From Crisis to Preparedness: Our First Ready Together Workshop

Lakeshi Satterwhite
3 days ago
3 min read

On March 28, Durham residents came together to build the knowledge, tools, and community connections to weather whatever comes next.

There are moments in this work when you step back, look around the room, and think: this is exactly why we do this. Saturday, March 28, was one of those moments.

We hosted the inaugural Ready Together: From Crisis to Preparedness workshop at Mt. Zoar Baptist Church in Durham, NC, and what unfolded over those two and a half hours was a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when a community shows up for itself.

Residents came ready to learn, ask hard questions, and engage with their neighbors. And together, we did something meaningful: we moved a little further from crisis, and a little closer to preparedness.

A Workshop Built for This Community

Ready Together was designed specifically for Durham residents most affected by extreme heat, flooding, and damp housing, communities that too often bear the greatest burden of climate impacts while having the least access to resources and information.

The morning opened with a welcome and community introductions led by Planning Ahead, setting a tone of warmth, honesty, and shared purpose. From there, participants heard from expert presenters who brought both professional knowledge and genuine commitment to the communities they serve.

The City of Durham walked participants through flood risk and neighborhood infrastructure, helping residents understand not just what happens during a flood, but why, and what local systems are in place to respond. Durham County Emergency Management followed with a session on responding to extreme weather emergencies, equipping attendees with practical, actionable knowledge they can use right now.

The session that arguably generated the most energy was the Participatory Exposure Mapping activity, led by the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network. Participants mapped their own neighborhoods, identifying risks, assets, and gaps, and in doing so, began building the kind of shared understanding that turns neighbors into networks.

The workshop closed with toolkit distribution, surveys, and time to connect, because resilience isn't just about information. It's about relationships.

What Participants Are Saying

The most meaningful measure of any workshop isn't what we planned, it's what participants take away. Here's what one attendee shared with us after the event:

Very well-organized and full of useful information. The presenters were very good, and the variety of topics was just right. The food was amazing. And you outdid yourself with the resilience boxes! I really enjoyed myself and learned things to put into use. Thank you for being so welcoming and generous.

— Vickie, Ready Together Participant

Feedback like this fuels everything. It confirms that when we center community needs, invest in quality, and show up with care, people feel it. And they leave better prepared.

Featured by the CO2 Foundation

We are proud to share that the CO2 Foundation has featured this work on its website.

Their piece, "Building Climate Readiness from the Ground Up in Durham, NC," captures the heart of what we're doing and why it matters. We are deeply grateful for their investment in community-centered climate resilience and for amplifying this work to a broader audience. The CO2 Foundation's support has been instrumental in making Ready Together possible. Community-centered climate resilience and for amplifying this work to a broader audience. The CO2 Foundation's support has been instrumental in making Ready Together possible.

None of This Happens Without Our Partners

Ready Together is a collective effort. We are grateful to every organization that brought their expertise, time, and commitment to this work.

Funders:

CO2 Foundation, Center for Human Health and the Environment (CHHE)

Partners:

A Healing Place, City of Durham Environment and Street Services, Durham County Office of Emergency Services, Merrick Moore Community Development Corporation, North Carolina Central University, NC Environmental Justice Network, Passageway to Prison

It takes a village to build a resilient community, and we are honored to work alongside this one.

Lessons We're Carrying Forward

Every first event teaches you something. What March 28 reinforced for us is that preparedness education works best when it's participatory, when residents aren't just receiving information, but actively contributing their knowledge of their own neighborhoods.

The mapping activity made that visible in real time.

We also saw firsthand how much people want this. The questions were thoughtful, the conversations were rich, and the energy in the room never dipped. Durham is ready to be ready. Our job is to keep showing up. Photos from the March 28 workshop are coming soon.