Neighborhood Institute, Strong City Baltimore’s annual skill-building conference for neighborhood leaders, activists, and nonprofit professionals, is just five weeks away! This year we have a new venue, new partners, and a program that reflects these extraordinary times for our city and nation. With election season in full swing and the Census count kicking into high gear, Strong City is joining forces with other local organizations around the theme of “Building Civic Power.”
The 12th annual Neighborhood Institute takes place Saturday, March 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Baltimore City Community College. It will feature more than 40 workshops, trainings, and discussions organized into 11 tracks including “Civic Engagement, Civic Power,” “Telling Baltimore’s Story,” “Racial Justice and Equity,” and “Revitalizing Neighborhoods.” Several ticket options are available, all of which including breakfast and lunch. Capacity is limited, so don’t wait – buy your ticket today!
Attendees at Neighborhood Institute 2020 can learn how to fight blight in their neighborhood, how to raise funds for their organization, how the ballot initiative process works, and many other useful skills. There will be panel discussions on “Building Civic Power in Post-Uprising Baltimore” and “The Future of Transit.” And our partners at Baltimore City’s Census team, Open Society Institute-Baltimore, the No Boundaries Coalition, and Baltimore Votes will train attendees to engage with the tools of democracy. The day’s activities will conclude with a rousing call to action by retiring City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke.
“Every year, people come to Neighborhood Institute to meet other local leaders and learn how to address challenges in their communities,” said Mike Cross-Barnet, organizer of programming for the event. “This year, we are also taking advantage of the moment we find ourselves in – a historic election and the decennial Census – to join with many partners to build democracy by encouraging civic participation and engagement at all levels.”
At this year’s conference, we are also releasing “Building Blocks: Stories of Neighborhood Transformation,” a book we wrote that offers inspiring stories and useful advice from successful Strong City-supported neighborhood organizing efforts in Baltimore. There will be a conversation featuring some of the neighborhood leaders whose work is chronicled in the book.
Here is the full listing of workshops and conversations at Neighborhood Institute 2020. Keep an eye on our social media for workshop descriptions and more information!
Track: Activating Communities
Track: Civic Engagement, Civic Power
Track: Diversity and Inclusion
Track: Future of Transit
Track: Get the Job Done!
Track: Making It Work
Track: Pathways and Tools for Better Living
Track: Racial Equity and Justice
Track: Revitalizing Neighborhoods
Track: Stronger Nonprofits and Stronger Businesses
Track: Telling Baltimore’s Story
Neighborhood Institute began in 2007 in a church basement with a handful of workshops and a few dozen participants. It has since grown into the city’s premier annual training and networking event for neighborhood leaders, drawing more than 300 participants from all over Baltimore, and beyond. Get your ticket here.