Opportunity Agenda

The Opportunity Agenda was founded to expand opportunity in America for people of color, poor people, immigrants, and women who face multiple barriers to opportunity that cannot be overcome through individual effort alone. The Opportunity Agenda builds support through communications and media, research, training social justice leaders, and policy advocacy. Currently, The Opportunity Agenda produces an annual retreat for artists and activists working at the intersection of arts and social change; produces events and conducts research that promotes the inclusion, integration and human rights of immigrants in the United States; and experiments with innovative arts and cultural work that moves heart, minds, and policy toward greater opportunity for more Americans. The Immigration Arts and Culture Initiative published "Immigration: Arts, Culture and Media 2010 - A Creative Change Report" [hot link to it on Opp Agenda’s web site or we can host it on our own and link to it there] identifies examples of arts, culture, and media projects that effectively move hearts and minds; break down prejudice; inspire community engagement; and, in the long term, encourage public support for the fair treatment and inclusion of immigrants in American society. A key outcome of the study is the identification of a pipeline of projects that could be brought to scale and/or considered for possible collaboration and support. This study, which was designed around a series of interviews and a survey to elevate best practices and compelling ideas, also includes a series of recommendations. Animating Democracy's Profiles integrate arts and immigration examples identified by researcher Liz Manne for this study, courtesy of Opportunity Agenda.