Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Selects Ten Communities as 2020-2021 RWJF Culture of Health Prize Winners

Moving with a sense of urgency and possibility, Rocky Mount, N.C. is addressing generations of disinvestment through an array of community wealth-building approaches to expand homeownership, create career pathways through job training, and provide academic enrichment opportunities.

Determined to change longstanding power dynamics that impede progress, efforts like the Community Academy allow residents to take center stage as it brings neighbors from 14 resident associations together to shape solutions. The city’s fertile ground for partnerships has led to vibrant downtown development that is dotted with hometown businesses, a new event center, and a renewed sense of possibility for area residents.