What these diverse communities had in common was that they did not share in our country’s general prosperity, even in good times. Our research identified some of the barriers to economic progress shared by these communities, including inadequate schools and workforce skills, lack of investment in infrastructure and business development, and limited institutional capacity.
You were a pragmatist in the truest sense of the word, engaging deeply with complex problems, identifying the space for agreement, and then being able to bring people together to find solutions. This is one of your key strengths – and something I could tell you also enjoyed.