Emerson Collective

At Emerson Collective, (EC), we believe that self-reliance is one of humanity’s highest ideals. Essential to building self-reliance are the freedom to chart one’s own destiny and the chance to live to the fullest of one’s own potential. Not just for the sake of the individual advancement, but for the progress of our society as a whole. To support this belief, EC is determined to do entrepreneurial work in traditionally non-entrepreneurial contexts by partnering with and supporting innovating nonprofit and for-profit entrepreneurs, organizations, and employees who are driving game-changing domestic and international social reform efforts, particularly in the areas of education, immigration, social injustice, and the environment.

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has returned to Chicago and joined Emerson Collective as Managing Partner to lead a comprehensive effort to reduce violence and improve opportunities for young people in the city. Duncan and Emerson Collective will focus first on African American males between the ages of 16 and 24 who are at high risk for shooting or being shot based on the neighborhoods in which they live and their criminal and personal histories. The immediate goal is to provide job training and opportunities for young people today in Chicago and to help forge a safer, surer path from home to school to work for at-risk young adults.