Superintendent Tata to Keynote at Raleigh Neighborhood Exchange

The Neighborhood Exchange helps you stay involved

The City of Raleigh invites you to participate in a special conference on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the McKimmon Center on Gorman Street. The Neighborhood Exchange will bring together residents from across the City of Raleigh – people who reside on cul de sacs and in high-density developments, in historic homes and in the urban core – all sharing a desire to make their neighborhoods good places to live.

The Neighborhood Exchange takes place each September, when the City of Raleigh celebrates “Neighborhoods Month.” The event recognizes the power of neighborhoods to determine our city’s character. In keeping with that spirit, we rely on a committee of citizens who volunteer their time to help plan the Neighborhood Exchange.

The keynote speaker will be Wake County Schools Superintendent Tony Tata. The planning committee invited him to talk about the relationship between schools and the neighborhoods where they are located – and how each can strengthen the other.

I encourage you to register now for the Exchange. Because seating is limited, we must ask people to sign up and pay the $10 registration fee by Sept. 12. (Teens get in free with adult registration.)

The Exchange will start at 8 a.m. with the opening of an exhibition hall, where you can visit booths and tables sponsored by City of Raleigh departments, boards and commissions, and area nonprofits. We will wrap up shortly before 2 p.m., following lunch and Superintendent Tata’s address.

During the Exchange, you will have your choice of breakout sessions to attend. These are small gatherings, some of which will be led by experienced neighborhood leaders, where you can delve into topics of special interest to you. Jason Hibbets, chair of the Southwest Citizens Advisory Council and a co-founder of southwestraleigh.com, will lead a breakout session on innovative ways to use technology in neighborhood communications.

Other breakout sessions will focus on life in high-density neighborhoods, preparation for natural disasters, and energy conservation. Breakout sessions will be offered in Spanish on healthy aging and fair housing. And special sessions for teens will offer tips on landing a job and information about the city’s computer training program for youth.

The Neighborhood Exchange never fails to leave me feeling inspired by the commitment of Raleigh’s citizens to their neighborhoods. It affirms my belief that what makes our neighborhoods livable is not their location or the style of their houses but the involvement of their residents. I hope to see you on Sept. 24.