Polis Institute

09/03/2026

What if you could actually feel the economic differences between neighborhoods?

This art project turns data about rent burden into physical resistance on a bike—making it harder or easier to pedal depending on where you ride.

It’s a powerful reminder that where we live can shape how easily we access opportunity.

At Polis, we believe understanding those differences is one of the first steps toward building communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

What would change if we experienced community challenges instead of just reading about them?

👉 Want to be part of building stronger, more opportunity-rich communities? Learn more about how Polis works alongside residents, organizations, and investors to create lasting community impact at Polis Institute⁠.

09/02/2026

Orlando is growing — and that brings incredible opportunity. 🌱

But strong communities aren’t measured only by new buildings, new businesses, or how many people move here.

They’re built when growth creates opportunity for the people who already call a community home.

At Polis Institute, we believe lasting change happens when residents, businesses, organizations, and community leaders work together to make sure growth strengthens our neighborhoods rather than simply changes them.

Because Orlando isn’t just growing.

We have an opportunity to grow together.

What would you like to see as Orlando continues to grow?

09/01/2026

What makes a neighborhood truly affordable?

Housing is about more than the number of homes we build. It’s also about whether the people who live, work, raise families, and contribute to a community can afford to remain part of it as that community grows.

This conversation raises an important question for Orlando: If we increase housing supply but homes continue to become increasingly valuable as financial assets, who ultimately benefits from that growth?

At Polis, we believe strong communities are built when development and opportunity work together — and when the people closest to the challenges are part of shaping the solutions.

Worth reading. Worth discussing.

What do you think makes housing truly affordable?

08/31/2026

What does building a stronger community actually look like?

A room full of families, games, laughter and people simply enjoying being together.

Game Night at the Boys & Girls Club was a reminder that community isn't only built through programs and big initiatives. It's also built through the everyday opportunities people have to connect, belong and build relationships.

Those moments matter.

And when they happen again and again, they can become the foundation of something much bigger.



&GirlsClub

08/28/2026

Wednesday’s Family Day at Orlando Day Nursery was a beautiful reminder that strong communities begin with strong families. 💛

Moments like these—families connecting, children laughing, and people simply spending time together—are what community is all about.

We’re grateful for organizations like Orlando Day Nursery that continue to create spaces where children and families can learn, grow, and feel supported.

Because when families thrive, communities grow stronger. 🌱

08/27/2026

Dream it. Plan it. Achieve it. ✨

This week’s GO!MOM Empowers session was a powerful reminder: You are not simply becoming. You are EVOLVING.

Led by Shem Nelly, the evening challenged women to make space for their dreams—and then begin putting action behind them.

Because investing in yourself isn’t selfish. It’s personal development. It’s professional development. It’s creating the time and space to think about where you’re headed and what it will take to get there.

At Polis Institute, we’re proud to support GO!MOM Empowers and spaces where women can connect, grow, dream bigger, and take intentional steps toward what’s next.

Strong women strengthen families. Strong families strengthen communities. 💛

08/26/2026

Community is built when people show up for one another. 💙

This Saturday, August 29, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida and U.S. Hunger are bringing volunteers together to prepare 100,000 food packs for our community.

Whether you come on your own, bring your family, or gather a group, this is a meaningful way to turn a few hours of your time into something that directly supports local families.

📍 Levy-Hughes Clubhouse in Downtown Orlando
👥 Volunteers ages 13+
🕘 Multiple shifts available

Because stronger communities don’t just happen — we build them together.

Sign-up information is in the flyer. 💙

08/25/2026

What does meaningful investment in a community look like?

In Parramore, it looks like more than building new homes. It looks like creating opportunities for families to put down roots, build equity, and remain part of the community they call home.

We love seeing organizations like Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County investing in pathways to homeownership in this historic neighborhood.

As Parramore continues to grow and change, there’s an important question worth asking:

How do we make sure the people who call a community home are able to be part of its future?

08/21/2026

Preserving a community’s history starts with the people who know it best. 💛

The Town of Eatonville is inviting residents to help shape how its story is remembered through the Historic Marker Task Force.

This is community voice in action—residents helping identify the people, places, and stories that deserve to be carried forward for generations to come.

At POLIS, we believe communities are strongest when the people who live there have a meaningful role in shaping both their story and their future.

📍 Eatonville residents: Applications are now open. See the original post for details on how to apply.

Eatonville, Historic Marker Task Force Applications are Now Available! As the oldest incorporated African American municipality in the United States, Eatonville possesses nationally significant cultural, historical, and educational resources. The Eatonville Heritage Trail Interpretive Signage Project seeks to share these resources through an accurate, inclusive, and community-informed interpretive experience.

The Town of Eatonville, in partnership with the National Park Service, is undertaking a project to review, update, and expand the Town’s historic markers and strengthen the larger Heritage Trail visitor experience.

The Historic Marker Task Force will serve as a community advisory body, with primary responsibility for providing guidance and recommendations on historic marker content within the larger project. The Task Force will help ensure that Eatonville’s historic markers reflect the Town’s lived history, community memory, cultural identity, and the perspectives of people with direct and longstanding connections to Eatonville.

Virtual applications are available via the Town Website under “Town Clerk” then —> “Forms & Documents” and physical copies at Town Hall in the lobby.

08/20/2026

A new cohort. A new beginning. And a room full of possibility. 💛

We’re excited to celebrate the first session of GO Moms Empowers’ third cohort!

There’s something powerful about bringing women together in a space designed for connection, growth, encouragement, and opportunity. These photos capture just the beginning of what we know will be a meaningful journey for this group.

At POLIS Institute, we’re proud to support programs like GO Moms Empowers that invest in people, strengthen families, and help build stronger communities from the inside out.

Here’s to Cohort 3—and everything that comes next. 🌱