Annual Reception

Plan on attending the WakeUP Wake County & RaleighForward Annual Reception!

As in the past, this is a gathering of friends who share a vision of a sustainable and equitable region.

The Annual Reception is on Thursday, December 3, 5.30 – 7.30 at Junction West in downtown Raleigh. There will be time for socializing over heavy hors d’oeuvres, and beer, wine and refreshments from the bar. WakeUP Wake County Executive Director Bert Fox, Board Chair Thomas Barrie, RaleighForward Director Eric Braun, and CITYBUILDER founder Jenn Truman will present plans for education and advocacy priorities in 2026.

The theme is Planning for an Affordable Region. The keynote speaker is Shane Phillips, author of The Affordable City: Strategies for Putting Housing Within Reach (and Keeping it There), which argues for an “all of the above” approach to housing policy and outlines 55 strategies for improving affordability and household stability. Shane manages the Randall Lewis Housing Initiative for the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies. His work covers a wide range of housing topics including tenant protections, housing production policies, and government revenue and financing reforms.

https://givebutter.com/wuwc-annual-reception-2026-iyp4xb