Wall Spitzer hails efforts of 40 Below
By Maureen Sieh
Staff writer
New York's first lady Silda Wall Spitzer said the efforts by the civic group 40 Below are among many of the "bright spots" in the grim statistics about the exodus of young people from the state in the last few decades.
Wall Spitzer, who delivered the keynote address at the group's third annual summit Friday, said 40 Below has been a "convener of real solutions" that make young people want to stay in New York.
She cited some of the group's initiatives more than 100 members of 40 Below on nonprofit boards, creation of Adapt CNY to embark on projects such as developing the Wilson Building, the Syracuse Public Arts Project and the "It's All Here Syracuse" branding campaign.
"These are fantastic accomplishments and you should be very proud," Wall Spitzer told the gathering of young professionals at the Oncenter. "You're truly the embodiment of my belief that limited options are not what New York stands for. That we as New 40
Yorkers can build on our incredible strength and take positive actions to stem the debilitating exodus of young people that has so scarred our state in the last decades." Friday's summit was a sharp contrast from the group's last two summits.
Instead of business suits, many of the 522 young professionals wore T-shirts and jeans or casual pants.
After the opening ceremony, they participated in small group discussions that centered on issues such as downtown revitalization, Onondaga Creek, affordable housing, how to be an ambassador for Syracuse and get involved in city neighborhoods.
After the discussions, they headed into city neighborhoods where they recorded oral histories on the North Side, spruced up an area near the new playground at the Spirit of Jubilee Park on the South Side, cleaned the Wilson Building downtown and planted a garden in the new Lipe Art Park on West Fayette Street.
The goal is to be more grass roots and get 40 Belowers to roll up their sleeves, said Dan Young, one of the organizers with the Metropolitan Development Association.
"The idea behind today is to inspire new leaders and new 40 Belowers and take ownership of projects centered on spreading the message to energize the community," he said.
In her speech, Wall Spitzer said 40 Below shows how bringing key community members together and undertaking efforts can "engender stronger communities in which young people will want to stay in New York, to live, to work and raise their families."
When she travels across the state, Wall Spitzer said the one central "heartbreaking question" that people ask is "How can we keep our young people from leaving?"
She cited census statistics on the trend. Between 1990 and 2000, the population of people ages 18 to 34 in the 52 Upstate counties decreased an average of 22 percent, and the decrease was as much as 29 percent for those age 25 to 29, Wall Spitzer said. The area also suffered a devastating net loss of 110,000 college graduates between 1995 and 2000, she said.
The state can change such statistics if the public and private sector work together, she said. The "I Live New York" campaign she launched last week complements Gov. Eliot Spitzer's effort to address Upstate's broader need for jobs and a stronger economy, she said.
The administration already has made great strides in its first five months in office, Wall Spitzer said. The creation of the Upstate Empire State Development Corp. is an indication of the governor's commitment to addressing the problem, she said.
Since January, the private sector has invested $1.48 billion and the state has helped companies that have committed to creating more than 2,500 Upstate jobs, she said.
She urged 40 Below members to participate in her "I Live New York" summit planned for Sept. 18 at SUNY Cortland. The summit will focus on how to create jobs, connect college students with Upstate employers, revive urban centers and create affordable housing for the next generation.
Maureen Sieh can be reached at msieh@syracuse.com or 470-2159.
This item was published on 06/02/2007
