When the statement ‘police are here to protect me’ separated Lindsay Hower from the majority of staff at her non-profit, she took a hard look at her life experiences in comparison to the low income communities she wished to serve. Reflecting on her upbringing and privilege, she finds the pattern over time that empathy alone does not enable low income communities to thrive, nor poverty to diminish. Activating empathy through our actions as empathic professionals, consumers, and leaders is what will begin closing the opportunity gap in the Bay Area.

Mentorship, summer trips and college advising are just some of the ways Lindsay and her colleagues are activating empathy at Summer Search. Summer Search’s program has resulted in 7 out of 10 of their students successfully completing their college studies, versus just one in 10 of their peers.

Lindsay serves as the Bay Area Executive Director for Summer Search, a national college success organization partnering with low income students to facilitate their college-bound pathways. A global explorer and former teacher, Lindsay earned her B.A. from Cornell University, and her M.A. from the School of International Service at American University.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx