Prosperity Starts With Place and People

National Conference Reinforces Southeast Raleigh Promise Commitment to Thriving Communities

The Southeast Raleigh Promise team and board members proudly joined community leaders from across the country at the 2026 Prosperity Starts With Place™ National Conference, hosted by Purpose Built Communities and network member LIFT Jax in Jacksonville, Fla., April 27–30.

Rooted in this year’s conference theme, “Lift Every Voice,” attendees were gathered in the birthplace of James Weldon Johnson, whose poem became the powerful anthem Lift Every Voice and Sing, which urges that every person be heard, valued, and included, a cornerstone of conference sessions and conversations.

Purpose Built Communities is a national network of more than 25 organizations that lead a place-based initiative centered on mixed-income housing, strong schools, community wellness, and economic opportunity to create thriving neighborhoods. Southeast Raleigh Promise is Raleigh-Wake County’s first Purpose Built Community initiative and the third in North Carolina.

The conference celebrated the power of community and called for neighborhood revitalization efforts centered on resident leadership as the foundation for long-term prosperity. It emphasized cross-sector collaboration and place-based strategies to strengthen families, institutions, and local businesses and create pathways to prosperity for generations.

Attendees also heard from several speakers, including keynote addresses by journalist Dr. Jelani Cobb and real estate mogul Majora Carter, which complemented deep-dive discussions on housing, education, economic mobility, health and wellness, and resident-led transformation. Reinforcing the message that community prosperity really does start with place, the conference also included residents, policymakers, development experts, educators, entrepreneurs, and funders from across the country.

With residents and community partners serving as guides, we conducted walking tours of OutEast, Jacksonville’s historic Eastside, and the focus neighborhood for LiftJax, the host Purpose Built network member. OutEast is a culturally rich, historically Black neighborhood known for its heritage, community programs, and revitalization efforts. We felt right at home talking to residents and small business owners.

The Southeast Raleigh Promise team returned from the convention armed with valuable lessons on collaboration, co-governance, preserving neighborhood history, and creating opportunities that allow families and communities to grow, thrive, and prosper, without displacement.

In the words of Dr. Majora Carter, “you do not have to leave your neighborhood to live in a better one.” We are committed to doing the work to ensure that Southeast Raleigh remains a place of choice and opportunity for all who call our community home. Lift Every Voice!