What is a CCRRIA Conference?

A convergence of social, environmental, political, and economic extreme events requires the acceleration of new and innovative organizational structures for community resilience. Furthermore, these times demand a reimagination of civic engagement, not only individually but collectively. The Center for Community Resilience Research Innovation and Advocacy (CCRRIA), with the support of the Houston Endowment for Civic Engagement, the Department of Sociology, and the School for Interdisciplinary Programs and Community Engagement, invites you to participate in its third annual conference titled “Communities Organizing Community: Catalyzing Transboundary Knowledge Co-production into Action” to be held on November 17 and 18, 2025 at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Ballroom in its Edinburg Campus.

Conference Agendas

Day 1 Schedule- 3rd CCRRIA Conference
Time Topic Room
2:00 PM Opening Remarks Ballroom
2:15 PM Plenary Session 1: Storytelling – Engaging Media for Resilience Ballroom
3:45 PM Facing the Current University Community Challenges: Is Sustainability Sustainable? Ballroom
3:45 PM Adaptive learning among disenfranchised and special needs populations Bronc Room
3:45 PM Voces del Aula y la Comunidad: Educational and Linguistic Resilience in the Rio Grande Valley Cenizo Room
5:15 PM Plenary Session 2:  Exploring the visions of NGOs in the Greater Caribbean: Operationalizing Community Renewable Energy Projects (Mexico, Colombia and Puerto Rico)    Ballroom
6:45 PM K. David Pijawka Community Resilience Award Ballroom
7:15 PM Dinner and Grupo Norteño Ballroom
Day 2 Schedule- 3rd CCRRIA Conference
Time Topic Room
9:15 AM Plenary Session 3: Converging organizational models for the energy transition Ballroom
10:30 AM After the Flood: A Multilevel Reflection on Flood Justice and Resilience  Bronc Room
10:30 AM Stablishing a VOAD in the RGV: The pursuit of long term recovery   Cenizo Room
10:30 AM Fighting manufactured ignorance in the codesign of just sustainable futures  Ballroom
12:00 PM LUNCH Ballroom
1:15 PM Plenary Session 4 – Exploring mental health in the face of disaster: En verdad quiero ser resiliente? Ballroom
2:30 PM Organizing learners for adaptive learning  Bronc Room
2:30 PM Exploring Innovations in Regional Community Resilience: The Story of the Prosperity Taskforce   Cenizo Room
2:30 PM Co-producing knowledge for civic engagement Ballroom
3:45 PM Plenary Session #5 – Looking at UTRGV-CCRRIA through The RISE Network’s lense: A method for reducing ignorance and increasing resilience. Ballroom
5:00 PM Closing Remarks  Ballroom

Conference Schedule

Location: UTRGV Edinburg Ballroom, 1201 W University Dr., Edinburg, Texas 78539

Monday, November 17


3rd CCRRIA Conference Day 1- 2:00PM - 7:15PM
1:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Tuesday, November 18


3rd CCRRIA Conference Day 2- 9:15AM - 5:00PM
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM           

Frequently Asked Questions