Day one
Check-in will open at 8:00 AM and close at 4:00 PM.
8:45 – 9:45 AM
Trauma Informed Yoga with Resilient Georgia.
10:15 – 11:45 AM
(Optional)
Kick off your conference experience with a dynamic morning of collaborative learning, open dialogue, and peer exchange. This pre-conference “unconference” is designed to spark new ideas, deepen relationships, and turn insight into action.
The following sessions are confirmed, but we encourage participants to bring fresh ideas and spark new conversations. A community board will be available to post additional topics, with space set aside (rooms, tables, and open areas) for those discussions to take shape.
“Talk To Action: Conversations that Drive Change” with Kira Hamman
“Coalition Building in Action: Wisdom from the Midwest” with Suzanne Morley and Helen Sampson
“Measuring Connection in Your Community: How to Leverage Data and Center Community Voice” with Kimberly Burrowes, Samantha Fu, and AJ Calhoun
12:00 – 1:30 PM
Come hungry for connection!
1:30 – 3:30 PM
Big ideas don’t grow in isolation—they flourish through collaboration. In this opening keynote, three nationally recognized changemakers will come together for a powerful conversation about how we can cultivate the conditions for connection across communities, systems, and sectors.
From neighborhoods rich in relational culture to citywide partnerships driven by equity and co-creation, Atlanta is modeling what it looks like to design for belonging at every level. This conversation will feature local leaders from government, grassroots organizations, philanthropy, and research who are working together to build civic infrastructure, revitalize communities, and amplify the assets that already exist across the city.
Managing Director, The Arthur Blank Family Foundation
Co-founder & Cultural Curator, Atlanta Influences Everything
Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine
Executive Fellow – Strategic Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives, City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office
3:40 – 4:55 PM
Volunteerism has long been a powerful force for good—bringing people together to lend their time, talents, and compassion to serve others. Yet recently, we have seen a shift to online volunteering, fewer people showing up, and an emphasis on results over relationships. We have an opportunity to re-invigorate volunteering by bringing it back to its roots in mutual care, stronger relationships, and shared community growth. This talk explores how volunteering can go beyond helping others to become “transformative service”—where everyone contributes, everyone belongs, and stronger, more trusting communities emerge as a result.
In a time of deep disconnection—social, physical, and systemic—how can our cities become places of healing and belonging? This session explores how urban hubs can serve as catalytic platforms for connection, resilience, and equity.
Real-world examples across the spectrum will demonstrate what design looks like when it is shaped by trust, cultural identity, and community voice, offering intergenerational possibilities. Atlanta-based examples such as Station Soccer (transforming transit stops into soccer fields), Ke’nekt Cooperative (an intergenerational, community-rooted third place), and other design approaches used to cultivate connection, and uplift communities nationwide will be shared.
The audience will learn how to use tangible spaces in their communities to foster vital intangible outcomes like civic engagement, equity, and rooted neighborhoods, paving the way for a sustainable future.
How are young people navigating the rise of AI, and how can adults support them? This live podcast taping features an intergenerational conversation exploring the impact of AI on youth mental health, in-person connection, and trust. Panelists will model honest dialogue between generations and share new approaches to fostering relational resilience amidst emerging technologies. Grounded in work supported by Pinterest, this session will also reflect on insights from recent listening sessions and community engagement.
5:05 PM
Musical performance presented by Levitt Foundation.
6:00 – 7:15 PM
Enjoy light appetizers, music, and informal conversation in a relaxed setting. This casual gathering offers a chance to connect with fellow attendees and set the tone for the days to come.
