CEO Report: September 2025
- Upendo Shabazz
- Oct 1
- 4 min read
The following are highlights of the CEO Report provided to the RISE Coleman Park Board of Directors during the most recent meeting.
Coleman Park Data Dashboard
RISE kicked off engagement with the Purpose Built Communities Data and
Impact team (January Advisors) to develop a dashboard that presents
population-level data for Coleman Park's census tracts. This dashboard will serve
as a powerful storytelling tool to illustrate the Coleman Park narrative and will be
featured on RISE's website. Given the rapid pace of this project, I anticipate
sharing a draft of the dashboard at the November 9 board meeting.
Early Childhood Strategy Progress Update
RISE Coleman Park is making significant progress on its Early Childhood Strategy
development. Working in partnership with our national office, we have conducted
comprehensive community engagement, including surveys, focus groups, and
stakeholder meetings to establish the essential groundwork for transforming early
learning opportunities within the Coleman Park neighborhood.
Through this process, we have gathered crucial information about early learning and
placemaking principles, successfully connecting research-based best practices to
Coleman Park's unique community context and existing assets. This foundational work
is now informing our approach to creating high-quality, community-rooted early
childhood programming that meets the specific needs of our neighborhood families.
As a result of our comprehensive engagement process, we have achieved several key
outcomes: identified clear strategic priorities for early childhood development, pinpointed immediate implementation opportunities, and begun building the essential
partnerships necessary to advance quality early learning opportunities. These efforts
are designed to strengthen educational outcomes for Coleman Park's youngest
residents from the earliest stages of development.
A formal presentation detailing our findings, recommendations, and next steps will be
provided to the board for review and approval.
Community Engagement
RISE had an incredibly productive summer, building strong relationships and
partnerships with resident leaders through various key engagements, including:
The Resident Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting was held on August 14. This
was the best-attended meeting to date. Over 30 residents showed up to give
feedback on the Incremental development map and future visioning of Coleman
Park. Additionally, RISE is working with the RAC to develop recruitment
strategies and job descriptions for the leadership team.
Coleman Park Community Center Grand Reopening “Welcome Home”
committee kickoff planning on September 10. This resident-led committee is
working with Marketing Consultants to ensure the resident voice is in the planning
and to help bring out the community for the event. The date for the reopening is
still pending. RISE is working with the mayor’s office to confirm the date. Stay
tuned.
The Coleman Park Neighborhood Association meeting was held on September 11.
At this meeting, Coleman Park Champions Cohort, five grassroots nonprofits
serving Coleman Park, each presented their organization's scope of work to the
community. RISE works closely with the nonprofits helping to build their capacity
and ensure residents avail themselves of their services. RISE presented the
Cohort with a $25,000 grant, which will be split between the five organizations.
On September 12, RISE organized a tour of Lift Orlando for Life Center Church
Child Care Center, Aruna Gilbert from the Early Learning Coalition, and
Commissioner Shalonda Warren to experience a comprehensive early learning
strategy within a Purpose Built Communities model. The tour included two
childcare facilities: one operated by the Community Quarterback (CQ) and
another operated by a local provider who receives support from the CQ.
Understanding how these partnerships and coordination efforts work in practice
gives us a clearer roadmap for our own community development initiatives.
RISE is partnering with the Urban League Young Professionals to host Coleman Park
Cleanup culminating in a Trunk or Treat event scheduled for October 11.
Purpose Built Communities Opportunities
RISE participated in a valuable Peer Exchange hosted by the Northside Development
Group/Voyagers in Spartanburg, NC (July 24-25). Seven Voyagers program members
shared insights on community formation, organization, and governance, including
resident engagement strategies and partnership development. This opportunity,
supported by Purpose Built Communities, included OJ, Terra, and resident leaders
David Gibson, Latisha Myrick, and Valda Green.
In Spring 2025, the Purpose Built Communities team identified Harvard's Advancing
Women of Color in Leadership program as a valuable opportunity to enhance the CEO's
leadership capacity. Following a competitive application process, the CEO was
accepted into the program. Purpose Built Communities will sponsor the tuition for the
Leadership Institute, scheduled for April 8–11, 2026.
I participated in the Purpose Built Communities Leadership Convening held in
Omaha, Nebraska, from September 16-18. This annual gathering takes place within one
of the network communities, bringing together leaders from across the Purpose Built
Communities network to strengthen relationships, engage in collaborative learning, and
explore innovative approaches to drive community transformation. The convening
provides a valuable platform for network leaders to share best practices, discuss
challenges, and develop new strategies for advancing holistic community development.
Through workshops, site visits, and structured discussions, participants gain insights
that enhance their work in their home communities.
We are excited to announce that next year's Leadership Convening will be held in
West Palm Beach, with RISE serving as the host organization. This presents an
exceptional opportunity to showcase Coleman Park's work and welcome network
partners to our community. More to follow.