40Th Annual Conference on Neighborhood Concerns
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May 20-23, 2015 « Houston, Texas 40th Annual Conference on Neighborhood Concerns NUSA CELEBRATING 40 YEARS 2015 www.houstontx.gov/NUSA 2015 Table of Contents President’s Message . 3 Workshops at a Glance . 13 Welcome to Houston . 4 Workshop Descriptions . 15 The People Who Made this Happen . 5 Neighborhood Pride Tours . 32 Keynote Speakers . 6 Registration Form . 36 Conference at a Glance . 8 Hotel and Weather . 38 NUSA Celebrates 40! . 9 Travel . 39 Pre-conference Events . 10 Area Map . 40 Workshop Program Tracks . 12 Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NeighborhoodsUSA Follow us on Twitter @NUSAconference or visit https://twitter.com/nusaconference Thank You to Our Sponsors 2 President’s Message What’s your passion? If your passion is all about improving your neighborhood and making your community the best it can be, then you need to be at the 40th Annual Conference on Neighborhood Concerns in Houston, Texas, May 20–23, 2015 . Come to Houston and you will be surrounded by people who share your passion – and will help you turn your Passion into Action . The primary goal of the NUSA conference is to promote and provide opportunities for neighborhood leaders to network and develop ideas and best practices so they can build stronger communities back home . In addition to the wide range of workshops and neighborhood tours at the 2015 conference, we will celebrate the success and accomplishments of neighborhoods across the United States when we present our annual awards in the categories of Neighborhood of the Year, Best Neighborhood Program, Who’s Who in America’s Neighborhoods and our Tige Watts Neighborhood Newsletter competition . President, Neighborhoods, USA Columbia, South Carolina This year’s conference also marks our 40th Anniversary, which we will celebrate through a variety of methods . I’m amazed and proud that NUSA, an organization that is truly grass-roots and volunteer- driven, continues to be such a strong and effective voice in making American neighborhoods better places to live – block by block . With the world around us changing in the blink of an eye, neighborhoods across the nation face new challenges and threats every single day . That’s why the annual NUSA conference is such a great resource for everyone . Just like it has been at our previous 39 conferences, this year’s gathering in Houston is a wonderful opportunity for all neighborhood leaders to keep up with those changes, respond accordingly and embark on new journeys . For me, this will be my 11th NUSA conference, and at every one of those conferences I always learn about new programs to bring back to my home city of Columbia, South Carolina and ideas on how to put my passion into action . During my time as a dedicated neighborhood leader back home, and in my travels across the nation to conduct neighborhood-related workshops or deliver keynote addresses, I have often been asked, “What makes a neighborhood great?” While many might answer with responses like reinvestment, low crime or well-maintained infrastructure, I believe that the answer is more simple . So, what makes a great neighborhood? The answer is great neighbors . Thank you for being a great neighbor . Thank you for taking on the fight to create the change we need to make life better for residents of your community . Thank you for the strength, courage and commitment you demonstrate every day to create a better tomorrow in every neighborhood . In conclusion, I look forward to seeing you and chatting with you while we are in Houston May 20-23 for the 40th Annual NUSA Conference . And, as always, I remain… Yours in Partnership! 3 Welcome to Houston Greetings, As Mayor of the City of Houston, I welcome all attending the Neighborhoods, USA Conference . I am honored that our city has been chosen to host this resourceful event and am excited to see community volunteers, leaders and organizations coming together to improve their cities . invites a national audience of community volunteers and professional planners to share experiences, participate in innovative workshop sessions and take tours into various neighborhoods . I commend Neighborhoods, USA for promoting the importance of building stronger communities through partnerships among neighborhood organizations, government and the private sector . Houston has so much to offer, including our world class restaurants, appealing museums and thrilling sports arenas . I hope you will share in the experience, taking with you lasting impressions of the spirit, Annise D. Parker vitality and tradition that characterize our city . Mayor, City of Houston Best wishes for a rewarding conference . Sincerely, 4 The People Who Made this Happen Neighborhoods, USA Board of Directors Tige Watts - President Margaret Madden Columbia, SC Long Beach, CA Andre Bernard - Vice President Beryl McCadden-Pritko Little Rock, AR Gardena, CA Monique Coleman - Secretary Ron McCorkle Lubbock, TX Roanoke, VA Angela Rush - Treasurer Vatricia McKinney Fort Worth, TX Memphis, TN George Lee - Assistant Secretary DeAnna O’Malley Birmingham, AL Texarkana, AR John Hargroves - Assistant Treasurer Gerri Robinson Gig Harbor, WA Birmingham, AL Tony Olden - Sergeant-At-Arms Anne-Marie Taylor Memphis, TN Indianapolis, IN Jason Bergerson - Parliamentarian Margaret Wallace Brown Anchorage, AK Houston, TX Loretta Buckner Richard Whipple Wichita, KS Fort Lauderdale, FL Deletta Dean Eva Yakutis Kansas City,MO Coronado, CA Rene Kane NUSA Staff Eugene, OR Jeri Pryor - Administrative Assistant Fort Lauderdale, FL NUSA 2015 Houston Planning Committee City of Houston Staff Planning & Development Department Department of Neighborhoods Margaret Wallace Brown, Conference Coordinator Landon Taylor Tonya Sawyer Carl Davis Lynn Henson Mark Cueva Nathan Kraus Nelson Espitia Suzy Hartgrove Katherine Price Will Schoggins Tashara Callaway Mayor’s Office of Special Events Council Member Larry Green, District K Eileen Quan Donald Perkins Susan Bono Debra Elliott-Griffith Dawn Callahan Susan Christian Community Partners American Planning Association, Texas Chapter Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Kelly K. Porter Katherine Atkiss Downtown Management District VanNhi Nguyen Angie Bertinot Neighborhood Centers Inc. Legacy Community Health Graciana Garces Russell Etherton 5 Keynote Speaker: Thursday, 9:15 am Through her more than 25 years of experience, Angela Blanchard has reached an epiphany: A community should be defined by its strengths, resources, achievements and hopes – not its degree of “brokenness ”. As President and CEO of Neighborhood Centers Inc ., Blanchard guides the agency’s work throughout the Houston region to impact more than 525,000 people a year . Under Angela’s leadership, Neighborhood Centers remains the largest non-profit in Texas, ranks in the top 1% of charitable groups in the nation, and has an operating budget of more than $260 million . Blanchard has participated in The White House Social Enterprise and Opportunity Series, The Brookings Institution Metropolitan Leadership Council, and the Clinton Global Initiative . She has spoken at a number of high-profile events, including the Business Innovation Factory (BIF) summit, TEDxHouston, the Federal Reserve Bank’s forum on “Investing in What Works for America’s Angela Blanchard Communities”, Rockefeller Foundation Roundtable, Executive President & CEO, Leadership Academy of Australia, and Alliance for Children and Neighborhood Centers Inc. Families national conference . Blanchard is currently a Board Member at the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP), and on the National Community Advisory Board for JPMorgan Chase . The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center honored Blanchard with its “Everyday Freedom Hero Award” for her advocacy on behalf of the nation’s working immigrants . She is an ARAMARK Building Community National Innovation Award Leadership Honoree, and was named one of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women by Houston Women Magazine . In 2013, Fast Company Magazine named her a Generation Flux Leader for adapting and leading during troubled and disruptive times, as well as one of the year’s Most Creative People in the nation . 6 Keynote Speaker: Friday, 12:30 pm Kirbyjon H . Caldwell is Senior Pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church . Under the leadership of Caldwell since 1982, Windsor Village Church membership has increased from 25 members to more than 16,000, making it one of the largest Protestant churches in the country . As a result of his effective social entrepreneurship, both Caldwell and the Windsor Village Church Family have been featured extensively in national and international print and broadcast media, including U.S. News & World Report, the British Broadcasting Corporation, The Wall Street Journal and the CBS Evening News . Caldwell was included in Newsweek’s “Century Club”, the publication’s list of 100 people to watch as America moved into the 21st century . In partnership with the Windsor Village Church Family, Caldwell has spearheaded several independently operated nonprofits and community development projects that have impacted the social and economic landscape of central Southwest Houston . Collectively, the Kirbyjon H. Caldwell nonprofit projects have produced 700 permanent jobs and make a Senior Pastor Windsor Village United Methodist $65 .5 million cash flow impact on the community annually . Church Caldwell currently serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards, including NRG Energy where he serves as Chair of the Governance Nominating Committee, Inc ., Bridgeway Capital