Before we teach them to build, we teach them to breathe. Because you cannot build anything lasting from a place of chaos. Stillness is where it starts.
What Sets Us Apart?
We create culturally relevant, results-driven programming that prepares people to build capacity, capital, and legacy. We partner with business leaders, developers, and educators to ensure the doors we open don't just lead to jobs; they lead to ownership, stability, and generational wealth.
About
TRPI
About The RARE Place Inc.
The RARE Place Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit rooted in Buffalo, NY, committed to restoring purpose, building leadership, and creating economic pathways for underestimated communities. Founded by Talia Johnson Huff, The RARE Place stands on four pillars; Reveal, Affirm, Restore, Empower, as a blueprint for transformation.
We believe equity is more than a conversation; it’s construction.
That's why we design programs that put real tools in people's hands; whether it's workforce development for returning citizens, entrepreneurship training for small businesses, or professional development for women breaking barriers in male-dominated fields.
From our community home at Kern's Bowling Center on Kerns Avenue in East Buffalo, the only Black-owned, veteran-owned bowling alley in New York State; to boardrooms and job sites across the region, The RARE Place meets people where they are.
Meet The Founder: Talia Johnson- Huff
Talia Johnson-Huff is a construction strategist, economic development consultant, community engagement leader, and the founder of The RARE Place, Inc. With a background spanning construction management, government contracting, MWBE compliance, and business consulting, Talia has built a career at the intersection of building, business, and community.
As Director of Projects and Property at the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, she oversees capital projects, infrastructure assets, MWBE and SDVOB compliance, and contractor oversight across Erie County. Through MWBE Constructors, Inc. her NYS-certified MWBE firm, she leads community engagement and MWBE Utilization strategy on major construction projects including the 5/14 Living Memorial and Healing Center.
As founder and Executive Director of The RARE Place, Inc., Talia leads the Buffalo Niagara MWBE & SDVOB Training Day Conference, the M&T-funded Capacity Building Program, and a growing ecosystem of workforce and entrepreneurship initiatives rooted in Buffalo's East Side.
She is the author of the Black in Business Curriculum with over 1,000 copies sold, the host of Blueprint The Culture™, a weekly radio show covering entrepreneurship, culture, and community infrastructure.
Talia is guided by The Readiness Standard™, her proprietary framework for moving people and organizations from concept to execution through structure, strategy, and accountability.
Whether she is on a construction site, on stage, or in a training room, her mission is the same: to help people build better; businesses, systems, relationships, and lives.
"I didn’t set out to start a nonprofit.
I set out to solve a problem."
I started out braiding hair at 12 years old, making $8/ hour. I had no clue I was in business. I then translated into the basement of my father’s business, he was a Marine, a plumbing and mechanical contractor turned businessman who believed in earning everything. So I did. From answering service calls 24/7 on an Emergency basis, to drafting estimates, I built my construction company from the ground up. I knew what it meant to work hard.
I had a morning paper route, ran my business by day, worked part-time at a call center at night, and raised a child in the middle of it all.
In the process of building what I thought was my empire, I also became the one who helped everyone. I hired people that others overlooked, single moms, returning citizens, young people with no direction, folks battling addiction, trauma, abuse, and poverty. Not because I was trying to save them, but because I saw their skill. I saw their potential. I listened to their stories their frustration, their hope, their pain. And I understood it, because I had lived parts of it too.
But over time, I grew tired, not of helping, but of watching people struggle with no real place to land. I realized they didn’t just need a job. They needed healing. They needed guidance.
They needed someone to believe in them and a place to become whole.
SO I CREATED THE RARE PLACE, INC.
RARE stands for:
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Reveal – A space to take off the mask and be real about your story.
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Affirm – A chance to declare who you are becoming.
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Restore – A pathway to heal and rebuild from the inside out.
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Emerge – A launchpad to walk boldly into your next season.
This is a place for the misunderstood, the overworked, the underpaid, the overlooked, the hurting, the gifted, the builders, and the believers.
It’s for the young Black girl navigating a male-dominated industry, for the single mom doing her best, for the returning citizen starting over, and for anyone who ever thought they didn’t belong.
The RARE Place Inc. is more than a nonprofit. It’s a movement rooted in love, equity, entrepreneurship, and land ownership. It’s where workforce development, personal transformation, and economic mobility meet. We build people as much as we build programs and we don’t stop until our people no longer need us.
We move how our people move — forward!
Our Focus Areas & Initiatives
Real Estate & Land Ownership
The Gap: Underserved individuals and families are dramatically underrepresented in property ownership and real estate development.
Our Solution:
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First-time homebuyer education
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Credit building & land buying strategy
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Developer training bootcamps
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Investment & co-ownership education
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Land use, zoning & construction training
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Legacy planning for wealth transfer
Domestic Violence Awareness + Recovery
The Reality: A significant portion of underserved communities experience domestic violence, often without culturally relevant support.
Our Solution:
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Early detection education
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Preventive conversations & safe community circles
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Trauma-informed, inclusive support services
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Exit strategy planning
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Recovery coaching & care
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Transitional housing designed with dignity
Reentry & Transition from Incarceration
The Crisis: Incarcerated populations are rising, particularly among marginalized communities.
Our Solution:
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Workforce development & employment pathways
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Resume building & career coaching
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Business startup & entrepreneurship tracks
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Mental health + trauma healing circles
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Safe transitional housing with holistic support
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Purpose-driven mentorship & peer navigation
Community-Led Business Development
The Data: Underserved entrepreneurs face significant barriers to capital, mentorship, and scaling.
Our Solution:
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Tiered business development from seed to scale
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Branding, legal, and finance workshops
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Digital business directory + community support
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Peer-led coaching cohorts
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Monthly pitch practice & microgrants
RARE Youth & Families
We don't just serve individuals — we serve whole families and futures.
Through:
Through:
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RARELY Connected: Entrepreneur mentorship for returning citizens and underserved founders
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RARE Jewels: Culturally rooted youth empowerment program for girls
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RARE Gents: Boys and young men mentorship with a focus on identity, leadership, and community
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RARE Couples: Healing relationship spaces for love, legacy building, and communication restoration
Style & Dignity – Clothing Confidence
The Need: Many low-income and transitioning individuals lack access to workplace-ready attire.
Our Solution:
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Curated style subscription boxes
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RARE Thrift Closets (community-donated)
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“Dress to Heal” styling experiences
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Interview prep workshops
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Monthly affirmations + peer-to-peer clothing swaps
Homelessness Prevention & Assistance
The Challenge: Housing instability is a root issue impacting employment, education, and wellness.
Our Solution:
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Emergency assistance referrals
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Short-term rental support
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Case management & housing navigation
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Holistic housing wraparound programs
Our values
At The RARE Place Inc., our work is rooted in a set of values that guide everything we do, from our leadership programs and mentorship initiatives to our healing spaces and community projects. These values are not just words, they are a way of life.
R – Reveal
We believe that every person carries purpose. Our first step is helping individuals uncover the power, gifts, and brilliance that have often been buried under trauma, systems, and survival.
Reveal the truth. Discover your legacy.
A – Affirm
We don’t just see you, we affirm you. In a world that constantly tries to diminish Black excellence, we create spaces that uplift identity, culture, and lived experience with love and respect.
Affirm your worth. Stand in your story.
R – Restore
Healing is sacred work. Whether from systemic injustice, generational trauma, or personal hardship, we believe in rebuilding from the inside out. Our work centers wholeness, because when we are well, we rise together.
Restore your peace. Reclaim your power.
E – Empower / Emerge
We don’t just talk leadership, we build leaders. Through mentorship, education, entrepreneurship, and ownership, we give our community the tools to not only succeed but to sustain and scale.
Empower the journey. Emerge transformed.
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Reveal
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Affirm
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Restore
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Empower
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Emerge