According to data, there are few Southern communities where a child born in poverty has more than a 6 percent chance of moving to the upper income quintile as an adult. In Network communities, 31 to 39 percent are expected to remain in the lowest bracket. Improvements to the talent development system and its surrounding ecosystem are crucial to improving access and economic inclusion along that path to upward mobility and all along the income spectrum to ensure more Southerners have the opportunity to thrive. In response to this challenge, MDC launched the Network for Southern Economic Mobility in 2016, a select group of Southern communities committed to increasing upward economic mobility for youth and young adults in the lowest income brackets. Each community created a cross-sector leadership group to leverage policy and operational changes in the critical systems that directly affect youth economic mobility. This report from MDC's Network for Southern Economic Mobility gives an update focusing on (1) securing a strong educational foundation; (2) connecting to work experience and careers; and (3) navigating the barriers that impede progress through the talent development system.