Race and Equity Resources, Events & Announcements

$10,000 Grant Opportunity for Nonprofit Organizations in Corridors of Opportunity!

 Sponsored by Albemarle, a grant of $10,000 is now available to aid an organization’s programming and initiatives focused on the upward mobility of youth. Nonprofit organizations within the corridors that support the overall well-being of youth are encouraged to apply. Each organization’s mission should align with Albemarle’s giving philosophy, which includes the following:

-Providing education
-Sustainable solutions to critical resources
-Improving the quality of life
-Creating equitable access to pathways for upward mobility 

Applications will close on April 30. One nonprofit organization will be awarded the grant of $10,000 and the winner will be recognized during the Meck Mile event in May. Please apply through the form linked below. This grant opportunity is a part of the upcoming Meck Mile, a Charlotte Sports Foundation event, which will take place on May 25. The Meck Mile aims to bring people from across Charlotte together to run, walk, skip or dance through the streets surrounding Memorial Stadium. If you have additional questions about the grant or the process, please reach to Tiffany Johnson – Community  Affairs Specialist with the Albemarle Corporation tiffany.johnson@albemarle.com.

The application form is available here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpzfqIFRVimlbIX9iiRGfjTtn_ClbFqAdkfm63H6txqxwxag/viewform?usp=send_form

Where: Mint Museum Uptown
When: February 16, 5:30-8:30 PM

The event, "Bridging Voices," aims to create a space where individuals can feel heard, connect deeply with others, and seek guidance through shared stories and insights. From community networking to insightful panels and healing dialogues, the evening promises a journey of empathy, empowerment, and collective healing.

When: Thursday, February 15 at 6:30 PM
Where: UNC Charlotte Cone McKnight Hall

The event will feature motivational talks on the transformative power of education, insights into ACC's "Change Makers" initiative, and a fundraising event to support educational loans for Muslim students.

Visit bit.ly/acc-yq to register.

The Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University of Charlotte will host the internationally acclaimed “Seeing Auschwitz” exhibit at the Nine Eighteen Nine Gallery at the VAPA Center in uptown Charlotte from February 9 – April 15, 2024.

This remarkable exhibit comprises a collection of 100 photographs of the camp that have survived to the present day, with an audio guide that includes testimonies from survivors. The 60–75-minute experience consists of images shot by perpetrators, victims, and liberators, which are presented as a startling glimpse into the human lives lost. The Greenspon Center is honored to host this powerful exhibit for its North American debut.

Wells Fargo will be the presenting sponsor for the exhibit. “Wells Fargo is proud to help bring this exhibition to the community so we can learn about the past in a way that helps us build an informed and better future,” said Jay Everette, Wells Fargo SVP, Philanthropy and Community Impact.

“Seeing Auschwitz” was originally developed for the United Nations’ observance of the International Day of Commemoration in 2020, in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Judy LaPietra, Associate Director of the Greenspon Center, has visited Auschwitz many times as a student, volunteer, and as a guide for college students. When she saw “Seeing Auschwitz” in London last January, she knew it needed to come to Charlotte.

“This exhibit offers personal insight into a historical atrocity. It is especially important to provide this experience at this time of rising hate and antisemitism in our nation and the world,” said LaPietra. “Education about the evil perpetrated there is necessary for people to understand the importance of combating hate. We are so grateful to Wells Fargo for helping to make this possible.”

The exhibit is an original creation by Musealia, a Spanish organization dedicated to exploring powerful stories through exhibitions, in collaboration with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, the United Nations and UNESCO. A panel of curators of renowned experts in the history of the camp and education of the Holocaust was brought together to prepare it.

The Greenspon Center plans to make the exhibit available to all Charlotte area students in grades 7 – 12 for free. “The exhibit will offer an incredible learning experience for students, and provide an impactful resource for teachers as they fulfill the requirement of the new N.C. mandate to teach about the Holocaust,” said LaPietra.

For more information about the exhibit and to purchase tickets, visit the Seeing Auschwitz Charlotte website https://seeingauschwitz.com/charlotte/ . Exhibit hours will be Tuesday & Wednesday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Thursday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Friday & Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, and Sunday 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM from February 9 – April 15, 2024. The audio guide is free of charge and can be accessible through your mobile phone or provided device. Parking at the VAPA Center is free to the public.

Thu, Jan 25 | 6 pm

Ages: All ages
Cost: Free

Location:

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

551 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202

The Gantt center is showcasing an exhibition that brings together the work of generation-defining, contemporary Black women artists from around the world featuring Mickalene Thomas, Deborah Roberts, Amy Sherald, and more.

The 7th annual 2024 North Carolina Black Heritage Festival themed "Remember the past, Celebrate the present, & Shape the future" will feature 100 black owned companies.

The celebration will take place on Saturday, February 10, from 1pm-5pm. The event is located at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center at 4751 North Carolina 49 Gold Hall Concord, NC 28025 and is free of charge.

Crafts, culture, art, games, performances, information and more is some of what attendees can expect. Free giveaways, discounts, and coupons make the vendor shopping experience like none other and also kids activities. Support black business and black excellence. Black History Month 2024.

Kid Activities:

• Baby Bumper Cars
• Bounce House
• Basketball
• Kid Playground
• Games

Performances:

• Praise & Motion Dance Team
• Kenzie’s Dancin’ Out
• Diamond Dolls of QC
• Queens Of Destruction
• ROP Drumline & Elite Elegant Dolls
• Charlotte Cultural Collective Dance Troupe

Join Mecklenburg County’s David B. Waymer Recreation Center and the Town of Huntersville Parks & Recreation department Feb. 17, 2024, in celebration of Black History Month!  They will showcase performances from Drums for Life, Spoken Word readings, children’s crafts, and Dear Soul Music Company. These programs are FREE to the public. All ages are welcome to join.

The event schedule is: 

• 1pm-2pm: Spoken Word; poems and quotes from community members.
• 2:30pm-3:30pm: Interactive performance with Drums for Life, Kojo Bey is Co-founder of SOUNDS OF AFRIKA Drum and Dance Troupe and has been performing and teaching African drumming as a healing art for 30 years. Come enjoy pop up crafts to celebrate Black History Month.
• 4pm-5pm: Performance from Dear Soul Music Co. established by Charlotte musician Arsena Schroeder. The organization exists to provide resources for the independent artist and strives to be a trusted source for empowering, educating and equipping them for successful careers.

This event will be located at David B. Waymer Recreation Center, 14008 Holbrooks Rd, Huntersville, NC

For more information follow them on social media @Huntersvilleparksandrecreation
or contact:  

Waymer Center at 980-314-1127 or DWRC@mecknc.gov

Huntersville Parks & Recreation Downtown Events Coordinator, Maria Cepeda at Mcepeda@huntersville.org  

Catawba College’s Center for the Environment, the local NAACP, and Reimagining America Project are kicking off Black History Month with a community conversation on Climate Justice. The event will take place in Catawba’s Center for the Environment, Room 302 on February 1st at 6:30 pm. Refreshments begin at 6 pm. Virtual attendance is available.

Panelists include:

· Gemale A. Black, President of Salisbury-Rowan NAACP

· Edgar Miller, Yadkin Riverkeeper

· Jennifer Roberts, 58th Mayor of Charlotte

· Jeffrey Robbins, Executive Director, CleanAIRE NC

· Dr. Mercedes Quesada-Embid, Catawba College Associate Professor of Environmental Policy and Advocacy

Registration is requested at https://t.ly.NCzx_

Virtual participation is available upon registration.

From KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Kannapolis, N.C., will celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at this year’s weekend celebration. Events will begin on Saturday, January 13, and continue through Monday, January 15.

The theme for this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration is “Unarmed Truth & Unconditional Love: That’s what DREAMS are made of!” The theme reflects the strides made to advance diverse populations throughout the area. Attendees can expect a weekend filled with reflection, education, and community, as we come together to celebrate the enduring impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Activities include:

The Dream Day Parade in Kannapolis – 11 a.m., January 13

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Day Parade will be held at 11 a.m. on January 13 in Kannapolis. Mayor Darrell Hinnant and City Council Member Jeanne Dixon are the Parade Grand Marshals. The parade will be comprised of a variety of local cheer and dance teams, marching bands, civic organizations, and corporate groups.

The parade will begin at the intersection of Main Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue and travel down Main Street to Laureate Way, ending at City Hall, 401 Laureate Way. Please be aware that partial street closures will begin at 10:50 a.m. to accommodate the parade.

Dream Day Event in Kannapolis – 12 – 3 p.m., January 13
 

Following the parade there will be several free activities at the Laureate Center, at Kannapolis City Hall, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Enjoy a fish fry lunch. The food is free with a donation for the non-perishable food drive.

You and your family are welcome to attend and enjoy:

- Food Trucks, Fun, and Entertainment

- Minority Business Fair

- Health & Wellness Fair

- Local Non-profit Organization Fair

- Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Information Fair

- Commemorative Community Mural

- Non-perishable Food Donation Collection Drive

Non-profit organizations serving Cabarrus County and local minority-owned businesses are encouraged to participate in the fair. Businesses may provide information, but sales are prohibited. Submit vendor applications by January 5 at mlkccnc.com.

Keeper of the Dream Banquet in Concord– 3 p.m., January 14

Beginning at 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 14. The Keeper of the Dream Awards Banquet will recognize individuals in Cabarrus County who continue to keep Dr. King’s dream alive. The event will be held at City Club in Gibson Mill. Tim Atwell, Executive of Consumer Data Management and Governance Data for Wells Fargo and a native of Kannapolis will serve as the keynote speaker. This is a ticketed event.

For tickets, visit www.mlkccnc.com.

Memorial March and Wreath Laying in Concord – 11:30 a.m., January 15

The Memorial March will be held on the campus of Barber Scotia College beginning at 11:30 a.m. and will travel along Cabarrus Avenue to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza.

The Wreath Laying Ceremony will follow at noon and will feature speaker President Chris Rey of the Historic Barber-Scotia College.

Events are sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Planning Committee of Concord-Cabarrus and the City of Kannapolis.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend the first-ever Cherryville Community Health & Resource Fair!

Come for a completely free and exciting opportunity to connect with local businesses and health organizations, learn about available resources, and access information about working towards health and wellness. This event is for all ages and will be both educational and FUN!

Includes: Free Lunch - Door Prize Raffles - Fun Activities For Kids- Vendor Booths - Free Clothing Closet- Blood Pressure Checks - Prediabetes Risk Screenings - Health Education.

When and Where: Saturday, January 20, 2024, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm St. John’s Lutheran Church 310 W. Church St. Cherryville, NC 28021

Presented in partnership between Levine Museum of the New South, Fiestas Patrias, and Manolo’s Bakery.

The festival includes singing, dancing, arts & crafts, an exhibition of children’s toys, and the largest Rosca de Reyes in the Carolinas.

Date: Saturday, Jan 6, 2024
Time: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: The VAPA Center 700 N. Tryon

Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Weekend Parade starts at N. Main Street, 11 a.m.

Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 – Community Resource Fair, Salisbury Civic Center, 12:30 to 2 p.m.

· Monday, Jan. 15, 2024 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, Salisbury Civic Center. Doors open at 8 a.m. The program begins at 8:30 a.m. Registration required.

For more information contact, Anne Little, diversity, equity and inclusion director at anne.little@salisburync.gov or (704) 638-5218.

Location: The Gantt Center
Date: Monday, January 15, 9 am - 6 pm
Ages: All ages
Cost: Free

The event is a partnership with the Levine Museum of the New South and will include a panel conversation, dance performances, and exhibits.

Tours for the exhibits start at 10:30 am, 1 pm, and 2:30 pm.

An African Marketplace will precede and conclude the daily celebrations from 6 PM -7 PM. The Market will be available December 26-December 31. There will be no Marketplace on January 1st, as that program will be a day of reflection and a sober assessment of things done and things to do on personal, family and community level.

Where: MOVEMENT SCHOOL, 2701 Freedom Drive, 2820

From International House:

You're Invited!

We are so grateful for our new space and all those who fill our hallways every day.

We're opening our doors to anyone who would like to visit our new
building, learn more about what we do in our community, and how they can join us to help immigrants and international culture thrive.

If you haven't stopped by our new location at 1611 East 7th Street (or want to visit again), you are invited to our Holiday Open House on Wednesday, December 13, from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

You will enjoy light hors d'oeuvres, coffee, tea, and community connections. You can meet our staff, enjoy incredible community art, and see where the programs that support our community come to life.

This exhibition will feature the work of LatinX photographers.

What: Los Fotógrafos II.

Who: 11 local Latne photographers

When: Friday, December 8

Time: 6-8 pm

Where: OBRA Collective Gallery (700 N Tryon St)

When: Nov. 29 from 6:30-8:30 PM

Where: Harvey B. Gantt Center

Join the kickoff to CR8:BLK Black Women Cinema Week (BWCW 2023) with a collective reflection on the impact of Black women behind the lens in history, juxtaposed and complemented by the work of contemporary and local Black women directors, cinematographers, and photographers.

This program will be led by a panel of award-winning Black women in film and photography, including Kameishia Wooten, Rebekah Ofori, Claudia Owusu, and others. Included in the program are clips from BWCW 2023 featured films, iconic Black-women-directed films and photography, and a review of our featured exhibition, Sight Unseen.

Metrolina Native American Association will cover transportation to the NC American Indian Heritage Celebration at the NC Museum of History on November 18th. The event is open to all age groups and children 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Registration cost is $10/person to secure your spot and you will be reimbursed $10 the day of arrival for the event.

Transportation will leave Charlotte at 8:30 am sharp and will depart Raleigh no earlier than 3 pm and no later than 4 pm. We have a Minimum that's required to meet. If the minimum is not met your money will be refunded.

The deadline to register is November 4th, 2023. Everyone registered will receive a detailed itinerary the week of November 6th.

https://www.metrolinanatives.com/heritage

When: Nov. 17

Where: UNCC College of Health and Human Services Building, room 155

Address: 8844 Craver Rd Charlotte, NC 28223

About: Hosted by UNCC ISO. Join us in understanding the roots of musical expression in Iran's history of resistance movements with live Persian music.

Hosted by The Latin American Coalition and the Levine Museum of the New South.

Where: Camp North End, 300 Camp Road, Charlotte, NC

When: On Saturday, November 4, 2023, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Hosted by the South East Asian, Black, and Caribbean Community

When: Nov. 18, 12 PM - 6 PM

Where: Asian Corner Mall, 4520 N Tryon St

There will be food, dance, and music.

Where
Davidson College

When
October 26, at 7 PM

Learn the facts

American schools are more segregated now than they were in the 1970s! At the Education Policy Chat on Thursday, we will be sharing the following fact sheet with alarming statistics about racial segregation within North Carolina’s schools.

Download the fact sheet here.

Livestream

Click here to access the event livestream on Thursday.

Parking

Located at 207 Faculty Drive, The Duke Family Performance Hall is on the lower level of the Knobloch Campus Center. The ticket office is just inside the campus center on the third floor. Parking is available in the Baker Sports Complex lot with handicap parking available directly behind the Knobloch Campus Center.

To register, fill out the link below
https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/87345671/education-policy-chatresegregation-davidson-duke-family-performance-hall-davidson-college

Fair Housing and Domestic Violence Lunch and Learn
Safe Housing is a Pathway to Freedom

October 23, 2023
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The Belmont Center
700 Parkwood Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28205

Featured Panelists:

Michael Hoard
Hoard Law P.C.
Khalilah White
Senior VP, Inlivian
Dr. Sherill Carrington
CEO, Jamie Kimble Foundation for Courage
Maria Zuluaga
Clinical Supervisor, Mecklenburg County
Community Support Services
Anisse Puryear & Linda Hamilton
Safe Alliance

Registration Required. To register email fairhousing@charlottenc.gov with your name.

Who should attend? Housing Providers, Property Managers, Real Estate Agents

What will you learn?

• Landlord and Tenant Protections under the NC General Statute

• What agencies does VAWA apply to and what documentation is applicable?

• Emergency Transfer Plans & other resources for victims of domestic violence

Presented by: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Department Fair Housing Division
To request an accommodation for accessibility, please call 704.336.4229

November 17, 2023
Artist Talk begins at 7:00 PM + Audience Q&A
229 S. Brevard St. Charlotte, NC

Join the Brooklyn Collective for a special Signature Night for Healthcare Professionals.

November 9, 2023 | Doors open at 6:30 PM | 229 S. Brevard St. Charlotte, NC

RSVP at SignatureNightHC@Eventbrite.com

This month we are exploring careers in National Disability Employment Awareness Month in North Carolina. We have special guests from various businesses and educational programs across the state to discuss all the great careers in this area, as well as the training programs that will get you hired.

Our mission is to help get all North Carolinians on a Career Pathway that will lead to life-sustaining wages in a career they enjoy.

This “Raising the Awareness of Career Pathways” meeting will be Wednesday, October 18 at 9am.

Join us via webinar by registering here:

Click Registration (gotowebinar.com) link to open resource.

On October 15, the award-winning documentary will be screened at Independent Picture House in Charlotte, followed by a talkback with director Mark Cooley

WHAT:

In between Indigenous People’s Day and Native American Heritage Month, Retire the Red Raider will host a free community screening of the award-winning documentary Fighting Indians, which tells the story of the homogeneously white Skowhegan High School, home of “The Indians,” which was the final holdout in Maine after a 2019 law made it illegal for public schools to retain offensive Native American mascots.

Retire the Red Raider has been working since June 2020 to educate the community of Belmont, NC about the harmful effects of the South Point High School Red Raider mascot and other Native American mascots. Despite avoidance by the school and district administration and Gaston County Board of Education, the group, made up of Native American leaders and community members along with South Point alumni, students, teachers, and parents, continues to work at the local and state level for change.

Tickets are available free of charge thanks to the generosity of the Independent Picture House and filmmaker Mark Cooley. The film will be followed by a virtual talkback with Mark Cooley, who wrote, directed, edited, and produced the film.

Tickets can be reserved here. Members of the press are also encouraged to reply to this email if you plan to attend so organizers can coordinate with you.

WHO:

Retire the Red Raider coalition leaders and members

Fighting Indians filmmaker Mark Cooley

Local education, government, and policy leaders have been invited, including the Gaston County Board of Education, South Point faculty and staff, the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, and the North Carolina State Board of Education

WHEN:

Sunday, October 15, 2023 - six days after Indigenous People’s Day and shortly before Native American Heritage Month

WHERE:

Independent Picture House

4237 Raleigh Street

Charlotte, NC 28213

AGENDA:

3:00-5:00 Film Screening

5:00-5:30 Talkback with Filmmaker Mark Cooley

CONTEXT:

The local Native American community has been clear in its opposition to the Red Raider mascot: the Lumbee Tribal Council has issued two resolutions calling for a change to the mascot, Metrolina Native American Association has publicly opposed the mascot, and the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs and the State Advisory Council on Indian Education have reaffirmed their opposition to Native American mascots such as the Red Raider. Additionally, dozens of other tribal citizens, Native parents, students, teachers, and other concerned community members have spoken regularly at school board meetings calling for change, and an extensive body of research demonstrates clear psychosocial harms of Native American mascots, especially when used in educational settings. Over 11,000 people have signed a petition calling for the mascot’s removal. The Gaston County School Board continues to ignore these concerns and pass responsibility to the local community, where some falsely claim the mascot honors Native Americans and has the support of local tribes.

ABOUT:

Retire the Red Raider is a coalition of South Point High School alumni, parents, students and teachers working with local Native leaders to end the use of the offensive "Red Raider" mascot. retiretheredraider.com

Location and Time:
Belmont Center
700 Parkwood Avenue
Charlotte, N.C., 28205
October 14th at 11 am

Learn about

• Top three mistakes homebuyers make when searching for a home
• First-time homebuyers
• Financial readiness
• Steps to closing process
• Down payment assistance available in the area
• and more!

District 1 Council Member Danté Anderson will host a town hall meeting on Navigating the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and how District 1 residents can maximize the benefits of the UDO. The event will be held at Catawba Brewing Company. 933 Louise Av., Ste. #105, Charlotte, Saturday, June 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Other discussion topics include:

• Road Project Updates.
• Helping Neighborhood Associations Navigate Corporate Investors.
• Traffic Calming Initiatives and Crime Updates.
• Community Area Planning Process.
• Update on Planning Processes.

Participants include:

• District 1 Council Member Dante’ Anderson.
• Charlotte Department of Transportation.
• Code Enforcement and Community Engagement.
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
• Charlotte Planning, Design & Development. 
• Charlotte Housing & Neighborhood Services.
• Planning Commission – City of Charlotte.

Charlotte Community Health Clinic (CCHC) has been awarded $4.4 million in support of its clinic expansion into East Charlotte. The organization will receive $600,000 in Community Project Funding and $3.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding.

Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-N.C.) secured $20.9 million in Community Project Funding for 15 community organizations in North Carolina’s 12th district. The funding was approved by Congress in December 2022, as part of the 2023 Omnibus Bill.

The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners also voted to award $3.8 million to CCHC in January. CCHC is one of 75 Mecklenburg County organizations awarded ARPA funding. The Board of County Commissioners awarded a total of $99 million in the second round of ARPA funding.

CCHC has two locations in Charlotte: One in the University area and another on the Goodwill Opportunity Campus in West Charlotte. CCHC will use the Community Project Funding and County ARPA funding to expand its capacity to serve patients at three new sites in East Charlotte.

In 2023, CCHC will open a CCHC ExpressCare in partnership with the Steve Smith Family Wellness Center and a pediatric clinic in partnership with Thomspon Child and Family Focus.

In 2024, CCHC will open a family practice clinic in partnership with ourBRIDGE for KIDS, a nonprofit serving refugee and immigrant children located on the Aldersgate senior housing campus.

The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission is accepting entries for its "Culture Keeper Classroom Educator Competition" through March 1.

Educators in kindergarten through 12th grade can win money for classroom materials and books by showing how they are highlighting Gullah Geechee heritage in their classrooms. The commission will award prizes of $2,000, $1,000 and $500. In addition, the winners will be allowed to bring 30 students to the organization's headquarters in Beaufort, S.C.

The competition is open to K-12 educators in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida — all states that contain parts of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. Submissions should include a lesson plan, activity/project proposal, student work and a two-page description of how the lesson or activities support awareness of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.

Teachers can submit their work by sending a Zip file to Info@GullahGeecheeCorridor.org.

Mecklenburg County Commissioners announced that Johnson C. Smith University’s Lactation and Doula Programs is one of 75 local projects that will receive money from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The county received $99 million in rescue act funds. Money from the act is granted to state and local governments to invest in their communities. The county has set aside money from the funds to address affordable housing and homelessness; childcare and early childhood development; workforce and economic development; and parks, environment and infrastructure.

They also granted $34.2 million for 27 projects focused on behavioral health and health equity, of which JCSU was a recipient of $943,000.

“This funding shows that the cries about maternal health have been recognized. It also shows that what we’ve been trying to do is important to Charlotte," said Dr. Antonia Mead, chair of JCSU's Health and Human Performance Department. "JCSU’s program was created as a result of community requests and partnerships. We look forward to strengthening the partnerships and training competent birthing paraprofessionals.”

The JCSU project grant will be used to expand the Black Birthing Professions program, which focuses on improving maternal and child health outcomes for families of color by widening access to professional training for individuals of color.

This program encompasses the Lactation Consultant Training Program as well as the Birth Doula Certification.

The lactation training program, directed by TaHysha McClain, focuses on preparing students to pass the International Board Certificated Lactation Consultant exam. The doula program focuses on training professionals who are equipped to provide physical and emotional support to clients before and shortly after childbirth.

Although the plan for how the funding will be used has yet to be finalized, McClain expects it to support student tuition, hire support staff and assist students in exam preparation to ensure JCSU maintains its 100 percent pass rate on the International Board Certificated Lactation Consultant exam.

The funds will also be used to promote the Birth Doula program.

The JCSU will place special emphasis on recruiting students graduating from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The university also seeks to address the lack of diversity in both fields.

“Many times, the concerns of minority mothers are dismissed regardless of economic status,” Mead said. “Having someone there who can advocate for them to get the necessary treatment needed is important.”

“Research has shown that people respond better when they are able to visit providers who look and talk like them,” McClain added. “Representation in the lactation field could build trust within the medical community among people of color. This could have a trickle-down effect by improving the overall health outcomes of Black people, addressing issues like obesity rates, diabetes, heart disease and maternal disparities, all of which plague the Black community.”

For more information, or to learn how to get involved with JCSU’s lactation and doula programs, contact McClain at tmcclain@jcsu.edu.

(Source: News Release) Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) is accepting applications for the third Hornets Innovation Summit. The summit aims to increase social and financial capital for entrepreneurs and businesses that are at least 51% operated and controlled by minority group members — those who are at least 25% Asian, Black, Hispanic or Native American and located within 150 miles of Spectrum Center. The winner of the Hornets Innovation Summit will receive a $15,000 investment from the Hornets.

Applications are available at https://www.nba.com/hornets/innovation-summit through Monday, Feb. 6. Applicants that are selected to move on to Round 2 will have their one-minute pitch videos posted on the Hornets website and social media outlets for fan voting. The finalists, which will be determined through a combination of fan voting and an internal selection committee, will then present their business and/or product live at Spectrum Center to a panel of experts in March. Finalists will be paired with a Bank of America mentor, who will provide guidance and support in advance of the live final pitch event.

Bank of America is the presenting partner of the initiative, and its seniors along with Hornets leaders will provide mentoring, coaching and learning opportunities for finalists. The Hornets are also partnering with the Lonely Entrepreneur, a national nonprofit that provides current and aspiring entrepreneurs with resources to grow their businesses. Each applicant will receive one year of free access to the Lonely Entrepreneur Learning Community and an electronic toolkit with vital tips for entrepreneurs.