Raising Expectations Inc.

10/08/2026

Atlanta has always been at the heart of the Raising Expectations story!

For 30 years, our city has been more than the place we call home. It has been a community of partners, champions and supporters who believe in the potential of our young people.

Thank you to the City of Atlanta Government and Mayor Andre Dickens for celebrating our 30th Anniversary House Party and recognizing the power of the RE Village.

We are especially grateful for the City's continued investment in our mission and its commitment to creating opportunities for Atlanta's youth.

30 years of Raising Expectations. 30 years of Atlanta showing up. And we're just getting started!

10/07/2026

Atlanta showed up for the RE Village.

Our 30th Anniversary House Party was more than a celebration. It was a powerful reminder of what happens when a community comes together around young people and believes in what is possible.

We raised $60,000 in the room during our Fund the Mission, directly supporting Raising Expectations and the young people we serve.

From Shanna Stephens sharing how RE changed the trajectory of her life, to Sylvia Russell surprising the room with a $30,000 matching gift, to generations of alumni, mentors, partners and friends celebrating together, the night was the RE Village in action.

This is what 30 years of relationships looks like. And this is the village that will carry us into what comes next, including 25 Newcastle and even more opportunities for Atlanta’s young people.

Thank you to Crystal Edmonson and the Atlanta Business Chronicle for sharing the power of the night and the RE story.

Atlanta, thank you for showing up. The House Party may be over, but we’re just getting started.

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2026/10/01/raising-expectations-30-years-fundraising.html

10/02/2026

09/29/2026

WE ARE OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT!

We are so excited to celebrate 30 years of Raising Expectations with a FULL HOUSE tomorrow night!

For three decades, this community has shown up for Atlanta’s young people, and we can’t think of a better way to mark this milestone than surrounded by the people who have been part of the journey.

A quick reminder: No tickets will be available for purchase at the door. Only guests who registered in advance will be admitted.

We can’t wait to celebrate 30 years of impact, relationships and Raising Expectations, House Party style!

09/22/2026

90s ROLL CALL! Atlanta, who’s ready to party like it’s 1995?

Because THIS house is going to be full.

Mayor Andre Dickens. Sylvia Russell. Dr. Beverly Tatum. Former Mayor Shirley Franklin.

And that’s just our honorees.

We’ve got Carol Waddy + David Jernigan co-chairing the celebration, Chris Cornell on the mic, RE alum Bashel Lewis helping host the party and Salah Ananse on the turntables. Sponsors include Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center, Tower B**r, W**e & Spirits, The Coca-Cola Company, Stockbridge, AT&T, PNC, Delta Community Credit Union, NTRC, Cricket Wireless, The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, Alston & Bird, Eshé P. Collins, Esq., Matt Westmoreland, Jason Dozier and Wayne Martin.
In other words: Atlanta is showing up for RE.

Now it’s your turn.

Grab the overalls. Break out the tracksuit. Find the bucket hat. And start practicing whatever 90s dance move you probably should have retired 25 years ago.

We’re celebrating 30 years of Raising Expectations, the people who built this movement and the young people who are taking it into the future.

September 30 | 6:30 p.m. | The Supermarket
https://raisingexpectations.org/house-party/
90s attire encouraged.

Now for the official roll call: Who’s coming, and what are you wearing?

09/17/2026

This is what we mean when we talk about pathways to the future.

These five young men have been putting in the work at Atlanta Technical College, earning credentials including CLA, forklift and OSHA 10 certifications through a special initiative co-created with neighborhood and community leaders.

And these certificates are only the beginning.

Their next step is earning their CDL permits. From there, they will enter an eight-week earn-as-you-learn program that will prepare them for opportunities in the lineworker profession, including the potential to one day work with Georgia Power. College may be the right pathway for one student. The skilled trades may be right for another. Another young person may need credentials, hands-on experience or a connection to an employer to take that next step.

Different young people. Different aspirations. Different pathways. One shared expectation: that every young person deserves the opportunity and support to build a future of their own.

09/13/2026

Atlanta knows how to show up.

For its teams. For its city. And, most importantly, for its people.

As we get ready for Atlanta Falcons football today, we’re celebrating two people who have shown up for Raising Expectations in a big way: Matt and Sarah Ryan.

Matt, Sarah and the ATL: Advance The Lives Foundation are part of the fabric of RE. Their belief in our young people and their investment in Atlanta have helped strengthen the community surrounding our students and that kind of support is what has made 30 years of Raising Expectations possible.

Because RE has never been the story of one person or one organization.

It’s the story of Atlanta showing up for Atlanta.

And on September 30, we’re bringing that community together.

The House Party is a party with a purpose: celebrating 30 years of RE, celebrating this city we love and celebrating everyone who has been part of our story and everyone who wants to be part of what comes next.
https://raisingexpectations.org/house-party/

Come celebrate with us.

September 30 | 6:30 p.m. | The Supermarket

Atlanta, you’ve been part of our fabric for 30 years. Let’s party.

09/10/2026

You have to see it to imagine yourself there.

This summer, our RE interns hit the road for a visit to Cricket Wireless, where they stepped inside a corporate workplace, met professionals and explored the many different paths a career can take.

These experiences are about more than a field trip. They’re about helping young people enter new spaces, ask questions, make connections and begin to see themselves belonging there.

And thanks to Impact100 Atlanta, we have the transportation to help get them there. Our vans are helping RE connect young people to opportunities throughout Atlanta and turn career exposure into real-world experiences.

Thank you to Cricket Wireless for welcoming our interns and to Impact100 Atlanta for helping make access to experiences like this possible.

See it. Imagine it. Become it.