Middle Class Summit returns to South Florida with focus on economic mobility

OIC of South Florida will host the 2026 Middle Class Summit on Sept. 9-10 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, bringing together more than 500 leaders to address AI, housing, healthcare and workforce access. The event comes as OIC marks 25 years of impact and expands its focus on the pressures reshaping the American middle class.

Why it matters: - The summit is aimed at the policies and workplace shifts that will shape whether South Florida working families can move up economically. - Organizers say the stakes are rising as AI, housing costs and healthcare access reshape career paths and long-term mobility. - The event also marks 25 years of impact for OIC of South Florida.

What happened: - OIC of South Florida announced the return of the Middle Class Summit for Sept. 9-10, 2026, at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. - The two-day event will bring together more than 500 business executives, policymakers, workforce innovators, educators and national thought leaders. - The summit theme is “Imagine. Innovate. Elevate.”

The details: - The agenda focuses on four pressures affecting working families: artificial intelligence and the evolving workforce, affordable housing, healthcare access and the systems that determine long-term economic advancement. - Confirmed speakers include U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Broward County Mayor Mark Bogen, Broward County Administrator Monica Cepero, Broward County Transit CEO Coree Cuff Lonergan and OIC of America President & CEO Louis King. - The Summit Co-Chair panel includes leaders from Ballard Partners, Florida Power & Light, South Florida Business Journal and Bilzin Sumberg. - National sponsors include JPMorgan Chase, Amazon, TD Bank, SouthState Bank, Uber and CareerSource South Florida. - Registration is available at middleclasssummit.com. - The Middle Class Summit Press Kit is also available. - The release lists social links for OIC of South Florida on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Between the lines: - OIC of South Florida is framing the summit as a practical working session, not just a networking event. - The strong emphasis on AI suggests the organization sees technology disruption as a central driver of middle-class instability and opportunity. - The sponsor mix signals broad corporate interest in workforce and economic mobility issues.

What's next: - Organizers will host panels, keynotes and networking across the two-day program. - The 2026 summit builds on the 2024 event, which drew hundreds of regional leaders. - The expanded program will put added attention on AI’s effect on jobs and career pathways, while continuing sessions on workforce development, entrepreneurship and community investment.