Leading on Opportunity was formed as a result of a recommendation made by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force that convened to study the issues of economic mobility in Charlotte. The 19-member Council, chaired by James E. Ford and Andrea Smith, brings together a representative group of Charlotte-Mecklenburg leaders spanning a range of disciplines and backgrounds – grassroots, government, neighborhood, business, philanthropy, faith, and nonprofit. The mission of Leading on Opportunity is to convene and connect sectors across the community to implement the recommendations of the Task Force to improve economic mobility in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. As charged in the report, the organization will take a systemic approach to addressing the key determinants of early childhood education, college and career readiness, and family stability, while simultaneously focusing on the cross-cutting factors of segregation and social capital.