WHY Awareness to Action?

North Carolina Community Resilience Conference 2020

WHY Awareness to Action?

Since 2017, tens of thousands of North Carolinians have seen the documentary Resilience: The Biology of Stress + The Science of Hope and are changing the conversation from, “What’s wrong with you?” to, “What happened to you?” The NC Community Resilience Conference 2020: Moving From Awareness to Action will build upon the community-led initiatives across the state to raise awareness about ACEs to build a statewide movement to support the development of resilient children, families and communities.

Organizations have shared the film to raise awareness and are inspired to move to action. This conference is designed to equip and empower participants to:
  • develop strategic plans to form resilient communities,
  • build support for trauma-informed practices,
  • connect with neighbors in meaningful ways, and
  • learn more about how to prevent harmful childhood adversity and mitigate the potential negative impacts caused by toxic stress.

Over 40 local coalitions of dedicated professionals and concerned community members from the mountains to the coast have formed to share our collective vision that children deserve a childhood free of toxic stress. As adults, we have an obligation to ensure the safety of all children and to protect their opportunity for healthy development.


Resilient communities thrive while facing difficult times. The people that live there are connected to each other and have the concrete resources and programs available to meet the needs of the community. Green spaces, affordable and safe housing, and robust schools make up the landscape.


Join us in Raleigh March 15 to be a part of the movement to build a resilient North Carolina.

TOPICS that will be covered include:
  • How to be equitable in your ACEs work
  • Available data sources and how to use data to inform your work
  • Engaging the community in your process
  • Policies that treat and prevent ACEs
  • Self-care and secondary trauma
  • Using implementation science to achieve intended results
  • Systems mapping and leveraging the strengths in your community
  • The power of play and nature
  • Trauma informed courtrooms

And much more! Check the agenda tab for more detailed information on workshop presenters and topics.


Working together, we will attempt to answer the question: How do we build upon the awareness of ACEs and toxic stress and set in motion actionable, measurable steps so that every child in North Carolina grows up in a resilient, safe, stable, and nurturing environment?