Greg Morris sits down with Randy Moore, President at CD&R Foundation, for a conversation about leadership, equity, and the role philanthropy can play in expanding economic opportunity.

Moore reflects on his journey from teaching in Miami classrooms to working across the country in workforce development, education, and social impact. Along the way, he shares how those early experiences, working with students reading years below grade level and navigating structural barriers, shaped his commitment to building systems that support long-term mobility.

The conversation explores Moore’s framework that “access is an event, but mobility is a system,” and what it means to pursue equity through opportunity by investing in ecosystems rather than isolated interventions. Morris and Moore discuss the intersection of philanthropy, private equity, and workforce development, and how organizations can move beyond symbolic commitments to make meaningful investments in communities.

Moore also shares personal stories that shaped his leadership philosophy—from the legacy of his grandfather in Jamaica, Queens, to lessons learned as an educator and nonprofit practitioner across the country. Together, they reflect on vulnerability in leadership, the importance of human connection in systems change, and why the next generation must remain at the center of workforce and economic policy.

The conversation closes with a reflection on love as an ethic for leadership and systems design and what it means to build opportunity with intention, humility, and a deep commitment to community.

Produced by: Manhattan Neighborhood Network

Published by: New York City Employment and Training Coalition

Topics: workforce development; philanthropy and social impact; economic mobility; equity through opportunity; systems change; private equity and community investment; education and literacy gaps; leadership and storytelling; HBCUs and Wilberforce University; youth opportunity; human capital infrastructure.