Case study
The American Exchange Project
Connectedness Across Communities
America has significant economic divisions both within communities and between different parts of the country. Creating socioeconomic connections across these places requires a national effort. The American Exchange Project (AEP) is doing just that.
AEP鈥檚 mission is to 鈥渃onnect a divided country.鈥 This vision arose out of an understanding that stark economic disparities breed the resentments that fuel political extremism. AEP tackles economic and political divisions by offering small groups of high school seniors free travel to areas of the country that are different from their hometowns. A senior from the Bay Area in California might travel to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for example, while a student from rural Mississippi heads to New York City. During the week-long trip, local host families introduce participants to their community. Traveling with AEP lets students see people and places as they really are, not as stereotypes or simplified images on the news.
During their travel week, students are also introduced to different economic opportunities. AEP believes connecting a divided country requires recognizing that all types of work have value. Someone who grew up surrounded by tech workers, for example, has a lot to learn from ranchers, and vice versa.
This exposure to new trades builds social capital. AEP allows students to think about career and educational paths they might not have considered otherwise. Host families serve as brokers of connections, introducing students to contacts who might be useful to them later in their careers. At the end of the week, professional journeys that did not seem possible become achievable precisely because participants are armed with the information, networks, and confidence they need to be successful.
AEP鈥檚 goal is for this eye-opening trip to become a rite of passage for seniors graduating from high school. Providing this exchange experience to all young people and building other programs that connect people across the country would help connect America politically and socioeconomically too.
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