Todos Modos

Over the last 18 months, I had the opportunity to learn alongside leaders from across the country through Harvard EdRedesign’s Cradle-to-Career Fellowship. This reflection captures what I learned, what stayed with me, and why I believe our stories deserve to be told.

A couple of years ago, I was selected to be part of Harvard EdRedesign’s inaugural Cradle-to-Career Fellowship. The 18-month program brings together collective impact leaders from across the country who are leading community-based efforts to help move children and families forward from cradle to career. Based on the progress I’ve made in my field, and perhaps the promise of what’s possible in the broader community, I was selected to join a cohort of leaders who would network with high-level changemakers, learn from Harvard’s leading thinkers, and help shape the cradle-to-career field itself. The goal is to normalize this work and have it taught and practiced across the country.

The last 18 months have been full of growth, reflection, and learning. A lot of learning.

I’m a bit of a nerd, and I usually carry one or two nonfiction books with me wherever I go. As part of this fellowship, I had the chance to meet and learn from leaders whose books I’ve read, ask them questions, see who they really are, and even receive brand-new copies of their books—some of them signed. People like Dr. Marshall Ganz, Dr. Shawn Ginwright, Heather McGhee, and Dr. Cornell Brooks, to name a few.

Thanks to the program, I was able to travel to conferences in Houston, Atlanta, and San Diego. In San Diego, I had dinner with leaders of color from all across the country aboard the USS Midway while listening to Issa Rae speak. So here I was: a kid from Salinas, raised by Mexican immigrant parents, standing on top of this massive ship in a suit, enjoying a fancy dinner while listening to and learning from amazing people. I can’t help but reflect on that and smile.

Beyond the people, the learning, and the travel, I was able to build meaningful relationships with incredible leaders in the fellowship. People like Travis, who is leading powerful, generational work in Jacksonville. Alicia, whose personality and brightness shine so strongly that she almost makes Ohio seem like a cool place. Edgar, who reminds me so much of my home state, and whose kindness and selflessness flow from him naturally, even when he doesn’t realize it. Dr. Olga, who reminds me that as we grow older, we need to grow closer to one another, regardless of our backgrounds, and most importantly, that we need to speak up if we want to be heard.

And I can’t forget some of the Harvard EdRedesign leaders, like Denisse and Sagar. At a couple of the conferences, and especially during those evening conversations over a few drinks, it sometimes felt like I was hanging out with friends back home. That’s not something that happens everywhere I go, and I truly appreciated it. Especially because people often see folks in spaces like Harvard as distant or unreachable. With them, I had the exact opposite experience.

Then there’s the growth I saw in myself.

This fellowship helped me see my work differently. Sometimes the work I do in Grand Rapids can feel deeply aspirational, almost too ambitious for the reality in front of us. But seeing real change in communities across the country and bringing some of those experiences back home reminds me that progress is possible here, too. Hopefully, in my lifetime. 

One of my biggest takeaways from several of the sessions was simple: we need to take action. Yes, it will be imperfect. Yes, we will make mistakes. And yes, we may even lose some people along the way. But at least we will be trying.

In the five years I’ve served as President of KConnect, I’ve constantly challenged us to be curious, creative, and courageous. Learning through the Harvard EdRedesign Cradle-to-Career Fellowship has added more tools to my bag while also pushing me to act with greater urgency.

We are living through a time of real crisis. People are struggling. We have a President saying and doing things that dehumanize entire groups of people. These struggles and challenges have real consequences, and what we are living through is not normal. Yes, this kind of behavior has happened for hundreds, even thousands, of years. But I continue to believe that we can be better.

Being surrounded by talented, diverse, and courageous people has given me the energy I need to take my seat at the table and to do so with confidence. To act courageously.

I have so many stories to tell, and I plan to write them down. If I’m brave enough, maybe I’ll even share them publicly somewhere. Our people need more of us to write our stories, share our experiences, and reflect on what we’ve learned. This is me doing that.Cheers,

Salvador López is the founder of Todos Modos, where he writes about systems change, community leadership, and social narrative. He is President & CEO of a systems “think and do” tank, a Harvard EdRedesign Cradle-to-Career Fellow, and Chair of the Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife and three children.