CHARLOTTE, NC / ACCESS Newswire / September 24, 2026 / A new national professional conference is bringing together Black professionals who shape the places where people live, work and build.

The inaugural Groundbreakers Conference will take place November 4-7, 2026, at The Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina, bringing together professionals across land development, real estate, planning, law, architecture, engineering, construction, housing, economic development, historic preservation, conservation and related fields.

Groundbreakers was created to address a gap in the professional landscape: Black professionals working across the land and built-environment industries often work in separate professional silos despite the interconnected nature of their work.

The conference is designed to create a multidisciplinary professional ecosystem where attendees can exchange knowledge, build relationships, discover opportunities and collaborate across industries.

"Land touches everything. It touches housing, transportation, economic development, wealth creation, preservation, infrastructure, culture and community. The people working in these fields need opportunities to understand one another's work and build together. That's what Groundbreakers is designed to do."

- Racheal Baker, Founder, Groundbreakers Conference

A Different Kind of Professional Conference

Groundbreakers will bring together up to 500 professionals for four days of programming that combines substantive professional education with relationship-building, cultural experiences and firsthand exploration of Charlotte's development landscape.

The 2026 program includes eight expert-led panel discussions featuring 32 speakers, breakout programming, networking experiences, site visits and tours.

Rather than organizing the conference around a single profession, Groundbreakers brings professionals from across the development ecosystem into the same room.

Programming will examine subjects including:

Soul City Revisited - A look at one of the most ambitious Black-led community development experiments in American history and the people and ideas behind Soul City.

Reclaiming Space - An exploration of how planning, development, preservation, culture and community intersect when communities seek to reclaim, preserve or reshape places.

Community Land Trusts and Affordable Housing - A conversation about community ownership and innovative approaches to creating and preserving permanently affordable housing.

HBCUs and Land Assets - An examination of the land holdings, development opportunities and challenges facing historically Black colleges and universities.

Where the Ladies At?: Founders Edition - A conversation with Black women founders working across development and the built environment.

Equity in Contracting - A discussion of access to government contracting opportunities, procurement and the systems that shape participation by historically underrepresented businesses.

Where the Money Reside: Creative Capital - A look at creative financing strategies and the capital structures that make complex development projects possible.

Inside the Deal: Live Negotiation - An interactive look at the negotiation process behind development and real estate transactions.

The conference will also feature curated site visits and tours, giving attendees the opportunity to connect classroom discussions with real places, projects and development stories throughout Charlotte.

Professional Education With Continuing Education Opportunities

Groundbreakers is designed to provide practical professional education that attendees can apply to their careers and businesses.

The 2026 conference has been approved for:

• 6 AICP CM credits for planners
• 3 North Carolina CLE credits for attorneys

The conference also offers continuing-education eligibility for additional professions:

• 4 PDH hours for engineers - eligible; audit support documentation available
• 5 HSW hours for architects - eligible; audit support documentation available

The audit support materials are designed to provide documentation of the educational content, learning objectives and other information professionals may need when seeking credit recognition through their respective professional organizations.

Beyond the Conference Room

Groundbreakers is intentionally designed as more than a traditional professional conference.

Attendees will have opportunities to connect with speakers, industry leaders, potential collaborators, clients, investors, funders and other professionals through curated networking experiences throughout the four-day event.

Programming includes a 90s/00s Hip-Hop & R&B Welcome Reception, the Groundbreakers Awards Ceremony, a VIP "Serving the Culture" Dinner, Breakfast with Experts small-group discussions and an Active Rest experience designed to get attendees moving during the conference day.

The conference will include the Groundbreakers Awards Ceremony, honoring individuals and organizations whose leadership, innovation, and impact are helping shape the future of land development, housing, and the built environment.

The conference will conclude with curated tours and site visits throughout Charlotte, extending the learning experience beyond the ballroom.

Building a Lasting Professional Ecosystem

Groundbreakers is designed to become more than an annual gathering.

Its broader mission is to build a self-sustaining network of Black professionals who work across land, development, housing and the built environment.

The conference seeks to facilitate relationships that can lead to collaboration, mentorship, business opportunities, investment, professional advancement and community impact.

"There are Black professionals all over the country doing extraordinary work in land, development and the built environment. We wanted to create a place where those professionals can come together to network, to exchange knowledge, to build relationships, to identify opportunities and to create the kind of ecosystem that can continue to grow long after the conference ends."

- Racheal Baker, Founder, Groundbreakers Conference

About Groundbreakers Conference

Groundbreakers Conference is a four-day professional conference created to connect Black professionals across land, development, housing and the built environment.

The conference brings together professionals in development, real estate, planning, law, architecture, engineering, construction, housing, economic development, preservation, conservation and related fields to foster connection, collaboration, education and opportunity.

The inaugural Groundbreakers Conference will take place November 4-7, 2026, at The Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Learn more:

https://groundbreakersconference.com/

Register now at:

https://groundbreakersconference.com/registration

Submit an award nomination at:

https://groundbreakersconference.com/awards

Read more about the speakers at:

https://groundbreakersconference.com/speakers

Media Contact:
Racheal Baker
Groundbreakers Conference
Rbaker@groundbreakersconference.com

SOURCE: Groundbreakers Conference