Trainings & Events

Join CT Main Street Center for an immersive half-day of dynamic discussion and group exercises led by an expert in urban planning, affordable housing, community engagement, and economic development, Raquel Vazquez, CEO and founder of The Empowered Block. Through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion, this training will cover:

Observe & Understand

• Stakeholder Inventory: Review each stakeholder in the local economic development ecosystem, their role, and their priorities.


• Stakeholder Perspectives: Understand each stakeholder's unique perspective, delving into their roles and how their priorities and concerns are shaped.

Engage & Implement

• Engagement Strategies: Learn different types of engagement strategies to employ when interacting with stakeholders and when to use them.


• Inclusive Engagement: Study how the past impacts present day neighborhood and commercial corridor contexts. Understand the importance of inclusively engaging stakeholders for greater benefits for all.


• Build Collaborative Teams: Best practices for building trust, consensus, and managing difficult conversations.

Grow & Adapt

• Local Contexts in Connecticut: How COVID and other macro-economic factors are affecting stakeholders and its impact for engagement.


• Stakeholder Engagement Best Practices: Bring everything together to review the techniques and strategies for reaching your engagement goals.