Together We Climb

“As we reflect on 250 years of striving toward the promise of the American Dream, Together We Climb shows how factors like neighborhoods, education and training, and cross-class connections shape opportunity in America. By framing economic mobility as a community endeavor, it offers a timely, practical, and insightful blueprint for expanding opportunity in places where it has long been out of reach.”
— Dr. Raj Chetty
Professor of Economics and Director of Opportunity Insights, Harvard University

“Together We Climb is a non-partisan, thorough analysis that provides an excellent overview of the issues in addressing poverty in America today. The authors do it with humility, detail, analysis, and examples while providing a roadmap of the journey out of and beyond survival. It is a must-read for anyone who wants an in-depth analysis of poverty. The citations are extraordinary. The book is well-written.”
— Dr. Ruby K. Payne
CEO, Educator, and Best-Selling Author of Bridges Out Of Poverty

“Together We Climb reflects what I’ve seen firsthand in Aurora: when government, nonprofits, employers, and neighbors work together, real economic mobility is possible. This book offers a locally grounded, results-oriented framework that honors personal responsibility while respecting individual dignity. It provides a practical and hopeful roadmap for communities committed to helping people move from crisis to contribution and long-term success.”
— Mayor Mike Coffman
Aurora, CO

“There is no better moment than the 250th anniversary of America’s founding—a celebration of the freedoms, virtues, and responsibilities that have made the American Dream possible—for policymakers, philanthropists, civic leaders, and others to reconsider our approach to the rise from poverty to prosperity. Together We Climb is a must-read for anyone who cares about that cause and should serve as the tip of the spear of its renaissance.”
— Akash Chougule
President, The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity

“Together We Climb highlights the essential role of the private sector—the ‘engine of employment’—in building dignity, stability, advancement, and wealth. The book argues that lasting economic mobility comes not from assistance alone, but from meaningful work that empowers individuals and strengthens families. Central to this vision is the concept of ‘equipping people with a good pole’—connecting individuals to quality jobs and the tools, skills, and support needed to succeed—so businesses can grow, communities can thrive, and families can achieve generational prosperity.”
— Debbie Brown
President, Colorado Business Roundtable

“Together We Climb brings the American Dream back into focus with a realistic, human-centered approach. By combining lived experience with systemic insight, the authors show that poverty isn’t a permanent condition, but a mountain we can climb together.”
— Mayor Mike Johnston
Denver, CO

“Together We Climb shares a thoughtful view of community support, employer initiatives, and social entrepreneurs opening up alternative routes for Americans to climb from poverty to prosperity. It makes a compelling case that employers can realize a competitive advantage by understanding and unlocking barriers for their front-line employees to manage complex life challenges and create room for them to thrive.”
— Byron Auguste
CEO & Co-Founder, Opportunity@Work

“Together We Climb weaves experience, research, and systems clarity into a powerful, human-centered view of mobility. Steve and Jason show how aligned operating systems open pathways for families to flourish, offering insights that are both practical and full of heart. Their work lights a clear path to the summit, offering guidance for all of us as we climb together.”
— Kimberly Habash Dorniden
President, Siemer Institute

“In this book, Steve and Jason take on the hard truth that prosperity is built—and it’s built by aligning our education, workforce, and economic systems around real people. They move beyond slogans and offer practical, actionable recommendations rooted in expanding opportunity for working-class Americans across backgrounds and communities. If we’re serious about renewing the promise of this country, we must focus less on bureaucracy and more on agency—giving people the tools, pathways, and clear connections to opportunity that allow them not just to get by, but to move forward. That’s the work ahead.”
— Eloy Ortiz Oakley
President & CEO, College Futures Foundation

“We can’t talk about overcoming poverty without talking about relationships. Decades of mobility research point to the same uncomfortable truth: opportunity in America is social. It’s not just about what you know, it’s who you know—and people in poverty are often systematically cut off from the networks that open doors. Most practitioners know this intuitively but the systems they work inside ignore it entirely. Together We Climb is the rare book that treats relational capital as real infrastructure, as load-bearing as a job or a paycheck. That framing alone, steeped in careful research and lived experience, is worth the read.”
— Julia Freeland Fisher, JD
Director, Education, Clayton Christensen Institute

About the Authors

STEVEN C. TAYLOR leads national education and workforce reform efforts advancing dignity-centered pathways to economic mobility. He serves as Policy Director and Senior Fellow for Economic Mobility at Stand Together Trust, where his work shapes policy and practice nationwide. A first-generation college graduate and founder of ED2WORK®, he brings lived experience and academic rigor to economic mobility.

JASON JANZ leads one of the country’s most respected community-based models for helping families move from poverty to prosperity. He is CEO and cofounder of CrossPurpose, a Denver-based nonprofit born out of a pastoral commitment to loving God and loving neighbor. Raised in poverty and rooted in the same Denver neighborhood for nearly two decades, he brings proximity, faith, and long-term leadership to community transformation.

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