**Joel Kotkin** describes the notion of the City of Aspiration, and the historical roles of cities in nurturing and growing a middle class. In the first decade of the 21st century, the future of American cities is attracting great debates. One notion is that to become a City of Aspiration, urban areas must focus on providing the greatest number of opportunities to the broadest spectrum of residents. Kotkin believes that a city and region's ability to create jobs, offer affordable housing and generate entrepreneurial openings to a growing and highly diverse population are the surest signs of urban vibrancy. The City of Aspiration embraces the fundamental principle that one of the primary, historical roles of cities has been to nurture and grow a middle class to be an engine of upward mobility.
