Turning on the Lightbulb – A Second-Timer’s First Impressions of NNIP

"Two weeks ago, I attended my second meeting of the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) in Dallas. This wasn’t my first NNIP meeting – I attended last October’s meeting in Denver as a wide-eyed, slightly awkward analyst who’d been on the (full-time) job for just a few months. Needless to say, I found the entire experience to be, 1) extremely impressive and 2) quite a bit to take in. I left the Mile-High City with my mind awhirl with possibilities, ideas, and the simple realization that, 'Hey! There are other people who do what I do in other cities!'"

"To my great delight, by the Dallas meeting I’d processed most of the initial flood of information, and found that I was much better able to participate in the meetings this time. From the moment I sat down, it was immediately apparent to me why everyone had made the trek to Texas in the middle of October (admittedly a very nice, if slightly rainy, time to visit the area). It wasn’t just the chance for a change of scenery like so many conferences; this meeting allows the people who do some of the most important (and most unheralded) work in the country to come together and share ideas, experiences, and decades of accumulated wisdom. This time, I felt like I was able to experience the full value of the network."

Then in his engaging style, Noah shares his strongest first impressions from the second NNIP experience -- a great read!