship program, but I always knew that I’d go back to working at the neighborhood level.

Now I am back on the ground, with the chance to be that better partner I used to imagine. I’m serving the President’s Promise Zone initiative -- working as a federal employee of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, embedded in the Sacramento Promise Zone community, helping them navigate the federal system, build capacity, and make the most of federal resources to benefit those most in need.

Under President Obama, not only have we gotten better at addressing poverty and equity in ways that break down barriers between the people who write policy and the people who implement it, but we've also evolved to recognize residents and local leaders as experts in their own communities and look for innovative ways to support, leverage, and replicate their successes.

Though there is still much more to be learned, I am honored to work and learn alongside both federal and community partners who are committed to tackling this challenge, together.

Thanks,

Lynnette

Lynnette McRae
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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