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Eli Collins, Vice President of Product at Google DeepMind, will visit Charlotte on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, for a day of student engagement and community dialogue focused on the promise and responsibility of artificial intelligence.

The visit is part of The Echo Foundation’s Voices Against Indifference Initiative. This curriculum-based educational program connects high school students with global humanitarians who demonstrate the power of individual action to make a difference.

Co-founded in 1997 by Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel and Stephanie Ansaldo, The Echo Foundation has educated hundreds of thousands of students by equipping teachers with curricula on global humanitarian issues and creating opportunities for students to apply what they’ve learned beyond the classroom. In partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the Foundation helps young people engage with real-world problems through learning, dialogue, and leadership.

This year, eight Echo student interns dedicated more than 1,900 hours to developing the Foundation’s new AI for Humanity curriculum. This online, no-cost learning tool examines the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and its influence on society. The curriculum challenges students to explore the relationship between technology and humanity, and to consider the moral implications of innovation.

Collins, who plays a central role in transforming groundbreaking AI research at Google DeepMind into widely used tools such as Gemini, Gemma, and Imagen, will participate in a live student-led Q&A with students from across the region before headlining a fireside chat during The Echo Foundation’s 2026 Award Celebration & Reception held at The Carolina Theatre.

The evening Award Celebration & Reception will also honor Andrea Smith, Chair of the Bank of America Alumni Network, with the Award Against Indifference in recognition of her leadership and advocacy for women in business. A respected business executive, community leader, and philanthropist, Smith spent 34 years with Bank of America, where she held several senior leadership roles, including Head of Global Human Resources and Chief Administrative Officer.

All proceeds directly benefit The Echo Foundation’s educational programs and student initiatives.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Got Soul Festival Returns to Charlotte: Where Music, Culture, and Community Give Back
An Outdoor Festival Set for April 18, 2026, at The Mint Museum Randolph
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —The Got Soul Festival will take place Saturday, April 18, 2026, on the green at The Mint Museum Randolph, offering an elevated, adults-only experience centered on soulful music and meaningful giving.
Bring your own food and lawn chairs or choose from one of the curated food and beverage experiences, creating a relaxed and enjoyable outdoor setting.
The outdoor festival will run from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and will benefit local nonprofit organizations that support children and families in need. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Freedom Within Walls, Do Greater Charlotte, and Families Forward.
Expect select retail vendors and a vibrant atmosphere designed for adults who appreciate great music and community connection.
This year’s Got Soul Festival will feature live performances by:
Grammy Award-Winning Artist Quinn (of Blackstreet) with The Jukebox Band
The Harvey Band
The event will be emceed by WBTV Anchors Shevaun Bryan and Dalfred Jones.
Event Details:
When: Saturday, April 18, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: The Mint Museum Randolph (rain or shine)
Cost: Tickets start at $100 on sale now
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.CLTGotSoul.com.
The Got Soul Festival is hosted by the South Charlotte Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., continuing its commitment to service, leadership, and community impact.
For Questions or Booking Contact:
PR@CLTGotSoul.Com

Latin Americans Working for Achievement (LAWA) proudly presents our annual Gala for Education: Night of a Thousand Dreams. This inspiring evening celebrates the hopes, ambitions, and transformative journeys of our students, each dream shining like a star in a vast sky, guiding us toward a brighter future.

Butterflies, a symbol of resilience and change, reflect the courage and perseverance of our scholars as they spread their wings and soar. The theme honors migration and first-generation stories that define so many of our students, weaving together heritage, strength, and the pursuit of something greater.

Join us for a night filled with elegance, purpose, and endless possibilities as we illuminate the path to educational success.

Forget the crowded restaurants and prix-fixe menus this year. If you are searching for truly unique things to do for Valentine’s Day in Charlotte, look no further. Discovery Place Science is hosting the city’s most anticipated adults-only evening.

On Friday, February 13, 2026, join us for (Un)Valentines Science on the Rocks. This is a night that trades candlelight for fiber optics and chocolates for chemistry. Whether you are deeply in love, happily single, or somewhere in between, this is the (Un)Valentine’s experience you have been waiting for.

DRUM TAO explodes on stage with a captivating performance full of flash and fire! Renowned for powerful and athletic drumming, their newest show, The Best, blends traditional "Wadaiko" (Japanese Drums) with modern energy and theatrical flair. Seen by 10 million spectators across the globe, DRUM TAO shows feature vibrant costumes, dramatic synchronized drumming and movement with a variety of traditional Japanese instruments including flutes and harps alongside the massive taiko drums. They have captivated audiences worldwide - selling out shows in 26 countries - garnering critical acclaim and accolades along the way.

Join us to commemorate World AIDS Day by remembering and honoring those we’ve lost to the virus and committing to the work that still needs to be done to fight HIV/AIDS in our community.

Networking • Hors d’oeuvres • Picture Walk • Candlelight Vigil • Local Voices • Live Art

Keynote Speaker: Derek Spencer, Executive Director Gilead Sciences

The holiday classic soars off the screen in this musical adaptation of the beloved television special. Filled with hits like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas," Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™ features all of your favorite characters including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, Yukon Cornelius and, of course, Rudolph. It’s an adventure that teaches us that what makes you different can be what makes you special.

Fly High! Watch Rudolph soar above the audience as we kick off the holidays in spectacular fashion.

One-Act, approx. 60 min. / For all ages

Show Dates and Times:
Sat, Nov 22: 11 AM & 3 PM
Sun, Nov 23: 2 & 4 PM
Fri, Nov 28: 2 & 4 PM
Sat, Nov 29: 11 AM & 3 PM
Sun, Nov 30: 2 & 4 PM
Sat, Dec 6: 11 AM & 3 PM
Sun, Dec 7: 11 AM & 2 PM
Sat, Dec 13: 11 AM & 3 PM
Sun, Dec 14: 11 AM & 2 PM
Fri, Dec 19: 7 PM
Sat, Dec 20: 11 AM & 3 PM
Sun, Dec 21: 2 & 4 PM
Mon, Dec 22: 11 AM & 2 PM
Tues, Dec 23: 11 AM & 2 PM

ASL-Interpreted Show: Sat, Dec 6 at 3 PM
Sensory-Friendly Performance: Sun, Dec 21 at 4 PM

Hope. Now available in a vending machine.

Giving to charity is as easy as buying a candy bar: select an item, type the number, tap your card.

A "vending machine for good," the Giving Machine lets visitors "purchase" real items for people in need -- everything from laundry detergent and diapers for local families to livestock and education supplies for communities worldwide. Each card represents a tangible act of giving, and 100% of every donation goes directly to participating charities: Ada Jenkins Center, American Red Cross, Church World Service, Classroom Central, Common Heart, and MiraVia.

Find the Light the World Giving Machine on the first floor of Carolina Place Mall, between Belk and Dick's Sporting Goods. Open November 19-December 7.

Come experience the joy of giving this season. Buy a gift. Change a life.

Giving Machine 2025 calendar of free entertainment and activities can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0gowv2mo2tpr3swh1sxdx/EventCalendar_2025.png?rlkey=2sn4k4v82uyxf08oh8toruuo5&st=x9tlzm11&dl=0

See how the Giving Machine works: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/9zmfglhyqyszb29xv877w/AL6QywRqm__HHSowP90LQ7E?rlkey=wbzymxgn7vntgi5tdqfln7ht4&st=0mnxedgx&dl=0

"The Invented Indigenous Histories of Appalachian Show Caves"
Dr. Chelsea Fisher, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of South Carolina

Show caves – caves operated as commercial attractions - have been a fixture of Appalachian tourism since the nineteenth century. In this talk, Dr. Fisher will examine Appalachian show caves as a technology of colonialism, which extended principles of terra nullius (“nobody’s land”) underground by casting caves as empty wastes and then filling them with settler fantasies about Indigenous culture and history. Through an exploration of Gilded Age and Victorian-era show cave guidebooks, souvenirs, literature, and other memorabilia, Fisher will show how seemingly innocuous tourist traps reproduce settler fantasies, and discuss how expelling these fantasies can make room for the restoration of anti-colonial and Indigenous histories to subterranean realms.

Presented in person and virtually. To attend via Zoom, register via this link: https://bit.ly/4kTlxXF

Visit The Farm during an after-hours celebration of the holidays. Admire thousands of holiday lights while you relax near the bonfire with a cup of hot cocoa and interact with the farm animals. Create custom gift wrap and ornaments too!

Fridays this season: November 28, December 5, 12, and 19, 5-8 PM

Don't miss a Holiday Laser Show in the planetarium on these Fridays at 6 PM or 7 PM. Tickets sold separately.

Celebrate the spirit of the season with an evening of holiday music performed LIVE under the immersive dome of The Schiele’s planetarium. Bring the whole family for a magical night of festive favorites by local artist Caleb Davis. Enjoy seasonal drinks and photo opportunities before the show.

Showtimes at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 PM

Join us for the third annual Christmas in SouthPark at Sharon Presbyterian Church! Christmas in SouthPark is a community-wide musical service held in the Sharon Presbyterian Church Sanctuary to mark the start of the Advent season. We will welcome the SouthPark community to witness the story of the birth of Jesus through song. This event will feature instrumentalists from the Charlotte Symphony, local singers and musicians, as well as the Sharon Presbyterian Chancel Choir. There will also be opportunities to sing along to some of your favorite Christmas carols. Rejoice with us as we fill the Sanctuary with the sounds of the season!

Join us for the 2026 Vision Board Soirée: Reclaiming the Vision. Connect in sisterhood, reflect on your journey, realign your purpose, and boldly manifest your next chapter. Uncertain times don’t cancel destiny—they clarify it. Can't wait to see you there.

In this creative workshop, participants will design and create their own wearable jewelry pieces or custom tote bags inspired by Mario Moore's In Pursuit of Home. This hands-on experience invites participants to explore how identity, memory, and personal style shape the spaces and stories we call our own through wearable art.

Participants will learn basic sewing techniques, alongside gluing and painting, to design accessories that reflect their individuality and lived experiences. Using provided totes, jewelry bases, pins, beads, buttons, fabrics, paints, and a wide range of embellishments, each participant will create a one-of-a-kind piece rooted in self-expression and personal style.

The Department of Music presents the UNC Charlotte the Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Hunter Kopczynski.

The Department of Music presents the UNC Charlotte Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Will Campbell and the Jazz Combo, under the direction of Troy Conn.

The Peter & Kathy Browning Distinguished Leaders in Action Lecture Series provides the McColl School of Business and Queens University’s campus community with an opportunity to interact with and be exposed to a variety of leaders with varying leadership styles and experiences. The lecture events are hosted in an intimate auditorium setting where the audience members may ask questions and hear personal and professional leadership experiences from our guests.

The Department of Music presents an Orchestra concert, featuring the UNC Charlotte Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Alan Yamamoto.

The Department of Music presents the UNC Charlotte Symphonic Band, under director Dr. Brian Taylor.

The LiveLung Charlotte chapter is a community for anyone impacted by lung cancer—survivors and care partners alike. We meet in person on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. ET at Covenant Presbyterian Church 1000 E Morehead Street, Fellowship Hall Room 205, Charlotte, NC 28204.

We’d love for you to join us! A free lunch is provided, so be sure to register and place your order at least 24 hours in advance.

Register here: http://livelung.link/clt

We look forward to seeing you!