Purpose Built held its fifth annual Network Member Conference in Charlotte, NC from September 29 to October 1, and it was the best one we’ve had yet. We had 340 people from 45 communities across the country learning from our speakers and from each other. It was rejuvenating and inspiring.
What was so inspiring? See for yourself! Below are some of the presentations that made us think and re-fueled us for the difficult work that lies ahead. As Jay Bilas said, we are motivated, what we need is inspiration.
Conference Video Presentations
Get a glimpse of some of the amazing moments from the fifth annual Network Member Conference. Click on any of the tabs below to watch the video from that portion of the conference.
[wpspoiler name=”Dr. Jack Shonkoff, Harvard Center on the Developing Child” ]
Dr. Jack Shonkoff of the Harvard Center on the Developing Child discussed the science behind how a child’s surroundings influence his or her development in profound, life changing ways, and what we can do about it.
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[wpspoiler name=”Bryan Stevenson, Equal Justice Initiative” ]Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative discussed his work challenging bias against the poor and people of color in the criminal justice system, with personal anecdotes that speak of the injustices that remain and of the hope we should all have for the future.
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[wpspoiler name=”Angela Blanchard, Neighborhood Centers Inc.” ]Angela Blanchard of Neighborhood Centers Inc. discussed how to accomplish what doesn’t stand a “snowball’s chance in hell,” with engaging, thought provoking and often entertaining insights.
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[wpspoiler name=”Greg Giornelli, Purpose Built Communities” ]Greg Giornelli of Purpose Built Communities shared how the Purpose Built Network has grown over the years and how the work of network members is changing lives across the country through mixed-income housing, cradle-to-college education and community wellness. In addition, he welcomed the two newest network members, PACT in Columbus, OH and Connect@6800Bellaire in Houston, TX!
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[wpspoiler name=”Curt McPhail and the Northside Voyagers” ]Curt McPhail, Project Manager for the Northside Development Group in Spartanburg, SC, moderated a panel on the topic of community engagement and how it is critical to community transformation and long-term sustainability. This conversation with the Northside Voyagers, provided hands-on expertise and advice.
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[wpspoiler name=”Don Shalvey, Deputy Director of the Gates Foundation” ]Don Shalvey, Deputy Director of the Gates Foundation, shared with the audience his work on the changing face of public education as it relates to school choice, portfolio management models for districts and the emergence of a three sector approach to schooling. He also discussed the role that education entrepreneurs are playing in energizing the sector and the importance of innovation in educating young people.
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[wpspoiler name=”Shannon Longino, East Lake Meadows” ]Shannon Longino, a former resident and community leader from the East Lake Meadows public housing development, discusses how the revitalization of East Lake impacted her life and the changes she observed. This speech took place on October 1, 2014 in Charlotte, NC at the Fifth Annual Purpose Built Communities Network Member Conference.
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[wpspoiler name=”LaShelle Penn, Columbia Parc” ]LaShelle Penn discussed the impact Hurricane Katrina and the revitalization of Columbia Parc at the Bayou District had on her life.
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[wpspoiler name=”Ian Galloway & Dr. Doug Jutte” ]Ian Galloway, Senior Investment Associate at The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and Dr. Doug Jutte, Executive Director, Build Healthy Places Network spoke at the Fifth Annual Purpose Built Communities Network Member Conference on October 1, 2014. They discussed how health happens in neighborhoods, and yet, of the $2.7 trillion spent on healthcare annually, only a sliver goes to neighborhood improvement. Why? For one, the people in the community development sector don’t know the people in the health business. For another, the pace of healthcare innovation has far outpaced that of community development. Strong, safe neighborhoods of opportunity reduce chronic disease and emergency room utilization. But those cost savings are often lost, siloed in the wrong public budget line. These challenges have kept the community development and health fields apart—until now. Increasingly, new innovative pilots are proving that these two sectors can come together to dramatically improve health.
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[wpspoiler name=”Sasha Abramsky, Journalist and Author” ]Sasha Abramsky, journalist and author, discussed the poverty he has witnessed across America and how it is a “corrosive brew capable of eating away at the underpinnings of democratic life…”
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[wpspoiler name=”Carol Redmon Naughton, Purpose Built Communities” ]Carol Redmon Naughton, Senior Vice President at Purpose Built Communities provides an overview of the Purpose Built Model and how it is implemented in communities across the United States.
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[wpspoiler name=”Jay Bilas, ESPN Broadcaster” ]Jay Bilas, ESPN Broadcaster, Author and Attorney delivered the closing speech of the Fifth Annual Purpose Built Communities Network Member Conference in Charlotte, NC on October 1, 2014. He discussed how he developed his leadership skills and the notion of “toughness,” the title of his recent book, sharing experiences from his athletic career and beyond.
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[wpspoiler name=”Doug Peters, Drew Charter School” ]Doug Peters is a graduate of Drew Charter School in the East Lake neighborhood of Atlanta, GA. Here he discussed the impact Drew had on his life and the opportunities it made available to him.
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[wpspoiler name=”Michael Peterson, President and COO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation” ]Michael Peterson is the President and COO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. He discussed the connection between a strong fiscal outlook, where our long-term debt is stabilized over time, and a growing, thriving economy. Unfortunately, despite recent improvements in near-term deficits, America’s long-term fiscal challenges remain and this threatens our economic future in communities across the country. Unless we change course, rising debt and interest payments will weigh down our economy, divert resources from critically needed public and private investments, increase the likelihood of a fiscal crisis, and limit our flexibility to respond to such a crisis.
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[wpspoiler name=”Kelli Stammers, Resident of East Village in Indianapolis, IN” ]Kelli Stammers,a resident of East Village in Indianapolis, IN tells her personal story of perseverance and achievement at the Purpose Built Communities Network Member Conference in Charlotte, NC on September 30, 2014.
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[wpspoiler name=”Gene Wade, Founder and CEO of UniversityNow” ]In 2013, Forbes recognized Gene Wade, Founder and CEO of UniversityNow, as one of the most disruptive forces in education. Leveraging advances in technology and pedagogy, UniversityNow is building a network of universities that represent the most affordable and accessible way for anyone to earn a college degree from an accredited U.S. university. Here Gene shares his vision and discusses his commitment to ensure that a high-quality post-secondary education is available to people everywhere.
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