Welcome to WakeUP Wake County’s August 2023 Newsletter |
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WakeUP News & Things to Know | What We're Reading | Upcoming Events | Stay Connected |
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| Dear WakeUP Members, This month we say goodbye to both a wonderful human and a great leader. Nathan Spencer has been with WakeUP Wake County for over 4 years and has led us through transportation initiatives and land use planning. He is a wonderful spokesperson for equity, giving voice to those that need transit to connect them to jobs as well as affordable housing and environmental concerns that will impact us long into the future without action right now. Nathan has worked tirelessly to host Candidate Forums, educating the public on these impactful issues, and collaborated with state and local partners to keep our community moving in a positive direction. Luckily, Nathan will be staying in the Raleigh area - just taking on new challenges for himself and his family. As for WakeUP, we will continue to do the work we have always done: mobilizing our community around policies that ensure a just and thriving community for all. We are looking forward to welcoming our Interim Executive Director, Chris Herndon, in September. He joins us from United Way of the Triangle and will use his experience in advocacy to keep us moving forward. As always, our amazing volunteer board has always played a key part in our work and they will continue to lead those efforts while our awesome staff will make sure you stay informed and engaged on the issues in Wake County that impact our community's future. We greatly appreciate all of you and the work you do to keep Wake County a thriving community. From advocacy, engagement, and donations - our work cannot be successful without your support! Thanks for Speaking UP for a better tomorrow with us,
Adam Terando
WakeUP Wake County
Board Chair | |
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Do you know someone new to Wake County? With thousands moving into our communities, we have made it our mission to WakeUP policy makers and advocate for smart planning and development that ensures a better quality of life for all of our citizens. Share this newsletter and invite your new neighbor to become a member today, it’s free! Introducing our new Development Director, Angie Haugen! Angie works to engage members while also working with our funding partners to make sure that WakeUP can keep having a positive impact for our community. 
“Over the past couple months, I’ve been working with staff and board members to develop a long-term strategic development and engagement plan that will put us in a better position to collaborate with elected officials and community leaders,” says Angie. “I look forward to getting to know more of our members and partner organizations soon!”
Angie’s work is to empower and educate residents on current issues that will have long term ramifications and seeks to make sure equity and inclusion are a part of the solution. Learn more about her.
WakeUP Executive Director Nathan Spencer and Board Member Erika Brandt were interviewed by ABC11 regarding the City of Raleigh's purchase of land at the corner of Raleigh Blvd and New Bern Ave for affordable housing and retail use. Watch the interview here.
WakeUP Staff put together information and resources on Transit Overlay Districts and how they can help the City of Raleigh and the greater Wake County Community plan for future growth in a sustainable and equitable way. View the new page here. Policy Analyst Christina Perella developed an infographic describing the climate-related benefits of BRT. View it here. Perella also wrote a new blog post, Strategic Planning on New Bern Avenue Will Benefit Existing Community and Environment. Staff attended the Durham, Orange, & Carboro Home Builders Association Housing Summit with a panel that included Mitch Silver and Jenn Truman focused on the importance of zoning for 'missing middle' and transit oriented development (TOD) in the housing crisis.
The Town of Cary has launched a new campaign to address climate change: Count me in, Cary! Over the course of 2023, Cary will explore the impacts of climate change on our community and our well-being, identify challenges and opportunities, and create a strategy for implementing solutions. The climate action strategy will focus on transforming six areas of everyday life: Energy, Community, Water Infrastructure, Transportation & Mobility, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste. Cary residents are encouraged to get involved and make your voice heard! Learn more about the campaign and take one or more of the community surveys by September 1st at www.carync.gov/CountMeInCary. Can Cary Count YOU In?
Interested in being more involved with WakeUP Wake County either as a volunteer or board member? Learn more about member duties and how to get involved here. |
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Join WakeUP Wake County in celebrating #WorldCarFreeDay on September 22nd!  Ways to get involved: - Share on Social to encourage others to join and raise awareness about the day
- Engage your network by spreading the word about the day to your school, your work, or your neighborhood
- Start a campaign/challenge in your community - let’s see how many people in Wake County we can get to go Car-Free
- Find your closest bus stop: plan a trip with Go! Raleigh (Everyone rides free with Fare Free!) and Go! Triangle
- Know more: being without a car is an equity issue as many residents in our area either cannot afford one or are limited in their independence like the elderly and physically disabled
- Not able to go without a car for the day? Advocate for increased transportation options to your school and city leaders support policies like TOD that increases car-free mobility!
Get more information about World Car Free Day here. |
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Follow us on social media to stay updated on WakeUP news and events and check out our blog to learn more about our work. |
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