Reading Thriving, Together: A New Agenda for Education and the Community (2021)

About: A community report for Reading, PA, prepared by The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation in partnership with Centro Hispano.

Authors: Rich Harwood, Andrew Taylor, Jed Miller

Publish Date: 2021

Description: A national news story once named Reading the nation’s poorest community. It’s a story that has stuck to the community as if Reading will never thrive again and people’s shared aspirations for a better life will never be achieved. But what if that old news no longer fits? What if Reading already is more than it once was?

And what if Reading seeks to be even stronger, and thrive more fully, as people work to create its future? Together.

This report includes voices of the people of Reading, PA, a nine-point education agenda, a snapshot and analysis of the fundamental structures, networks, and norms of Reading through the lens of The Harwood Institute’s Public Capital Framework, and a shared path forward for Reading to achieve its education agenda and strengthen the community.