Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine (2021 - 2022) by Pride Magazine Online

Charlotte’s Multicultural Resource Magazine 2021-2022

Antywane Robinson

From Hoop Dreams to the Financial World

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July – August 2021

Departments

8 From the Publisher 41 Annual Business

Directory

Features 10 I nternational

Hoop Dreams Basketball takes Antywane Robinson around the globe

14 F leeing

Civil War Sam Smith, Jr. finds peace in America

18 T he

Need to Raise the Minimum Wage Why $7.25 an hour just won’t do

20 R osalia

Torres-Weiner Empowering her community through art

Log on to pridemagazineonline.com for more features.

22 Leading

the Way Multicultural entrepreneurs you should know

27 Hester

Ford Dies at 115 She was the oldest living person in the U.S.

28 Precision.

Passion. Results. Pride Public Relations delivers dynamic PR strategies

30 F ifth

Third Bank Strengthening its focus on supplier diversity

34 C harlotte-Mecklenburg

Community Relations Committee Fighting for fairness and equity for all

38 I OR

Global Helps Expatriates Settle In Finding new homes for international employees

On the Cover: Antywane Robinson: From global basketball champion to financial representative Cover photo by Blackprint Photography July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

It shouldn’t matter where you come from or where you want to go. At Central Piedmont Community College, we offer scholarships that help students afford their education, get closer to their goals, and conquer possibility.

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Charlotte’s African-American Magazine

CEO/Publisher Dee Dixon

Editor

Alicia Benjamin

Copy Editor

Sonja Whitemon

Lead Writer Angela Lindsay

Creative Director Larry Preslar

Design & Production SPARK Publications www.SPARKpublications.com

Distribution Watch Dog Entertainment®

Account Executive Nikelle Fesperman

Public Relations Nepherterra Estrada

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Copyright© 2021 Pride Magazine All rights reserved. Copying or reproduction, in part or in whole, is strictly prohibited. Pride Magazine reserves the right to deny any advertisement, listing or feature that does not meet Pride Magazine standards or that is outside the scope or mission of our magazine. Pride Magazine assumes no responsibility for information, products, services, or statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

FromTheCEO

By Dee Dixon

My Pandemic Road Trips

A room in the Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C. The regal Angel Oak Tree on St. John’s Island in South Carolina

The Elmwood 1820 Bed & Breakfast Inn, Washington, N.C.

CHARLESTON, S.C.

WASHINGTON, N.C.

Most of you know I love to travel internationally. Of course, the pandemic put a serious dent in my plans. I had two trips booked for 2020, one to England and one to Amsterdam when COVID-19 literally destroyed my dreams. Not to be out-done, however, I decided to visit Charleston during the Thanksgiving holiday. It turned out to be quite a good decision. Although Charleston is drivable, I decided fly. I just had to get on a plane, if just for one hour. Charleston was fantastic. So much Black history, there. My word! I took Black History tours, visited Museums and historic houses, cycled through some incredibly beautiful neighborhoods and ate some delicious food. I especially enjoyed visiting the Angel Oak Tree on St. John’s Island which is estimated to be 400 to 500 years old and still living!

I was totally unfamiliar with this town, sometimes called “Little Washington,” until I received a two-night stay gift certificate from the Elmwood 1820 Bed & Breakfast Inn last March. It was a random out-of-the-blue invite that ignited my curiosity. So, after doing some research which revealed this would be a 4-hour drive in the direction of the Outer Banks, I made the decision to go for it. After all, it’s hard to pass up “free,” right? Next, I “persuaded” my daughter Nikelle and her 10-year-old son Chase to accompany me. Their presence added another dimension to the experience, making it a true road trip. We were pleasantly surprised upon reaching our destination. The town was quite small but quaint nonetheless, and the Elmwood Inn itself was beautiful, ornate, warm and inviting. Our hosts, John and Richard were amazing, making us feel right at home from jump-street. We started each day with an incredible breakfast out on the front porch and our activities included strolling through historic “Main Street” for shopping and riding bikes through the town. We also visited an estuary, an Underground Railroad Museum and took a most relaxing boat ride on the Pamlico River. We very much enjoyed our time there and Chase said he liked the Elmwood 1820 Bed & Breakfast Inn “much better than a hotel.”

Dee’s daughter Nikelle and her 10-yearold son Chase in Washington, N.C.

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

ASHEVILLE, N.C. Like my parents, I was born in Asheville. I can’t count the number of times we visited there during my childhood years. With my dad driving, the road trip to Asheville was always extremely exciting as he expertly navigated those daunting, mountainous roads. While reflecting upon these memories, it occurred to me that not once had I ever driven to Asheville myself. So, this past May, I packed my bags and drove there to celebrate my birthday. It was both an uplifting and disappointing solo road trip. It was uplifting because I felt empowered, doing it alone. My hotel was in the middle of a shopping center which was great. I ate great food at Earth Fare, which was just a few feet away. Thank God for GPS, as I easily visited my grandparents’ old home place, the Biltmore House and more. A Black History tour took me to other familiar spots, like the black district called Eagle Street, that made by spirit come alive. My greatest disappointment was the lack of cultural diversity. I didn’t see any Black shops in downtown Asheville (they still say downtown, lol) nor did I find any Black art or artists. My tour guide stated young African Americans simply don’t come back to make Asheville their home. I can see why.

Hoop Dreams Take Charlotte Basketball Player Around the Globe By Tonya Jameson

Antywane Robinson 10

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Sorapop Udomsri / trashbox / Shutterstock.com

Photo by Blackprint Photography

ntywane Robinson remembers every detail of the moment he began taking basketball seriously. As he stood in the corner of the baseline, holding a ball in his right hand, his Butler High School junior varsity coach told him that he could get paid to play basketball. Robinson dropped the ball and said, “Tell me more.” Coach Darell Myers told Robinson that the basketball in his hand could take him far in life beyond just providing a way to go to college. Myers didn’t know that basketball would lead Robinson to play basketball internationally and travel throughout the globe to several countries, including Turkey, Italy, Russia, France and Portugal. Myers couldn’t have known Robinson would become fluent in those five languages. Myers didn’t know all of these things would happen to Robinson, but he did know that Robinson had the potential to become something special. “I knew it the second time I saw him play — that he was special,” Myers said. It’s been a hard-earned journey for Robinson, who now lives in Waxhaw, but grew up in a house near the men’s shelter in Uptown Charlotte and later off Farm Pond

Antywane Robinson and his wife Sheena Robinson are standing in front of the Louvre Pyramid in Paris.

Antywane Robinson, his wife Sheena Robinson and their children are enjoying Disneyland in Paris.

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Antywane Robinson and his wife Sheena are in Rome, Italy.

Lane. His parents and grandparents raised him. Robinson’s grandmother was a housekeeper for a local attorney, Bob Karney, and his grandfather was Karney’s janitor. Karney recalls Robinson hanging out with his children and always playing basketball. “He has grown into exactly the young man that I thought he would be,”

Karney said. “To say I’m proud would be an understatement.” Myers echoed that sentiment. “He was the nicest kid you want to be around, but when he got on the basketball court, he was a totally different person — super competitive,” Myers said. Talent combined with drive eventually led Robinson to Oak Hill Academy, a top-

ranked basketball high school in Virginia. NBA hall of farmers Carmelo Anthony and Jerry Stackhouse are among the school’s alumni. “I realized at that point that I needed to start believing in myself,” Robinson said. His confidence grew when he began receiving recruitment letters from colleges. The letters came from schools like the University of North Carolina, Seton Hall and Temple University. Robinson decided to attend Temple University to play for the legendary John Chaney, who died in January. Chaney, who was hard on players, directed his expletive-laden vocabulary on Robinson, which was something the shy freshman from the South wasn’t used to. “Chaney gave me tough love beyond measure,” Robinson said. “He taught me that anything you want in life, whether it's physically or spiritually, materialistically or anything, you’re going

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

to hit a roadblock. You’re going to hit some adversity, but it’s up to you to push through it.” Although Robinson excelled at Temple, and was named team captain as a sophomore, he wasn’t drafted in the NBA. He did, however, earn a spot on the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers as well as in the NBA summer league. Eventually he headed to Pau, France to play. Robinson had never been overseas, but constantly fighting for a slot as a free agent in the NBA was grueling. The French team offered a salary plus living expenses. In France, Robinson realized he had a knack for languages, partly due to his near-photographic memory. He can learn a language while living in a place in about two weeks, he said. “The language barrier was tough. I overcame this by being open to learning the culture.” When he wasn’t playing basketball, Robinson explored his new unfamiliar homes and talked to strangers — lots of them. “I never stayed in the house.” His favorite country was Turkey. Robinson said, initially he didn’t want to play there because the offer came shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. But the country

grew on him. His Turkish teammates treated his wife, Sheena, and their children like family. Robinson and his wife have been married now for 14 years and they have three children. “Turkey was a pleasant surprise,” Robinson said. “The media painted a culture of hate and violence, but when we arrived, the people were very welcoming to me and my family. The food was amazing, the structures although older, were beautiful, and the culture is very family oriented.” Each country has its own unique customs, Robinson said. “It allowed me to expand my horizons,” he added. “In France, it was the foods that changed with the seasons. In Turkey, it was understanding Muslim traditions. In Portugal, it was learning about the running of the bulls. In Italy, it was being able to slow down and find the importance of time with family and friends.” Living abroad wasn’t completely without challenges for Robinson, including some brushes with racism. When Robinson was eating at a restaurant in Eastern Europe, he saw a man with several swastika tattoos on his body. “He

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Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

didn’t say anything, but the nonverbal looks were understood,” Robinson said. On another occasion when he and two other African American teammates were at a restaurant in Astana, Kazakhstan, Robinson went into a bathroom and a few men followed him into the room. “They told me they wanted to fight me and my teammates outside. I walked out of the bathroom, told my teammates, and we peacefully left.” Nevertheless, Robinson did create lasting friendships with Americans and Europeans overseas. Some have turned into clients and others have become connections that allow him to help others play overseas. After moving back to Charlotte two years ago, he started AR Levels, an exclusive basketball training program in Pineville for athletes across North Carolina of all levels and ages. Robinson also now works as a financial representative at Northwestern Mutual. He said he hopes his story can inspire others. “Do not hesitate. Don’t second guess. Don’t sit in your comfort zone,” he said. “You never know what lasting friends you’ll make that are going to help you open doors.” P

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July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

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Photos courtesy of Sam Smith, Jr.

In Search of Peace and a New Home in America

Sam Smith, 10, and his sister, 12, Dehkontee Smith, when they came to the U.S. in February 1997

By Angela Lindsay

ens of thousands of refugees flee to the U.S. from other countries every year for a variety of reasons. Some are escaping war and gang violence. Others may be seeking refuge from persecution or other traumatic circumstances. But what happens to refugees after they arrive here? For Sam Smith, Jr., coming to America began as a scary and unexpected journey, but ultimately provided a brighter future for him and his family. A native of Monrovia, Liberia, Smith became a refugee at 3 years old when civil war broke out in his homeland. From there, he and his mother moved throughout several countries in West Africa such as Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast where he met his older sister (two years his senior) who had already fled there with their grandparents.

Sam Smith, Jr., with his wife Brittany Smith and their two children.

As a refugee in Africa, Smith said he and his family were basically nomads, moving from camp to camp where they lived in makeshift structures inside gated areas. They remained in these various camps until the war spilled over into those countries as well, and they had to move again. In addition to this physical upheaval, Smith lost a younger sister to illness during the civil war which he says still affects him, especially around her birthday, as they were very close. When Smith was 10 years old in 1997, he and his older sister fled to the U.S., leaving his mother behind. (In 2006, his mother relocated to Detroit, where she currently resides). His father, who had already moved to Detroit before the civil war began, spent everything he had to cover the high expense of getting Smith and his sister to the U.S. After obtaining visas, Smith and his sister endured several blood tests for the U.S. government to ensure they were, indeed, his father’s

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

“It’s important that we treat each other with dignity. You never know what somebody’s circumstance is and just because a person isn’t from your country or you feel like the person doesn’t fit in with you, doesn’t mean that you look at them differently.” —Sam Smith

children. When his mother, grandmother and other family members took Smith and his sister to the airport, they asked a random couple, who was also traveling to America, to look after Smith and his sister. The couple agreed. “One thing a lot of Liberians will tell you is when they talk about the United States in Liberia, you would think it’s like Heaven—everything is gold-plated and you have money falling from the trees!” he said. That’s how I grew up knowing what America was.” However, that is not what Smith found when he arrived. Instead, he faced a barrage of bullying in the U.S. Although he already spoke English, Smith had a heavy accent which, among other things like his attire, caused him to be teased in elementary and middle school and called names like “African booty scratcher,” he said. Making the transition to this country was difficult for Smith. Although he had never met his father before arriving in America, that’s who picked him and his sister up from Kennedy International Airport in New York and drove them to Detroit. Growing up, Smith and his family were considered lower middle class and lived in the Detroit projects for a while. To help his children get acclimated to their new environment, Smith’s father decided to hold him and his sister back a grade. Smith faced a sharp learning curve and “trying to fit in” was Smith’s most difficult challenge. He was suspended from school for a week for bringing a razor blade to sharpen his pencil, a common practice in Africa. He also had to adjust to saying things a bit differently, like using the word drinking “straw” instead of “tube.” Changing his thick accent was something Smith said he absolutely had to do. That’s when he learned to “code switch” by speaking with his Liberian accent around his family and with an American accent around his new friends. Smith, who is currently the director of external engagement at the United Way of the Central Carolinas, has been in Charlotte for 8 years now. He moved to Charlotte to escape the cold weather in Michigan and because of the city’s growth and potential. Though he has not returned to Liberia, Smith said he plans

Photos courtesy of Sam Smith, Jr.

Living in America

Left: Sam Smith at 6 years old on his first day of school in Monrovia, Liberia. Right: Detroit was Sam Smith's first home in the U.S. He has lived in Charlotte for eight years.

to travel there for the 25th anniversary of his departure from his home country.

Fitting in

While refugees work hard to embrace their newfound culture, Smith urges Americans to become more educated about the plight of refugees as well. He encourages people to get involved with local organizations like International House, where Smith serves on the Board, and Refugee Support Services (RSS). Volunteer opportunities also exist with Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency, Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte, ourBRIDGE for Kids, International House, Make Welcome, and Welcome Home CLT, said Lindsay LaPlante, interim executive director of RSS. To be granted refugee status in the U.S., it must be determined through a lengthy vetting process that people seeking asylum are coming from situations of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group (such as LGBTQ+ individuals), or political opinion, said LaPlante. From October 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021, North Carolina welcomed 91 refugees mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Honduras, Ukraine, El Salvador and Moldova, said LaPlante. She agrees with Smith that increased

awareness about the lives of refugees in this country would increase support for asylum seekers, and their volunteer involvement with organizations that help refugees would result in improved support for the plight of refugees. To help educate people about the plight of refugees and combat the misinformation about them in the media, RSS offers basic trainings called “Refugee 101” for groups that are interested in learning about global, national and local refugee issues. “It’s important that we treat each other with dignity,” Smith says. “You never know what somebody’s circumstance is and just because a person isn’t from your country or you feel like the person doesn’t fit in with you, doesn’t mean that you look at them differently,” he said. Often refugees are working hard to support family members back home who can’t risk traveling to another country like the U.S., Smith said. They’re also trying to make a better life for themselves and their families in this country. “So, just treat them with respect,” Smith said. “Treat them with dignity. Be sympathetic with them and open your ears to learn about the situation. I think if you’re educated about the situation, you may sympathize better with them and the struggle they have endured in being a refugee.” P

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

INSPIRE. SOUTH END

Charlotte. A lot of inspiring encounters will leave you wondering how you’ve never experienced them before. Local muralist Nick Napoletano’s brilliant work is generating positivity during these uncertain times. Whether you’re letting your imagination run wild or marveling at something truly amazing, these cultural masterpieces will awaken your inner artist. Explore more at charlottemeetings.com.

@ charlottesgotalot

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Workers Need $15 an Hour to Provide Basic Needs

Minnesota man recently posted this message on Twitter that reflects the growing anxiety many people in this country are feeling because their wages don’t cover the cost of living. “I got my paycheck today,” Eric Sartana Horner posted on Twitter on June 3, 2021. He added: “Had $6 left for two weeks, after bills. Had to go to the food bank...Wages are too low. Just like my spirits.” According to the Raleigh-based Poor People’s Campaign (PPC), an anti-poverty organization led by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, nationwide there are more than 40 million low wage workers. The PPC also states that in 2018, 4.6 million residents in North Carolina (44% of the people) are poor or low-income. This includes 53% of

President Joseph R. Biden signed earlier this year, that would have raised the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, was rejected by the Senate. But Biden pivoted and signed an executive order on April 27, that will raise the hourly minimum wage to $15 for all federal contractors beginning next March. “I believe no one should work full-time and still live in poverty,” Biden posted on Twitter the day he signed the order. And he’s right. Nowhere in this country could someone working a minimum wage job be able to afford housing, food, other necessities and healthcare. It’s time to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 for all workers in the U.S. Here are three Charlotte-area workers who spoke with me recently about why making $15 an hour is necessary for them to sufficiently provide for themselves.

Caitlin Z.

Tania P.

Benny B.

I worked at a wing place for 7 months and received a raise when I became an assistant manager. A lot of us were working multiple jobs or working lots of overtime to try and pay our bills. I would work 8 to 9-hour shifts, 6 days a week and not make enough to put a dent in the bills I was paying. If I was making $15 an hour, I would be able to pay my bills for school. A higher minimum wage would help the high turnover rates at some places. We had a lot of people at my job not willing to put up with everything we went through for the pay we were getting. I recently resigned because of the establishment’s lax COVID protections for workers.

I worked at a restaurant for 2 1/2 years while I was a full-time student and paid tuition at a community college. Everything is getting more expensive as Charlotte gets bigger. I had to get a second job to pay for all my bills. I’m glad I can live with my parents. Single parents need to make $15 an hour because they have kids to look out for. If it was hard for me, it’s definitely hard for them. I recently switched jobs and I make $15 an hour now. I can pay my bills and help pay my tuition at a university. I don’t have to stress out about where I’m going to get money from. I’m in a better situation.

I’ve been on my job for 6 months. The cost of food and other things we need goes up regularly, so they should raise workers’ pay on a regular basis. We need $15 an hour to afford the things we need to live. If I made $15 an hour, I would be able to pay all my bills -- water, electric, cell phone and other bills – on time. The more money you make, the more you can do. I don’t have a car, but if I made $15 an hour, I might be able to afford a used car. On the nights before I have to work, I stay with my sister, who lives close to the job, so that I can walk to work. If I had a car, I wouldn’t have to do that. P

Age: 18 Job: Crew member/Assistant manager at a fast-food restaurant Hourly pay: $9.50–$11.00

children (1.2 million) and 58% of Black people (1.2 million) and 67% of Latinx people (699,000) in the state. Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour would lift pay for 32 million workers across the country (21% of the U.S. workforce), according to the Economic Policy Institute. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour and has not increased since 2009. This boost in the minimum wage would lift these workers out of poverty, allow them to better provide for their families and help them achieve self-sufficiency, since the U.S. spends $107 billion annually on federal assistance programs for low wage workers, according to a 2021 UC Berkeley Labor Center report. The Raise the Wage Act of 2021, a provision that was initially included in the latest COVID-19 Stimulus Package that

Age: 20 Job: Cashier/hostess at a restaurant Hourly pay: $8.50–$9.50

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Age: 62 Job: Crew member at a fastfood restaurant Hourly pay: $9.50

Dimedrol68 / Shutterstock.com

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July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

An 'Artivist' Takes Art to the People By Angela M. Haigler

osalia Torres-Weiner is a creative force of nature. Her determination to express herself creatively was evident early, as she used her art to entertain her siblings in a tumultuous family environment. In her teens, she told her parents she wanted to be an artist. No, they told her. She must obtain a degree first like her sisters who had become a lawyer and doctor. She complied, handed them her Business Administration degree and said, “I’m going to America where dreams come true.” She soon left Mexico, but the memories and images of her homeland would forever influence her art. Once in the U.S., Torres-Weiner worked extremely hard to realize her dreams. Eventually she used her natural talents to illustrate the faces of hotel guests on her job as a hotel housekeeping manager. Her detailed cartoon figures became a hit when her coworkers smiled and gestured, saying she captured the essence of the guests perfectly, helping them to associate names with faces.

Left: Artist Rosalia Torres-Weiner sitting in front of her art in her studio. Above: This piece, “Moises Serrano,” is from Rosalia Torres-Weiner’s series called “The Dreamers."

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

11 DAY OF SERVICE She and her husband moved from Los Angeles to Charlotte to raise their family. When her children were small, she created a bedroom wall mural as a birthday present. This action made an impression on her daughter who shared her parents’ occupations when asked: “My dad fixes computers and my mom is a famous artist.” Little did her daughter know that her innocent proclamation would become a reality for her mother, whose work has since been featured in the Smithsonian, on the cover of National Geographic magazine, in history books and whose activities would coin a term, “Artivist.” Torres-Weiner created the term as a way to combine her passions of art and activism. Her colorful designs have become her signature. Her desire to take art into underserved communities has become her guiding light. As a home mural designer, she traded her commercial artist van for an art studio, and eventually went mobile with an art truck. The Red Calaca Mobile Art Studio allowed her to take art to the people, often visiting immigrant communities where many lived in fear. Children would enter the mobile art studio, interact with the art and create pieces of their own. She operated the Red Calaca Mobile Art Studio to much success for three and a half years. However, Torres-Weiner will be retiring the truck this summer. The truck will live on as a tool for art students at Winthrop University.

“When I see students who look like me, I want them to say, ‘She’s brown, she’s a Mexicana, she’s a Latina, and she is a mom who is a well-established artist. Maybe I can do this.’ ” —Rosalia Torres-Weiner As a recipient of a North Carolina Council of the Arts cARTwheels performance and residency grant, she will be expanding her message beyond Mecklenburg County. TorresWeiner hopes that the children who encounter her message will leave seeing the possibilities that exist for them. “When I see students who look like me,” she said, “I want them to say, ‘She’s brown, she’s a Mexicana, she’s a Latina, and she is a mom who is a well-established artist. Maybe I can do this.’ ” Torres-Weiner is proud of the body of work she has created to tell the stories of Charlotte’s Latinx community. Her programs and projects include the Papalote Project, The Magic Kite and Day of the Dead Charlotte. P

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To learn more about Rosalia Torres-Weiner, visit redcalacastudio.com. To view the movie based on her book and one woman show, “The Magic Kite” visit: youtube.com/ watch?v=2fcRua0CmjY

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Multicultural Entrepreneurs

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By Lelita Cannon

KEVIN GATLIN, 49, sits at the helm of Playtime Edventures, a Charlottebased company seeking to lift the spirits of sick children everywhere one bed at a time. Playtime Edventures creates children’s bedsheets and slumber bags imprinted with interactive and educational games. The idea began in 2012, after Gatlin visited a friend’s son in the hospital who spent many hours in bed. “What if that was my child?” Gatlin asked himself as he drove home. After researching and consulting with local educators, Gatlin launched Playtime Edventures in 2014. The interactive bed sheets come in three colors, five different languages, and have more than 60 games for kids to explore, play, learn or sleep with while they heal. The North Carolina State University alum’s product has resonated with the masses. Playtime Edventures has been featured on HSN, QVC, CNN and Good Morning America’s “Deals and Steals” segment when they filmed in Charlotte. During GMA, Gatlin received a $10,000 check on behalf of Vistaprint to fulfill his mission of putting Playtime bedsheets in children’s hospitals and other organizations across the country. Playtime Edventures has amassed more thanr 30 million views with stories making them a viral sensation. Still, Gatlin’s solitary goal is to get bedsheets for children in hospitals. “I want to reach all children but especially those who are ill or even displaced,” he said. After an initial donation of 64-bed sets to the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope shelter in Charlotte, Playtime Edventures has expanded to 25 hospitals, four children’s shelters, hospices and orphanages in and out of the U.S.

NESHA PAI launched Pai CPA, an accounting firm serving the small business sector, in 2011 when she was 40. Her clients include independent entrepreneurs to companies with up to 50 employees. She set out to create a team hiring stay-at-home moms with a model built on remote work, and her company is thriving! Over 40 businesses rely on her practice for their accounting needs. Pai, who is a certified public accountant and earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting, was recently honored as one of the most influential women of 2020 in the Mecklenburg Times. Two of her mentors nominated Pai for the award, and she was selected based on her professional accomplishments, as well as her performance as an effective leader. “In these 10 years, I’ve accomplished a lot, and I deserve this award,” she said. “It was the right time to be awarded to me because I realized I earned this.” Her vision for the future includes selling her firm in 10 years, ramping up her speaking engagements, touring with her book and spending time on the beach. Pai believes that women can continually reinvent themselves, and she has done just that. Her book “Overcoming Ordinary Obstacles,” is based on her personal journey of being a firstgeneration Indian woman born in the South. The book is available on Amazon.com or her website neshapai.com.

By Ryan Kouame

BOL B. MAYWAL is a scholar, leader, author, former United States Army officer and the founder of Bol's Books. Maywal was born in Khartoum, Sudan during the second Sudanese civil war and grew up in the U.S. where he currently lives in Charlotte. Maywal recently published his first book, “A Mother’s Promise,” to offer love, hope, tenacity and a fresh perspective on the American dream. The book is based in an idyllic village in southern Sudan where his mother fled from during the second Sudanese civil war to the United States where she found refuge. Maywal paints a vivid picture of his mother whose faith, hope, and love overcame every hardship and adversity that she encountered. Maywal established Bol's Books LLC last August, and people can purchase his books from his online bookstore, Bol's Books LLC (www.BolMaywal.com). Buyers will receive authentic autographs from Maywal and his mother. Maywal served 12 years in the United States Army as a deputy commander and NATO Peacekeeper in Kosovo working with disadvantaged families and community leaders to help build partnerships and alliances between the locals and NATO. As a leader, Maywal has spoken at numerous schools, rotary events, and other events to inspire people and provide an environment of peace, security, freedom and growth for generations to come. Maywal earned his bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in military science from Belmont Abbey College and his master’s degree in peace, conflict and development at the University of Bradford in England. He also holds a certificate in economics and peace from the United States Institute of Peace.

Photo courtesy of Playtime Edventures

Bol B. Maywal/

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Camillya Masunda/

Keisha Rivers/ The KARS Group

Ebony Wine & Spirits

By John Burton

By Lelita Cannon

By John Burton

ACCORDING TO THE Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs (2016), there are approximately 1.1 million womenowned businesses with employees in the United States. Fabi Preslar, owner and president of SPARK Publications is among those enterprising entrepreneurs. Founded in 1998, SPARK Publications is an award-winning, independent publishing firm that specializes in custom design for magazines, catalogs and books for print, digital and interactive formats. After moving to Charlotte when she was 17, with no car, money or acquaintances, Preslar was rich with determination. She enrolled and successfully completed CPCC’s graphic design program while working three jobs and living in a boarding house with 60 other female students. Armed with resilience and independence, Preslar launched her first business. The entrepreneurial spirit ran in her family as her parents were once business owners. Unfortunately, their business failed, but their misfortune propelled Preslar to succeed. Regrettably, Preslar lost that business after six years. While recalibrating working for others, Preslar realized she yearned for more family time with her husband Larry, and their daughter Sofi. These longings coupled with her life lessons fueled Preslar to take the entrepreneurial leap once more and that’s when she launched SPARK Publications. Through SPARK, Preslar and her creative team, also known as The SPARKlers, have helped many clients bring their concepts to life. “I love the strategy session part of our process,” Preslar said. “It’s the part that taps into a future author’s soul and brings their goal and purpose to the forefront of everything moving forward,” she added. Now, 23 years and several accolades later, Preslar has proven that perseverance pays off.

THE FIRST ENTREPRENEUR in her family, Keisha Rivers started The Kars Group in 2005 in New Orleans. As a Hurricane Katrina survivor, Rivers had to rebuild her business after being lifted from an attic amidst insurgent flood waters during the horrific hurricane. Moving from New Orleans to Georgia to Charlotte, Rivers, who has been living in Charlotte for seven years, was determined to make her business viable. “My life had been a masterclass in change,” she said. “I’ve always managed to take stock of where I am, look at the opportunities that are in front of me, figure out what my vision of success was going to be and then move forward in making my way.” Rivers earned a Women in Entrepreneurship Certificate from Cornell University, a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New Orleans. For the past 15 years, Rivers has worked with small businesses, nonprofits, school systems, cities and municipalities doing transformative work. “My focus is on change and equipping people to embrace and manage change,” she said. Rivers works with organizations in three primary areas—engagement, learning and leadership. These days, Rivers has taken on more diversity and inclusion work stemming from the murder of George Floyd. Rivers is optimistic about the future of The KARS Group. She visualizes her brainchild as a global company working to create opportunities for individuals to tap into the hidden potential that exists in their businesses and personal lives. Her book, “Equipped for Change,” is available at karsgroup.com/bookstore.

NORTH CAROLINA IS HOME to more than 500 vineyards and nearly 200 wineries. Black consumers make up about 11 percent of wine drinkers in the country. Still, fewer than 50 out of 10,000 wineries are Blackowned, making Black winegrowers and winemakers a minority in the industry, according to the Association of African American Vintners. In recent years, the industry has been evolving, thanks to Black women like Camillya Masunda. In September of 2020, Masunda, 33, launched Ebony Wine & Spirits. Ebony has the distinction of being the only Black-owned wine and spirits company in Charlotte. Developing a palate for wines while attending Johnson C. Smith University, Masunda decided to turn her penchant for wine into a true business. “Whenever I would walk down the aisles in stores and look at the wine labels, I rarely saw Blackowned companies,” Masunda said. After doing lots of research, the firstgeneration entrepreneur of Congolese ancestry aimed to produce an exceptional label that would resonate with Blacks across the Africana diaspora globally. Ebony currently offers four distinctive varieties — Moscato, Red Fusion, Riesling, and Sparkling Brut Rosè. The selections are available in various shops and restaurants in Charlotte, across the southeast and online. Launch dates in New York and Texas are forthcoming. Masunda sees Ebony as a true family affair. The single mother and her daughter, La’Nayah, who serves as Ebony’s creative director, have jointly been building the unique brand. Ebony is tailored for all, the true connoisseur and the novice, because Ebony is all about the attitude, Masunda said. “We’re the culture wine. We wine different.”

SPARK Publications

Photo by La’Nayah Miller

Photo courtesy of Rae Images and Ebony Stubbs

Fabi Preslar/

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Renate A. Moore/

Carolina Aponte/

Ranjit Deora/

Caja Holdings

Charlotte Meditation

Lady Ren’s Bakery & Books

By Lelita Cannon

By Ryan Kouame

A NATIVE OF VENEZUELA, Carolina Aponte, emigrated to the U.S. with her parents when she was 13. But when her dad, a business owner, went bankrupt and lost the family’s primary source of income due to an economic crisis in Venezuela, they were forced to return. When Aponte returned to the U.S. at 20, she worked as a bookkeeper and then at a software company. She enrolled in an undergraduate degree program to pursue her interest in accounting and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Nova Southeastern University. Ten years ago, Aponte founded Caja Holdings, a fullservice accounting firm providing outsourced bookkeeping, fractional CFO services and comprehensive financial and growth strategies in Indian Trail, NC. She serves a diverse range of clients, including law firms, independent health practitioners, consultants and manufacturing companies. Her many accolades include being named one of 50 Most Influential Women in the Charlotte region by the Mecklenburg Times. She is also the 2020-2021 President of the Charlotte National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO Charlotte) and a NAWBO 2019-2020 Woman Business Owner of the year finalist. Aponte wants to continue utilizing her platform “to help other minority women see the reflection of the things that are possible and that we don’t have to let other people determine our future,” she said. “We get to determine that.” She’s currently developing a workshop on mindset growth and cultivating success. Her book, “Pave Your Own Way: 13 Skills to Create Your Professional Success,” is available on Amazon.com.

GURU RANJIT DEORA is a meditation master teacher, yoga instructor, corporate wellness expert, life coach and the founder of Charlotte Meditation. He founded Charlotte Meditation in 2004 to help individuals and organizations in the Charlotte area increase focus, reduce stress, and relax the mind through meditation. Guru Ranjit is a native of India and has been teaching mindfulness meditation for over 25 years, helping over 6,000 students and teachers experience emotional freedom, physical healing and increased spiritual consciousness. Meditation is a simple, natural technique that settles your body into a state of profound rest and relaxation. Meditation is a philosophy that began in India over 5,000 years ago to provide a space and framework for spiritual growth and mastery over the physical and mental body. Researchers worldwide have discovered that meditating daily can have powerful effects on your holistic health such as: • Reducing stress, anxiety, anger, depression, and blood pressure • Increasing emotional health, selfawareness, and focus • Improving sleep, memory, creativity, and mindfulness Guru Ranjit and his partners at Charlotte Meditation teach classes in his studio and throughout the community with organizations across all industries as well. Whether you are a beginner in meditation, seeking mental health help or just looking to take your spirituality to a new level –– they help find what suits your individual nature, personality, body type, and daily lifestyle. Charlotte Meditation established Youth Meditation, a non-profit outreach program committed to improving the quality of life of children, teens, and teachers through whole mind, body, and wellness education and meditation. “It is our belief and goal in life to share that peace is within –– seek not elsewhere,” said Guru Ranjit.

RENATE A. MOORE is a wife, mother, author, gourmet baker, chef, human and animal rights activist and the founder of Lady Ren’s Bakery & Books. Lady Ren’s Bakery and Books is dedicated to enhancing people’s lives with harmonious foods and education for a healthy, literate and productive future. While facing the challenges of relocating from New York to North Carolina, Moore decided to create a business combining a gourmet bakery after many requests for her recipes and a bookstore in response to listening to parents express concern about poor reading skills. Moore’s pastries, cakes, and cookies are made fresh from scratch with wholesome, natural, and organic ingredients containing no genetic modified organisms (GMO). Her recipes are a guide to living a healthy and robust life using pure and simple ingredients. Moore, who earned a degree in writing for children and teenagers from the Institute of Children’s Literature, wrote her first cookbook “JUST EAT: Pure and Simple Cooking,” filled with recipes from her culinary journey around the world, drawing from her own rich South American heritage. Her cookbook won the 2019 Platinum International MarCom Award and Moore now has her own cooking show “Let’s Cook & Just Eat,” where she invites audience members into her kitchen to show how simple it is to prepare tasty and healthy meals. Moore is a frequent guest of Charlotte’s WBTV where she talks about healthy living. She also works closely with the United Negro College Fund and the Charlotte Humane Society, where she was nominated for the Women for Animal Welfare award. P

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

WE’RE HERE FOR YOU.

From nature to nurture. Learn how Aldersgate, a 62+ Life Plan Community, is helping plan for peace of mind.

Located on hundreds of acres, Aldersgate is a 62+, entrance-fee, non-profit community that offers a vast variety of living options and amenities, including six dining venues, an indoor pool, salon and spa, wood shop, dog park, gardening, wooded trails and a picturesque lake. Plus, we offer a top-rated, full continuum of care. To learn more about events or schedule a tour, call (704) 318-2035 or visit AldersgateLiving.com. Listen to our Juneteenth podcast episode at AldersgateUniversity.com/Podcast.

3800 Shamrock Drive • Charlotte, NC 28215

STORM SEASON IS COMING. LET’S GET READY NOW. We are preparing for the next big storm now – strengthening our system, upgrading equipment and investing in new grid technology. We continue to focus on improving response and restoration times by identifying potential issues in advance and installing technology that will allow us to reroute power to avoid outages. Sign up online for phone or email alerts, or text REG to 57801 for text alerts.

There are three ways to report an outage: Text OUT to 57801, call 1.800.PowerOn, or report it online.

If you see a downed power line or other safety hazard, call 1.800. PowerOn, or report it online.

For additional tips, please visit duke-energy.com/StormSafety.

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Charlotte Latin School Young Alumni Spotlight Kaelin Bush ’16, Boston College ’20 Kaelin embodies Latin’s vision to educate students in the importance of learning, citizenship, service to others, hard work, and Honor Above All. Kaelin, who majored in political science at Boston College, is a Litigation Paralegal at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York City. Kaelin’s noteworthy accomplishments at Boston College include: • Serving as Assistant Director of the Campus Activities Board • Being a member of the Student Conduct Board • Induction into the Order of the Cross and Crown Honor Society, recognizing outstanding academic performance, service, and leadership on campus • Interning for former Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley in 2018 and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 2019 • Studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain We are Hawk Proud and celebrate Kaelin’s continued personal and professional success. While at Charlotte Latin School, Kaelin helped found the Black Student Alliance, lead Mosaic Club, and was Captain of the Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse team. She received the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences and studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain.

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Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Oldest Living Woman

Photo courtesy of WCNC

Dies at 115 in Her Charlotte Home

Hester Ford was the oldest living person in the U.S. until she died in her home in Charlotte on April 17, 2021. She was 115 (or maybe even 116) years old. By John Burton Jr.

he was such a special woman to the Queen City that Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles previously declared August 15 as Mother Hester Ford Day, and the Charlotte skyline was lit up in purple on the evening of April 28, to honor this mighty woman who died on April 17 at 115 years old. Until her death a few months ago, Ford held the record as the oldest living American. According to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, the average life expectancy for Americans is currently 77.8 years, 75.1 years for men and 80.5 years for women. Hester Ford not only met the average, she surpassed it. Even that number has been the subject of debate, since some say Ford was born in 1904, which would have made her 116 years old. Regardless of the dates, Ford’s place as America’s oldest was still accurate. This supercentenarian, someone over 110 years old, experienced

much in her lifetime, from the Flu Pandemic of 1918 to the current global Coronavirus Pandemic. Born on a farm in Lancaster County, S.C., Ford was a sharecropper who arduously worked in the cotton fields. At age 14, Ford married her husband John and at 15 gave birth to the first of their 12 children, four of which are still living today. The couple purchased a farm and began raising their family where they lived until they relocated to Charlotte around 1960. Ford found employment working as a nanny. Sadly, three years after their move, John passed away at 57. Still, Ford resided in the family home, living independently, until she was 108. It was after bruising her ribs in a fall in her bathtub that the family intervened, getting her in-home assistance. During her lifetime, Ford had the privilege of experiencing countless firsts — the invention of the television, space travel, cell phones and the election of the first Black president of the U.S., Barack Obama and first Black vice present, Kamala Harris.

President Obama held a special place in Ford’s heart. “She never thought she would see a Black man elected as president,” Tanisha Patterson-Powe, Ford’s great granddaughter told NPR. Her admiration swelled when she received a letter from the Obamas on her 111th birthday extending their well wishes. "Your story is an integral part of the American narrative, and you have witnessed the best of what our nation can accomplish when we work together in pursuit of a brighter tomorrow,” the Obamas wrote. During her lifetime, Ford was keenly aware of the importance of voting, since there was a period of her life when she was not allowed to vote because of the racist practice of denying Black people the right to vote in the U.S. Even during the pandemic, Ford made her way to the polls to vote in last year’s presidential election. “She got fully dressed. You would have thought she was going to church,” Patterson-Powe said. Dressed in a tan dress, trimmed in white, with sequins, hat and her white sneakers, Ford cast her vote. According to Patterson-Powe, people often inquired as to the secret to her great grandmother’s long life. She believed Ford’s only secret was being disciplined in her faith and praying multiple times daily. Her grandmother’s daily regimen involved having breakfast, which always included half a banana, a trip outside for fresh air and sitting in her recliner looking at family photos, doing puzzles and listening to gospel music. When Ford celebrated her final birthday in 2020, a host of friends and family, produced a drive-by parade in her honor. Scores of cars honked and waved at Ford as she watched in amazement. “She was a pillar and stalwart to our family and provided much needed love, support and understanding to us all," Patterson-Powe, said in a statement on Facebook. The Gerontology Research Group now lists Thelma Sutcliffe, who is 114 years old, as the oldest American. The oldest person in the world is Kane Tanaka of Japan who is 118 years old and was born in 1903, according to the Gerontology Research Group. Although Ford’s oldest living accolade is gone, her legacy lives on in her children, 68 grandchildren, 125 greatgrandchildren and at least 120 great-great-grandchildren. P

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

How Pride Public Relations Became a Top Charlotte Agency By Sonja Whitemon

20-year-old Johnson C. Smith University student had no idea how a basic college internship would chart the course for her life. Nepherterra "Neph" Estrada Best was paired with Dee Dixon, now publisher of Pride Magazine for a role that was supposed to be a writing internship, simply writing articles for the magazine, which was owned by The Charlotte Observer at the time. Instead, Dixon introduced her to the entire business and 23 years later they are still together, now co-founders of Pride Public Relations, an award winning, full-service public relations agency and the only Black and women-owned PR agency in Charlotte.

Nepherterra Estrada Best, Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer of Pride Public Relations

Best credits Dixon as her first professional mentor. “Dee was the first person who taught me how important it is to have a variety of skills to tap into,” Best said. “She did allow me to write during my internship, but she also took me on sales calls and got me involved with the Pride Awards. I remember going on photo shoots for advertisers. She had me doing a lot of different things.” The two public relations professionals clearly have a mutual love and respect for each other. Dixon saw promise in her protégé.

“When Neph was an intern, I got a sense of her work ethic,” said Dee Dixon. “I thought it was unusual for someone her age. She followed through, she was on time, she had some qualities that told me she is going to go a long way.” In fact, after graduation, Best worked as a newspaper reporter, then started her own public relations agency in Wisconsin. The two kept in touch and eventually started Pride Public Relations. Dixon says today, “Neph is one of the most talented public relations professionals that we have in Charlotte.” In 15 years, the two have built a thriving, award-winning agency in Pride

Nepherterra Estrada Best (left) and Dee Dixon (right) co-founded Pride Public Relations 15 years ago.

Public Relations with an ever-growing list of clients that includes national, regional and local brands that span the banking, technology, government and nonprofit sectors. Their client list includes giants in their respective industries, such as Walmart and Wells Fargo. Their team of professionals have expertise creating general market as well as multicultural strategies in vital areas of communications, advertising, and media relations. Best, with her experience in the newsroom and Dixon, a longtime magazine publisher, have built invaluable relationships with producers, editors and reporters

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

in media that create winning results for their clients. While Pride PR is a traditional fullservice public relations agency that manages events, media messaging and media placement opportunities for its clients, they distinguish themselves from their competitors in a number of ways. First, it is uniquely positioned with its connection to Pride Magazine, the only print publication in Charlotte that targets African Americans. Another distinguishing factor is Best and Dixon’s close relationships with local leaders and their deep involvement in the Charlotte community. They also have expertise in community engagement and coalition building.

Dee Dixon, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Pride Public Relations

Michelle Belaire, Senior Director of Community Relations for Walmart, has worked with Pride PR for three years. Pride PR helped Walmart understand the Charlotte community, using focus groups and other community engagement tactics. “We were very pleased with the results of the work they did,” Belaire said. “They were extremely professional and thorough. They did a tremendous job.” Fifteen years in, Pride PR continues to thrive and expand its services and client list. The company will soon add new services that include full-service media buying for its clients. P

Ready. For. Anything. Ready to lead. Ready to thrive. Ready for the world. Country Day Ready.

charlottecountryday.org (704) 943-4530

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Fifth Third Bank Elevates Its Supplier Diversity Program By Sonja Whitemon

recent study in the Harvard Business Review examined supplier diversity programs among large corporations and concluded that, too few companies have supplier diversity programs, and among those that do, many have allowed them to become nothing more than “token gestures.” But there are companies that do take supplier diversity seriously. Fifth Third Bank, for example, has taken supplier diversity to a whole new level. Long devoted to diversity throughout its organization, Fifth Third Bank now has a renewed focus on equity and inclusion that goes well beyond meeting established diversity metrics. Its Accelerating Racial Equality Equity and Inclusion initiative is a $2.8 billion commitment that will provide $2.2 billion

“There is a big difference between equality and equity. Equality is being even across the board. Equity is based on need” — Curtis Bodison, Senior Vice President and Director of Project and Program Management 30

in lending, $500 million in investments, $60 million in financial accessibility and $40 million in philanthropy. Fifth Third is using standards in its supplier program that help new and small minority businesses prepare themselves to compete for Fifth Third contracts and help them grow their businesses once they are Fifth Third vendors. These programs become competitive equalizers for minority vendors. “There is a big difference between equality and equity,” said Senior Vice President and Director of Project and

“We are happy to experience with Fifth Third the continuity of work, the conversation around growth and development, but in a live series of work where we are actually implementing …” Joel Dancy, Vice President and Regional Community and Economic Development Manager at Fifth Third Bank

— Tino McFarland, CEO and President, McFarland Construction

Program Management Curtis Bodison. “Equality is being even across the board. Equity is based on need,” Bodison said. “For me to expect that a 10-year-old minority vendor would have the same level of business infrastructure as a 100-year-old competitor would not be reasonable. It’s important that we come to the table understanding who we are working with and where we need to lead them over time.” Fifth Third makes efforts to give their vendors the best opportunities to be successful from the point of application to project

completion by teaching them banking industry protocol. “We are not a very forgiving industry,” Bodison said. “So, one of the cultural things I preach is, ‘Let’s lead with empathy.’ We have to remember where every business starts in the overall equation. Many of the diverse businesses we work with are new to the industry — maybe not new to the expertise of the industry but new to ownership and business; so, they are not all starting from the same place as a 100-yearold business.

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

The Fifth Third Bank Ridgewood Branch was built by McFarland Construction.

One program they use to assist prospective vendors is the Advance Business Builder Program, which targets local businesses that are interested in becoming vendors or getting support so they can compete for bids. The bank works with local chambers of commerce to bring vendors into the program. “Not all vendors have to go through it, but we usually like to support the opportunity so they come in and learn about Fifth Third to make sure they understand bank talk as it relates to their presentation materials so they can be ready to move forward rapidly into our procurement process,” said Vice President and Regional Community and Economic Development Manager Joel Dancy. Fifth Third completes approximately 75 to 80 construction projects with vendors per year. The bank believes it is important for that work to be evenly distributed to Minority and Women-

Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) suppliers. At any given time, 10 to 15 MWBE vendors could be contracted. The company’s retail and ground-up construction projects average about $1.9 to $2 million per job. McFarland Construction has been a Fifth Third vendor for just over one year and has won three of those engagements. CEO and President of McFarland Construction, Tino McFarland, praises Fifth Third’s approach to supplier diversity. “As a minority-owned supplier, I’ve been through these [supplier diversity programs] before,” McFarland said. “It’s one thing to do things in a vacuum as some programs often do. They talk about contracting and how to engage, but there’s no work put around that vacuum.” McFarland says his experience with Fifth Third has been different. “We are happy to experience with Fifth Third the continuity of work,

the conversation around growth and development, but in a live series of work where we are actually implementing through a series of projects which will increase over time in efficiency and will scale the opportunities that are presented to us and the partners that we bring to the table,” he said. McFarland Construction is now completing its first retail banking center for Fifth Third and has broken ground on a second. The company is also in the planning process on a third. Their construction projects are in Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Charlotte’s Ballantyne area. Fifth Third is affiliated with strong diverse organizations that support their diversity objectives. They include the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and the Financial Services Roundtable for Supplier Diversity. P July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Anyone can save a life. Learn how to prevent suicide with Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training. Scan the QR code or visit bit.ly/qpr-savealife to get started.

For mental health help fast, call ASK (star-star-2-7-5) from your cell phone or 1.800.939.5911. Or visit us online at cardinalinnovations.org. Mental Health | Substance Use Disorders | Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

Black Youth Suicide Rates Are Rising Here’s How You Can Help

What Can Be Done?

he suicide rate of Black youth is rising faster than any other demographic1. Black children under 13 are more likely to die by suicide than white children. What’s happening to our kids?

Rido / Shutterstock.com

The Same Problems As 100 Years Ago

Unsurprisingly, researchers have found that racial discrimination (not to mention the social stress of being LGBTQ+) damages children’s mental health. And the symptoms of racism—police violence, unemployment and high incarceration rates—all contribute. Other, less acknowledged issues plague Black children’s mental health. Black kids are more likely to face trauma, which—if not addressed—can lead to PTSD and mental illness. If they develop behavioral challenges, they’re more likely to be disciplined than connected to help2. And many Black families are uninsured or underinsured and have little access to quality mental health care. But these problems aren’t new. So, why is the suicide rate rising?

New Complications to Old Issues A lack of research leaves us speculating. However, there are several changes that may be at fault. The rise of social media and technology, for one. “In this tech era we live in, there’s a lot of intimidation, bullying and social isolation amongst teens. They communicate with their devices rather than having in-person conversations,” said Dr. John Johnson, newly appointed Chief Medical Officer of Cardinal Innovations Healthcare. “We’re also recognizing the burden of change,” said Dr. Dawn O’Malley, Cardinal Innovations peer advisor and psychologist. Black teens can no longer escape trauma even at former “safe spaces” like home, church or community gatherings. Instead, CNN and Instagram stories play bodycam footage on a loop. Community trauma persists. Teens also have greater access to firearms. As gun laws have loosened, gun ownership has skyrocketed. Four in five people who use a gun to attempt suicide will complete it. Attempts have become fatalities.

All adults who interact with Black children and teens have an impact. Yes—there are systematic issues that must be addressed. However, as we fight for more research and better legislation, community members, faith leaders and parents have the power to lower these numbers. Start talking about mental health, especially after stressful events. Whether these events are racial in nature — big or small — normalize talking about your feelings. Encourage teens and children to get involved within the community. “Boys’ and Girls’ Club, the Y—a more integrated person feels more connected to society,” said Cardinal Innovations’ lead clinical psychologist Dr. Patricia Babin. Dr. Johnson also advised adults to listen: “Instead of telling teens what they need, ask them.” By getting the teens’ perspective, you can better connect with them and build rapport. An even simpler change: All gun owners should store their firearms unloaded and locked up. Parents and community leaders may also consider training to prevent suicide. Courses like Mental Health First Aid and the QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training can equip adults with the skills to recognize suicidal behaviors. Finally, it’s critical to infuse teens with hope that things will get better. Suicide is the ultimate expression of hopelessness. Parents and adults can help by getting teens to see what they do have control over. You can build up their selfconfidence so they know they can handle anything that comes their way. “You can’t give anybody hope,” Dr. Babin said. “But you can guide them.” P 1. Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America (2019) 2. “Why Are the Black Kids Being Suspended?” An Examination of a School District’s Efforts to Reform a Faulty Suspension Policy Through Community Conversations (2017)

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Photo courtesy of Vanessa Clarke

The CRC Fights for Inclusion and Equity for All

Photo courtesy of Willie Ratchford

Vanessa Clarke is the Chairperson of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee.

Photo courtesy of Bonnie Foster

Willie Ratchford is the Executive Director of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee.

Pictured here are four CRC members during a mediation training session. Vanessa Clarke (top), Arun Nair (right), Bonnie Foster (bottom), Yvette Townsend-Ingram (left) By Angela Lindsay

he Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee (CRC) has been diligently advocating for the people who live in the Charlotte region for the past 60 years. The CRC works to prevent discrimination and build harmony by advocating for diversity, equity and access for all.

“Many of the challenges that our community faced decades ago are still happening now and CRC’s work remains critical,” said CRC executive director Willie Ratchford, who has worked with the group for 41 years, including 27 as executive director. “CRC’s mission, in part, is to ameliorate the current effects of past and present discrimination and racism,” he said.

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

During the national civil rights movement in the 1960’s, Charlotte Mayor Stanford R. Brookshire bolstered the local efforts to guarantee equal protection under the law for all by transforming the Friendly Relations Committee to the Mayor’s Community Relations Committee (now the CRC) to help improve race relations. The 45-member team is comprised of professional staff members and volunteers who are appointed by the mayor, Charlotte City Council and the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners. When mounting tensions were bubbling up throughout the country in the 1960s as Black people demanded justice and equality, like many other

cities and regions in the country, Charlotte experienced its share of tensions brought on by civil rights protests and negative responses. “During this period, Committee members and staff often found themselves in the role of mediators between opposing groups,” Ratchford wrote in a 2018 CRC newsletter. “As a resident of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community, you have rights,” he said. To help ensure that Charlotte area residents maintain their rights, the CRC accepts formal complaints from Charlotte residents who feel they have been discriminated against in housing. The Fair Housing staff of the CRC document and investigate citizens' complaints and conduct standardized testing of alleged violators' facilities. The staff work with the appropriate state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help resolve the complaints.

“When someone is in the midst of a housing crisis … they are often already at a breaking point,” CRC Chairperson Vanessa Clarke said. “There is no more mental energy to expend,” she said. “For those people, the CRC has and continues to be here for them.” The CRC, along with the City of Charlotte Office of Equity, Mobility and Immigrant Integration and four other community groups issued a statement in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in response to the surge in violence against those groups. “We will work across our community to create a more equitable and inclusive Charlotte-Mecklenburg where violence is not a part of our ethics or our values,” the statement says. It also says: “We must turn our pain and grief into action, our words into advocacy and acceptance, and our divisions into community.” “One challenge that continues to impact our community and the work

of the CRC is the multiple divides that seem to be so prevalent in our country and in our community,” Ratchford said. “We have moved away from having different opinions to having different facts,” he added. “Recent events, like the George Floyd verdict, have made us all aware. If we are smart, we will use this awareness as a foundation and platform to move to actions that will honor and protect us all, regardless of identity.” Clarke says she wants community members to know that the CRC staff and volunteers, who are also from Charlotte neighborhoods, are passionately working toward creating a community that is equally enjoyable for all. “The word community is more than just a part of our name,” Ratchford said. “The CRC remains committed to building a more fair and just community that supports constructive dialogue, increases understanding, inspires action and promotes harmony.” P

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July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Facing Down Hate Against the AAPI Community By Vanessa Clarke

% AAPI Hate

FAST FACTS 3,800

The number of hate incidents reported against Asian Americans from March 2020 - March 2021 Source: Stop AAPI Hate

150%

The percent in which hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders increased during the pandemic. Here is Lynn Lorenzo-Polk (middle) as a young girl with her mom (sitting), dad (top) and four siblings in the Philippines.

ver the past several years, smartphones and social media have played an incredible part in bringing justice to victims of hate crimes. People around the world have seen, in what may be one of the most prominent cases of social media influence, the video of the George Floyd killing which inspired millions of people around the world to stand together. That video transformed social media from a place to vent about microaggressions to a place where egregious crimes against humanity are reported. Although hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders increased by nearly 150% during the pandemic, hate crimes against the AAPI community in the U.S. predate this latest rise in violence. The Center for the Study of Hate Crimes and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, examined hate crimes in 16 of the largest U.S. cities

Source: The Center for the Study of Hate Crimes and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino

in March and reported that while such crimes in 2020 decreased by 7 percent, hate crimes targeting Asian people rose by nearly 150 percent. "I don't think that there's anything new with the kind of racism that's been targeted at Asian Pacific Islanders," Tyler Diep, a former California politician and Vietnamese immigrant, told Voice of America in May. The difference is that the media and people in the U.S. are paying more attention to it, he said. The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County released a proclamation supporting the AAPI community in April. More than 67,000 members of the AAPI community live in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region, the proclamation states. Signed by Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and George Dunlap, chairman of Mecklenburg County commissioners, the proclamation says: “Collectively, we condemn violence, hate and discrimination, and stand against

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Lynn Lorenzo-Polk (right) and her friend, Del Fallar, protest anti-AAPI hate in Marshall Park in Charlotte.

harmful acts whenever they occur, because as a community, an attack on one is an attack on all.”

Hate hits close to home

A member of the Charlotte area’s AAPI community, Lynn Lorenzo-Polk, lives a peaceful life with her husband of over 20 years, Jim Polk, and spends her time gardening. Lorenzo-Polk, a retired pharmacist and Gastonia, N.C. resident, emigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines over 40 years ago after her husband of 12 years died. She moved from Buffalo, N.Y. to North Carolina for a new start. Lorenzo-Polk said she was a shy and quiet woman before she was involved in a traumatic car accident that transformed her. That’s when she discovered that “God had a purpose for her,” she said. She then became an activist and advocate for rape victims, literacy and anti-racism. Lorenzo-Polk has volunteered with such

“Of all the good that the law can do, we have to change our hearts. We have to change the hearts of the American people. Hate can be given no safe harbor in America.” —President Joe Biden organizations as the Women's Shelter of the Gaston County Democratic Center and the Domestic Violence and Rape Crises Center. She is also a former president of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas, Inc. (FACC). Once when Lorenzo-Polk was walking through an area mall, she passed a group of teenagers and one of them spit at her, Lorenzo-Polk said. Instead of walking away in shame, she ran up the stairs after them as they tried to get away. Once she caught up to them, she recognized that, “these were kids and probably learned that type of behavior at home,” she said. Lorenzo-Polk decided to use this as a teaching moment. “Just because you are white and I am brown, does not mean that you

are better than me,” she told them. After she shared a little more of her thoughts with these young people, they seemed to understand and then apologized to Lorenzo-Polk. “Then I was greeted with applause from the crowd that had gathered around,” she said. Lorenzo-Polk did not report the crime to authorities. Recently in 2021, a white woman who was not wearing a mask and was not maintaining appropriate social distancing from Lorenzo-Polk, yelled that she did not have to wear a mask and told Lorenzo-Polk to “go back home to China.” Lorenzo-Polk calmly told the woman, “I am not from China, I’m from the Philippines. We are in a pandemic, so please keep your 6 feet distance.”

No place for hate in America

President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act in May, making it the first action Congress has taken to address the increase in attacks against Asian Americans that have happened during the pandemic. Vice President Kamala Harris, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Jamaica and India, spoke before she introduced the President during the ceremony. “I have seen how hate can impede our progress. And I have seen

Lynn Lorenzo-Polk and her husband, Jim Polk, Jr.

how people uniting against hate can strengthen our country,” Harris said. “Of all the good that the law can do, we have to change our hearts,” Biden said during the anti-Asian hate crimes bill signing ceremony. “We have to change the hearts of the American people. “Hate can be given no safe harbor in America.” P

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July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

IOR Global Services Helps International Employees Settle in to New Communities By Ryan Kouame

oel Kreicker started IOR Global Services after he returned from a “failed” expatriate assignment in the 1970s in Colombia. Kreicker said he was determined to make the expat transition easier so international employees could succeed in their living and working environments while abroad. Entrepreneur Rob Burns purchased IOR from Kreicker in 2010, and since the acquisition, IOR has invested heavily in its people, processes and technology to provide quality service for its clients and employees, said Corey Novotny, marketing manager at IOR Global Services. IOR holds the prestigious EuRA Global Quality Seal and has received numerous client and industry awards for its responsiveness, customization and problem-solving capabilities. The company has over 2,000 consultants worldwide and provides services in more than 70 countries. IOR’s integrated suite of services includes destination services, language and cultural training to help ease the transition of moving to a new land by providing

IOR Global Services has over 2,000 consultants worldwide and provides services in more than 70 countries. stability and support during the relocation process. The company works closely with clients to provide customized solutions that best meet the specific needs and budgets of employees and their families so they can settle in, adapt and thrive in their new communities and roles. Most of IOR’s representatives readily empathize with clients based on their personal experiences of living and working abroad, Novotny said. Destination consultants give tours to expats that include an introduction to various

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

communities and neighborhoods, local attractions, sample housing and school options, transportation options, grocery stores, places of worship and other community resources. “It was great having our IOR Consultant helping us on the ground here in Charlotte,” said an IOR client who recently relocated to Charlotte. “We found her extremely approachable, fast in response, and most importantly, she could guide us well ahead of time and with far more detailed information than anticipated. I think she is truly a professional, but at the same time, she has a personal touch. She understands the expectations that we have as people who are experiencing the U.S. for the very first time,” the client said. First impressions of a new country can have a significant impact on how well expatriates adjust to their new environment. With the help of IOR Global representatives, the experience of trying to feel at home in a new country doesn’t have to be filled with anxiety. It could feel more like an adventure. P

Sure, there were fewer in-person classes this past year, but thanks to teachers, we never stopped learning. As vaccines are administered at our facilities and vaccination events, we can get back to in-person living… and learning. Marcus was ready. Are you?

Minority and Womenowned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Training and Support

N.C. Coordinators’ Network www.mwbenetwork.org N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development 919-956-8889 www.theinstitutenc.org

MWBE Certification Carolinas-Virgina Minority Supplier Development Council 704-549-1000 www.cvmsdc.org info@cvmsdc.org City of Charlotte Small Business Opportunity Program www.charlottebusinessinclusion.com 704-336-4137 N.C. Small Business and Technology Development Center 919-715-7272 www.sbtdc.org Statewide Uniform Certification Program (SWUC) *N.C. Dept. of Administration Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses 919-807-2330 www.doa.nc.gov/hub Women Wrule Women, Minority and Small Business Certification Assistance and Government Contracting 803-517-4030 www.womenwrule.com

Corporate Supplier Diversity Atrium Health www.atriumhealthsupplychainalliance.org

Bank of America www.bankofamerica.com Compass Group/Foodbuy Priscilla Wallace Supplier Diversity Manager 704-328-1129 supplierrelations@compass-usa.com www.cgnad.com Duke Energy Andrew Grier Supplier Diversity Executive 704-382-7690 andrewgrier@duke-energy.com www.duke-energy.com/ suppliers/default.asp Food Lion Garland Scarboro Manager, Diversity and Inclusion 704-310-2589 Garland.Scarboro@ RetailBusinessServices.com www.foodlion.com/careers/diversityand-inclusion/supplier-diversity/ Novant Health diversityandinclusion@novanthealth.org www.novanthealth.org/ supplierdiversity

Global Linking Solutions 877-914-5465 www.gls.com

Creative Marketing Ideas 980-938-8555 www.ceativemkg.com cs@creativemkg.com Equine Marketing Group 704-663-4487 www.equinemarketinggroup.com

Advertising Agencies/ Promotional Products

KS Image Solutions, LLC 704-786-7763 www.ksimagesolutions.com info@ksimagesolutions.com

3 Keys Marketing Products 704-249-5572 www.3keysmarketingproducts.com

Logo’d Gear 704-334-9333 www.logodgear.com

The Plaid Penguin 704-919-1726 www.theplaidpenguin.com

Logo Pros 704-545-7408 www.logopros.us

AC&M Group 704-697-4400 info@acmconnect.com www.acmconnect.com

Lyerly Agency 704-525-3937 www.lyerly.com elyerly@lyerly.com

Ad Concepts, Inc. 704-366-1616 www.goadconcepts.com

In Your Face Advertising 704-376-9891

AdSpark Promos 704-293-5049 www.adsparkpromos.com

Media Mark.US 803-329-7942 www.mediamark.us

Classroom In A Box 704-293-3409 www.classroominabox.com

Media Power Advertising, Inc. 704-896-0310 www.mediapoweradvertising.com

BluePepper Public Relations 704-625-6564 www.bluepepperpr.com

Piedmont Natural Gas supplierdiversity@piedmontng.com

Brand Equity Marketing, LLC 704-372-3982 www.brandequitymarketing.com

Walmart Stores, Inc. /corporate.walmart.com/ suppliers/supplier-diversity

BrandRPM 704-225-1800 www.brandrpm.com

Wells Fargo supplierdiversity@wellsfargo.com www.wellsfargo.com/supplierdiversity

CGR Creative 704-334-2232 www.cgrcreative.com

Businesses

Motivation Marketing Firm 704-326-2187 www.MotivationMarketingFirm.com

Administrative Services

Jaunt Media Group 704-962-8570 www.ridejaunt.com

Cybertary Charlotte 704-256-4717 charlotte.cybertary.com charlotte@cybertary.com

Classic Achievements, Inc. 980-819-9176 www.classicachievements.com cs@classicachievements.com

ResourceListings

Minority Business Development Agency www.mbda.gov

Balfour Beatty Construction Chad Humphrey Director of Business Development and Diversity 919-233-5137 chumphrey@bbus.com www.balfourbeattyus.com

PIA International 704-593-1256 www.piapromo.com Pride Communications, Inc. 704-375-9553 www.pridemagazineonline.com QCityMetro.com 704-442-1565 www.qcitymetro.com Robinson Thinks www.robinsonthinks.com Spark Strategic Ideas, LLC 704-625-2185 www.sparksi.com The Agency Marketing Group 704-564-9694 www.gettheagency.com The Narmer Group, LLC 678-787-8098 Zuri Creative Services 704-380-0278 www.zuricreative.com

“ Timing, perseverance and 10 years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success.” — Biz Stone (Twitter)

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

ResourceListings

Architects

Kimberly E. Fox, PLLC 704-439-2720 www.kimfoxlaw.com

Book Stores

Application Consultants, Inc. 704-573-7677

Neighboring Concepts 704-374-0916 www.neighboringconcepts.com

Kimberly Poe Law Office 704-489-8182

Book Buyers 704-344-8611

Applied Data Technologies 704-847-3000 www.applieddatatech.com

Augustine Wong CMW Design Strategies PLLC 803-448-5815 www.cmwds.com FM Supplies 336-391-8653

Attorneys A. Gray Bail Bonds 704-347-2545 www.graybail.com Williams & Exum, P.A. 704-332-5583 www.jjexumlaw.com Mickle & Bass Law Firm 803-929-0029 www.mickleandbass.com Barbara L. White 704-375-9411 www.barbaralwhite.com Benjamin M. Li 704-527-0878 Brady &Osofsky, PA 704-849-8008 www.bandklaw.com info@bandklaw.com Cheryl R. Watkins 704-552-3993 www.crwatkinslaw.com Douglas H. Kim Law Firm 704-504-0962 www.douglaskimlawfirm.com GPS Law Group 704-549-1950 www.gpslawnc.com Gardner Skelton, PLLC 704-335-0350 www.gardnerskelton.com Hoard Law, P.C. 704-954-8094 www.hoardlaw.com Houston Law Office 704-595-9146 The Montgomery Law Firm, PLLC 704-749-3135 charlottemontgomerylaw.com Ferguson Chambers & Sumter, P.A. 704-375-8461 www.fergusonsumter.com Hands Law Office, PLLC 704-248-7976 www.handslawonline.com Ken Harris & Associates 704-343-2620 www.kenharrisandassociates.com

Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo 704-333-1000 www.demayolaw.com Closing Carolina •Law Offices of Michelle Vereckey 704-283-5555 www.closingcarolina.com

Park Road Books 704-525-9239 www.parkroadbooks.com Main Street Books 704-892-6841 www.mainstreetbooksdavidson.com The Book Rack 704-544-8006

Lisa Andrew Dubs 828-323-1926 Dubslawfirm.embarqspace.com

Julia’s Café & Books 704-295-4585 www.juliascafe.org

York Harmon Johnson 704-375-4480 www.yhjlaw.com

KEMETIC Science Institute 704-910-6783 www.KemeticScienceInstitute.com

Mitchell & Suhr PLLC 919-944-4668 www.paulsuhrlaw.com Ramsay Law Firm, P.A. 704-461-0750 www.ramsaylawfirm.com

Communications/ Media-Related Services

The Snow Legal Group 704-358-0026 www.snowlegal.com

Advanced Imaging Systems, Inc 704-525-4392 www.aisimc.com

Collins Family Law Group 704-753-8976 www.collinsfamilylaw.com

Aquent 704-338-9119 www.aquent.com

Starrett Law Firm, PLLC 704-887-4944 www.starrettlawfirm.com

Atlantic Communication Products, Inc. 704-676-5880 www.goacp.com

Susan D. Brotherton 704-873-7529 Law Offices of Michael Todd 704-343-9700 mtodd@tmtoddlaw.com The Law Office of Tamela T. Wallace 704-371-4212 www.tamelatwallace.com Bishop, Dulaney, Joyner, Abner, P.A. 704-945-9850 www.bdjalaw.com Central Law Group, PLLC 704-248-0949 www.clglawgroup.com The Justice Firm, LLC 704-377-4747 www.thejusticefirm.com admin@thejusticefirm.com The Wright Law Firm 704-332-2274 The Robinson Law Group, PLLC 704-944-3583 www.rlgcounsel.com

Blueline Technologies 704-542-1514 www.BlueLTI.com Business Policy Solutions, LLC www.bpolicysolutions.com Carolina Cartridge & Supplies 704-347-2447 www.ccsinside.com Classic Graphics 704-597-9015 www.knowclassic.com Computech Consulting, LLC 704-499-8967 www.computech-consulting.net Computer House Calls 704-549-4334 www.chc-clt.com/ Computel Systems 704-541-8659 www.computelsystems.com Copy Cat Instant Printing of Charlotte 704-529-6606 www.copycatsouth.com CPI Training Solutions Inc. 704-593-8999 www.solutionsrus.com

BC Forward 866-363-1132 www.bcforward.com

Dat-A-Syst, Inc. 704-523-3548 www.datasyst.net

CGR Creative 704-334-2232 www.cgrcreative.com

Experienced Recruiting Partners LLC 518-598-6300

CCITI, LLC 704-969-2484 www.citi-llc.com Karin Lukas Technical Writing, LLC 704-552-2812 Jameson Advisory Group 980-285-7146 Media Power Advertising 704-896-0310 www.mediapoweradvertising.com Network Cabling Systems, Inc. 704-523-8606 www.networkcablingsystems.com Yellow Duck Marketing, LLC 704-271-9555 www.yellowduckmarketing.com

www.experiencedrecruitingpartners.com

Geek Choice 704-331-0739 www.geekchoice.com Hardison Cartridge, LLC 704-770-3533 www.hardisoncartridge.com IT-HenHouse 704-659-0665 www.it-henhouse.com JCMR Technology, Inc. 704-707-3333 www.jcmr.net Laury Controls & Design 704-785-6788 Lorven Group, Inc. 704-899-5200 www.lorvengroupinc.com

Zamora Law 704-728-9633 www.zamora-law.com info@zamora-law.com

Computers/ Printers/Web

MPG Consulting Services LLC 704-807-6376 www.mpgcs.com

Roderick G. Davis Attorney & Counselor at Law 704-632-1500 www.rgdavislaw.com

Allegra Marketing, Print, and Mail 704-385-4212 www.allegracharlotte.com

Metrolina Printing & Promotional, LLC 704-262-3939 www.metrolinaprintpromo.com

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

We have been doing business throughout the region from our Charlotte office for 25 years. What makes Neighboring Concepts unique? We believe it’s our vision, which is to do all we can to transform urban, educational and corporate communities, improving overall experiences and quality of life, through smart design and responsible planning.

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CS5022

Dasling Dentistry 704-594-9250 www.daslingdentistry.com

Neteffect Technologies 704-504-9040 www.ne-t.com

Derek C. Barnes, DDS 704-849-6700 www.drderekbarnes.com

Paperless Digital Solutions, LLC 980-265-1425 www.paperlessds.com

Diane E. Haberl, DDS 704-663-3001

Patriot Technology Solutions 850-512-0365

Dual Image Orthodontics 704-269-8495 www.dualimageortho.com

Rush Computer Rentals 800-343-7368 www.rushcomputer.com

Eagle Shembo Dentistry Dr. Etienne Shembo, DDS 704-503-0202 www.eagleshembodentistry.com

SMS Tech Solutions, LLC 800-656-7702 www.smstechsolutions.com

Eastover Dental 704-842-3542 www.eastoverdental.com

Stratagon, Inc 888-506-3466 www.stratagon.com

Friendly Dental Group of Ballantyne 704-494-7990 www.friendlydentalgroup.com

Syntelli Solutions Inc. 513-518-0708 www.syntelli.com

Jackson Orthodontics 704-464-0696 www.drjacksonsmiles.com

Smile Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics 704-971-7272 www.mykidsmile.com SouthEnd Dentistry 704-335-8266 www.southenddentistry.com

John Roper Electric Company 704-365-5648 www.johnroperelectric.com

S.W. Webber Jr., DDS 704-392-9357

Major Contractors, Inc. 704-392-3133

University Pediatric Dentistry 704-688-1664

McNaughton-McKay Electric Co. 800-521-0917 www.mc-mc.com

www.universitypediatricdentistrync.com

U. Phillip Igbinadolor & Associates 704-494-8484 www.upidental.com

Qwest Electric, LLC 704-662-3900 www.qwestelectricllc.com

Young & Polite Children’s Dentistry (704) 587-7336 www.youngandpolite.com

Starr Electric Company, Inc. 704-568-6600 www.starrelectric.net

XM Digital, Inc 919-335-3164

Matthews Periodontics 704-847-5657 www.matthewsperio.com

Electrical Services

Orthodontic Care 704-303-8455 704-533-9240 www.drcooperortho.com

Adams Electric Company 704-940-6080 www.adams-electric.com

Palmieri Dentistry 704-247-6336 www.palmieridentistry.com

Beam Electric Company, Inc. 1-855-225-2326 www.beamelectric.com

Renda L. Welch, DDS 704-786-9123

Gaylor Electric, Inc. 800-878-0577 www.gaylor.com

Dentists/Orthodontists A Smile 4 U Family Dentistry 704-549-1199 www.Smile4ucharlotte.com Carmel Commons Dental & Imaging 704-412-4629 www.carmelcommonsdental.com Carolina Aesthetic Dentistry 704-896-6160 www.ncaestheticdds.com

Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery 704-892-9500 www.rolleoralfacialsurgery.com Sandy Stovall, DDS 704-549-5600 www.stovalldentistry.com Smart Orthodontics 704-549-8878 www.smartorthodontics.com

Pike Corporation, Inc. 800-424-7453 www.pike.com

Wizark Medical L.L.C 913-302-1470 www.WizarkMed.com

Kathleen Boyd, DDS, MS, PA 704-637-3636

Zenmonics, Inc. 704-971-7315

Jenkins Electric, Inc. 800-438-3003 www.jenkinselectric.com

Steven H. Ghim, DMD 704-935-2700 www.drstevenghim.com

The Network Team, Inc. 980-263-2856

Xtramile Soft, LLC 704-699-9912 www.xtramilesoft.com

Jim Dickerson Co. 704-331-0544 www.jim-dickerson.com

Interstate Electric Company, Inc. 704-333-7149 www.interstateelectriccompany.com IRV Plumbing, Electric & HVAC 704-544-0200 www.irvplumbing.com

ResourceListings

NTT DATA Consulting 704-936-1600 us.nttdata.com

Summit Air and Electric 704-597-0940 www.summitairandelectric.com Watson Electric Company, Inc. 704-947-5151 www.watsonelectric.com WB Moore Company of Charlotte 704-331-9300 www.wbmoore.com White Electric Company 704-594-4612 www.whiteelectriccompany.com

Ethnic Food Items/ Grocery Stores A1 Stop Food Store 704-347-1747

“ Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” — Barack Obama

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

ResourceListings

Caribbean Hut (2) (704) 527-9505 www.caribbean-hut.com

Extravaganza Events 704-343-9200 www.extravaganzaevents.com

Carolina Smoothies 704-358-0006

It’s My Affair 704-394-4928 www.itsmyaffair.com

Celestial Cakery 704-258-1209 www.celestrialcakery.com Central Market 704-567-2071 www.centralmarketcharlotte.com Compare Foods 704-596-3495 www.compareclt.com Eloquent Creations Catering & Design Services, LLC 704-200-6883 www.eloquentcreationscatering.com Futo Buta 704-376-8400 www.furobuta.com Honey Butter Bakery 704-421-1390 www.honeybutterbakery.com Island Grocery 704-532-0322 www.IslandGroceryandGrill.com Patel Brothers 704-509-2305 www.PatelBros.com Mr. Jim’s Pizza 704-376-5467 www.mrjims.pizza

Occasions Catering and Event Planning 704-333-1060 www.occasionscater.com The Kee Group 704-726-6838 www.keepingeventsepic.com The Main Event 704-332-5819 (Main) 704-605-6028 www.themaineventnc.com

Engineering Advanced Enclosure Consulting 704-361-8664 www.aeconsulting-usa.com Atom Engineering, PLLC 980-938-5231 www.atomengineers.com

Tucker Boynton Company 704-366-5085 www.tbfinancial.com

Wescott Structures, P.A. 704-921-0504 www.wescottstructures.com

Worth Financial Advisory Group 704-731-0121 www.worthadvisors.com

Willis Engineers, Inc. 704-377-9844 www.willisengineers.com

Fitness/Wellness

Financial Services

Better Bodies 4 Us, LLC 980-721-1866 www.betterbodies4us.com

AloStar Bank of Commerce 877-738-6391 www.alostarbank.com

Club Fitness 704-295-7900 www.goclubfitness.com

Anderson & Associates 704-347-0090 www.andersonexecsearch.com

Core Elevation Fitness & Wellness www.coreelevationfitness.com

ATG Accountants & Advisors 704-733-7819 www.atgadvisors.com

Core Elevation Fitness & Wellness www.coreelevationfitness.com

Beacon Wealth Advisors 704-947-8444 www.mybeaconwealth.com

Energyve Fitness 704-763-6556 www.energyve.com

Carter Insurance 704-542-7500 agents.allstate.com/luthercarter-jr-charlotte-nc.html Cornerstone Wealth Planning Matthews: 704-849-0123 www.cornerstone4planning.com

My Gym 704-522-6966 www.mygym.com/charlotte N’Shape with ’N 704-334-4848 www.nshapewithn.com

New Century Grocery & Food 704-921-1716

C2 Engineering Solutions, PLLC 704-266-0942 www.rcengineering.com

Ole Mexican Foods 704-587-1763 www.olemex.com

Critek Engineering Group 336-348-1889 www.critekgroup.com

Organic Marketplace 704-864-0605 www.organicmarketplacenc.com

M&F Bank 704-332-2121 www.mfbonline.com

Devita, Inc. 877.4.Devita (877.433.8482) www.devitainc.com

The Real Money Coach 517-395-7885 www.TheRealMoneyCoach.com

DiCon Consulting 980-202-2011 www.diconconsulting.com

Success By Choice 980-282-0982 www.SuccessByChoice.com

Sweet It Is! Bakery 704-351-4668 www.sweetitis.net

High Performance Building Solutions, Inc. 704-299-1698 www.hpb-solutions.com

Freedom Financial Advantage, LLC 704-905-9867 www.freedomfinancialadvantage.com

Tropical Nut & Fruit, Co 704-588-0400 www.tropicalfoods.com

Hinde Engineering, Inc. 704-814-4407 www.hindeengineering.com

Food/Catering/ Food Trucks

Uptown Catering Company 704-332-5521 www.uptowncateringco.com

GM Financial 704-719-3570 www.gmfinancial.com

Jones Civil Design, P.C. 704-412-8523 www.jonescivildesign.com

J & G Legacy Financial 704-557-9786 www.jandglegacy.com

Big “L” Enterprises 704-392-8717 www.biglfood.com

Events/Party Planning

Laurene, Rickher & Sorrell 980-235-2624 www.lrspc.net

JP Financial Group LLC 704-543-6269 www.jpfinancialgroupllc.com

Cake and Craft Creations 704-577-4400 www.cakeandcraft.com

Aisha Thomas Events 704-951-4273 Aishathomas.com

Shultz Engineering Group 704-334-7363 www.shultzeg.com

Ocean Advisors, LLC 704-523-6914 www.oceanadvisors.com

Carolimas Dessert Boutique 843-800-0766 www.Carolimas.com

Botanica Lights, LLC 704-737-0962 www.botanicalights.com

Smiley Engineering, Inc. 803-548-4111 www.smileyengineering.com

Rose & Associates Southeast 704-896-0094 www.roseassociates.com

Catering by Tara 704-492-3791 www.cateringbytara.com

Creative Catering 704-373-2900 www.creativecateringinc.net

System WorCx, PLLC 704-996-9924 www.systemworcx.com

Self-Help Credit Union 704-375-5781 https://www.self-help.org

Creative Catering 704-373-2900 www.creativecateringinc.net

Oriental Food Market, Inc. 704-537-4281 Plaza Sundries 704-333-1410

Key Signature Entertainment 704-568-1968 www.KeySignatureOnline.com

Watson Electric Company, Inc. 252-237-7511 www.watsonelec.com

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Lending.com 855-693-7283

Discovery Chiropractic and Wellness Center, PLLC 704-946-2054 www.DiscoveryChiroWellness.com Total Life Changes 980-349-5747 Toushea Body Boutique 980-354-1145 www.tousheabodyboutique.com 8th Street Studio 704-372-4289 www.8thstreetstudio.com Ultimate CrossFit 704-497-4099 www.ultimatecrossfit.com

At Premier, we are continually leading the way in healthcare innovation with our inclusive workplace culture and commitment to Supplier Diversity. “Supplier Diversity is critical to the evolution of socio-economic development and growth of our community through minority, women and small veteran business enterprise partnerships. At Premier, we leverage the mass and volume of these programs to drive better healthcare outcomes, strengthen local economies and develop a more robust supplier diversity ecosystem for the healthcare industry.”

Deborah Williams, Senior Director, Supplier Diversity, Premier

Congratulations to Allison Golding, VP of Employee Well-Being & HR Operations, and Stacy Mason, VP of Employee Relations, for their work supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives at Premier. “Congratulations to Allison Golding and Stacy Mason for their nominations for the Best of the Best Award for their work in support of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Premier. It’s the dedication of employees driven by their passion for creating a culture of belonging that makes Premier an outstanding place to work!”

Joe Machicote, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Premier

Join a company that values different perspectives and people of all dimensions of diversity.

www.premierinc.com/careers

ResourceListings

Essie’s Catering 803-329-2228 www.essiescatering.com

Virtual Illustrations 704-287-7023 www.virtualillustrations.com

JP Chiropractic & Posture 704-841-1701 www.jpchiropractic.com

Cost Effective Maintenance, Inc. 704-332-9711

FDY, Inc. 704-523-6605 www.fdyinc.com

VistecGraphx, Inc. 704-377-6626 www.vistecmarketing.com

Lancaster One Medical 803-286-5700 www.lancasteronemed.com

Environmental Controls & Mechanical 704-910-2692

Heaven Sent Catering 980-446-4816 www.heavensentcatering.net

Zuri Creative Services 704-380-0278 www.zuricreative.com

M.D. Laser Studio 704-664-4247 www.mdlaserstudio.com

Gordon’s Heating & A/C 704-370-7789

Howard & Howard Event Management and Catering 980-349-5750 www.howardandhowardevents.com

Health Care/Medical

Jewell Treats 980-202-2530 www.jewelltreats.com

Advantage Vision Center 704-375-3935 www.advantagevisioncenter.net

Manolos Bakery 704-568-2120 www.manolosbakery.com

Americare Health 704-535-0400

Premier Pharmacy 704-496-9182 www.yourwellnesskey.com

Arboretum Obstetrics & Gynecology 704-341-1103, 704-841-7225 www.arboretumobgyn.com

PrimeCare Medical 980-320-0221 www.primecaremed.org

Popbar www.pop-bar.com/collections/ charlotte-nc 980-237-9750 Round The Way Eatery 704-408-7381 www.RoundTheWayEatery.com Sadie’s Café 704-532-5570 The Southern Gourmet 704-849-7646 www.southern-gourmet.com Zippy Ice Inc. 980-355-9851 www.zippyicecompany.com

Graphic Design Brinkley Design, Inc. 704-372-8666 leigh@brinkleydesign.com

www.barbaragreenphysicaltherapy.com

Brandon Gynecology Associates 705-510-1600 www.brandongynecology.com

Serenity Acupuncture and Wellness Clinic 910-707-4602 www.Serenityawc.com

Carolinas Eye Center & MedSpa 704-510-3100

Thuanh Nah Nguyen, MD, PA Internal Medicine & Pediatrics 704-554-8880 White Diamond Medical Clinic 7045429833 www.whitediamondmedical.com

Carolina Family Healthcare 704-847-4000 www.carolinafamilyhealthcare.com Carolina Pediatric Therapy Cooperative 803-980-4900

Cynthia Frank Design 704-562-2616 www.cynthiafrankdesign.com

Center for Personal Growth 704-655-2828 www.center-for-growth.com

Linda K Blake 704-408-8865

Center for Speech Excellence, Inc. 704-375-5231 www.speechexcellence.com

SPARK Publications 704-844-6080 www.sparkpublications.com Signs Unlimited 704-529-4440 Steele Creek Printing & Design, Inc. 704-697-1755 Steelecreekprinting.com Cosmopolitan Creative Group 912-507-1708 www.cosmpolitancreativegroup.com 48

Barbara G Green Physical Therapy 704-377-0020

Classic Graphics 704-597-9015 www.knowclassic.com

Moore Creative Ink, Inc. 704-726-6007 www.moorecreativeink.com

Planned Parenthood 704-536-7233 www.plannedparenthood.org/healthcenter/north-carolina/charlotte

Speechworks Therapy Services 980-237-6226 www.speechworkstherapy.com

Centers for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research 704-895-9355 www.drbuttar.com

Moonlight Creative Group 704-3332-9918 www.moonlightcreative.com

Mount Holly Eye Clinic, Inc. 704-822-0099

Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry 704-377-3687 www.cltpediatricdentistry.com

Williams Chiropractic and Wellness, PLLC 980-237-8489 www.drcleyawcw.com

Heating and Air Conditioning A-1 Quality Insulating Service 704-331-9294 AeroRaq Engineering Inc. 704-469-8463 www.aeroraq.com Air Diagnostics, Inc. 888-611-3011

KID Construction Company, Inc. 704-277-4679 www.kidconco.com Mckenney’s Inc. 704-357-1616 www.mckenneys.com Mr. Charlotte Comfort 704-512-8096 www.mrcharlottecomfort.com Native Air & Heat 704-824-0380 Performance Air, Inc. 704-394-4748 Refresco, PLLC 704-293-8011 www.refresco-pllc.com Superior Mechanical Systems, Inc. 704-335-1942 www.superiormsinc.com

Homecare Services 360° Painting 704-322-4724 www.360painting.com Advanced Roofing & Exteriors, LLC 704-999-4130

www.advancedroofingandexteriors.com

American Fence and Supply Co., Inc. 704-523-4936 www.americanfenceandsupply.com A Devine Lock and Key 704-579-4799 www.adevinelockandkey.com Bless Hurr Soil 484-714-2819 www.blesshurrsoil.com Bullseye Construction, Inc. 704-889-2855 www.bullseyeconstructioninc.com Camden Roofing and Construction, LLC 704-858-2141

First Care Medical Clinic 704-271-5585 www.firstcarecanhelp.com

AME Consulting Engineers, PC 704-295-4263 www.ame-pc.com

Crown Clinic 704-527-5522 www.crownclinicpa.com

Barrett & Barrett Heating & Air 704-391-2077

Cynthia Busher 704-522-8300 www.cynthiabusher.com

CATAWBA Mechanical Services, LLC 704-399-8786 www.catawbamechanical.com

Carolina Door Specialties, INC 704-391-7133

Climate Control of Charlotte 704-588-2066 www.climatecontrolcharlotte.com

Carolina Lawn Service 919-633-4647 www.carolinalawn.com

HomeCare for the Carolinas, LLC 704-335-8488 www.homecareforthecarolinas.com

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Carolina Custom Installations, Inc. 704-568-7277 www.cci-floors.com

Carolina Hydroplanting, LLC 704-913-1113

Certapro Painters of North Charlotte 704-489-0957 Charlotte Plantscapes, Inc 704-529-1399 www.charlotteplantscapes.com

DLS Landscape 704-583-0777 www.dlslandscape.com Fresh Bright Corp. 704-526-6922 www.freshandbrightcorp.com Genesis Construction of the Carolinas 704-266-3737 www.genesiscoc.com Green Commercial Cleaning 704-289-0720 www.greencommercialcleaning.org Jiron’s Construction, Inc. 704-589-2414 www.jironconstruction.com Kim’s Professional Painting 704-349-1810 www.kimsprofessionalpainting.com Millennium CCF and DJF, LLC 704-622-9409

Human Resources/ Executive Search AccruePartners, Inc. 704-632-9955 www.accruepartners.com Advantage Personnel Solutions, LLC 704-612-9500 www.advantageaps.com

Employee Benefit Advisors of the Carolinas, LLC 704-442-4400 www.enviroequipment.com Be Evolved HR 919-576-9279 Beevolvedhr.com

LeadAdvantage, Inc 704-577-7891 www.leadadvantageinc.com Link Staffing 888.292.5465 www.linkstaffing.com Little Gerald Services 704-577-2139 www.lgservicesnc.org Medical Administrative Solutions 704-944-3571 www.mascodingsolutions.com

Allegiance Staffing 704-556-1770 www.allegiancestaffing.com

Greene Group 704-896-3110 www.greene-group.com

Metro Staffing 704-535-3559 www.metrostaffingservice.com

Alpha Labor Contractors, Inc. 704-398-2741 www.alphalaborcontractors.com

Insurance Professional Search, LLC 704-362-5638 www.insuranceprofessionalsearch.com

Employment Practices Counsel Inc. 877-763-7193 www.epcounsel.com

Integra Staffing 704-527-9191 www.integrastaffing.com

FirstPoint, Inc. 800-288-7408 www.firstpointresources.com

Jennifer Temps, Inc. 704-510-1556 www.jennifertemps.com

Performance Staffing Solutions, Inc. 704-927-1477 www.performss.com

J.W. Smith and Associates, LLC (919) 649-4055 jwsmithconsulting.com

PrideStaff 704-237-3646 www.pridestaff.com

Advocations, LLC. 704-960-1783 www.advocations.org

Before You Hire, Inc. 704-878-3600 www.beforeyouhireinc.com Burnett Resources, Inc. 888-273-4108 www.burnettresources.com BPN Healthcare Concepts 866-623-8880 www.bpnhealthcareconcepts.com

Paraclete Incorporated 704-661-2599 www.paraclete.biz

Career Match Solutions 813-412-6560

Tillman’s Lawn Care LLC altontillman70@yahoo.com 704-891-7584

CRG Workforce 704-665-9555 www.getcrg.com

Language Resource Center Inc 877-322-1244 www.languagerc.com

Galilee Agency, Inc. 704-394-0674 www.galileeagency.com

Lewaro Interiors Inc. 980-430-1951

Queen City Master Services 800-326-5540 wwwmasterservicescontractor.com

Corestaff Services 704-248-3453 www.corestaff.com

CEO, Inc. 888-242-1755 www.ceohr.com Compass Career Management Solutions 704-849-2500 www.compasscareer.com

Kavaliro Staffing Services 704-525-3457 www.kavaliro.com Kforce 704-612-2800 www.kforce.com

ResourceListings

Cook’s Pest Control LLC 704-399-8919 www.cookspestcharlotte.com

United Painting Services, Inc. 800-961-5927 www.unitedpaintingservices.com

ProLogistix 704-522-9166 www.prologistix.com Vincent Career Training Institute 941-227-2092 www.vincentcareertraining.com

“ I believe in destiny. But I also believe that you can’t just sit back and let destiny happen. A lot of times, an opportunity might fall into your lap, but you have to be ready for that opportunity. You can’t sit there waiting on it. A lot of times you are going to have to get out there and make it happen.” — Spike Lee July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

There are no limits to what you can accomplish. You have the power to redefine what’s possible. From being the first to graduate college to becoming the next big star in your field — you work relentlessly to knock down barriers and build a stronger legacy. We call that being empowerful. As you continue to create more financial stability for you and your family, Wells Fargo will be right by your side helping to make it happen. You’ve come this far. We can help you go further. Learn how at:

Parks Insurance Group 704-548-0500 www.goparksins.com

Sappenfield Staffing, Inc. 704-332-4710 https://sappenfieldstaffing.com

Prestige Insurance Agency, Inc. 704-321-3900 www.prestigeinsagency.com

Success By Choice 980-282-0982 www.successbychoice.com SourceAbility, Incorporated 704-837-8200 www.sourceabilityinc.com Solutions Staffing 704-503-1090 www.solutionsstaffing.com Staffmark 704-799-3636 www.staffmark.com Trinity Strategic Consulting, Inc. 704-957-0620 www.trinitystrategicconsulting.com Vincent Career Training Institute 941-227-2092 www.vincentcareertraining.com VisionCor, Inc. 704-366-7979 www.visioncor.com Xperience Leadership, LLC 704-896-9881 www.xperienceleadership.com

Insurance Services ACOP, LLC. 888-508-2267 www.acopprotection.com Allstate Insurance: Bob White 704-376-3479 www.allstate.com/bobwhite2 Altmann & Porter Insurance 704-795-9001 www.altmanninsurance.com Carolina Insurance School, Inc. 704-489-9440 www.carolinainsuranceschool.com Carolyn Green, LUTCF 704-504-0564 https://agents.allstate.com/ carolyn-green-charlotte-nc.html Dawn Johnson Agency 803-980-1414 https://www.statefarm.com/ agent/US/SC/Rock-Hill/DawnJohnson-Z4JGF1YS000 Group Insurance Solutions, Inc. 704-543-9314 www.groupinsurancesolutions.com Hayes Insurance Agency 704-545-3337 www.hayesinsuranceagent.com Landmark Insurance Agency 704-633-7283

Rankin Insurance Group, Inc. 704-896-9393 www.rankininsurancegroup.com Zxiva Insurance 980-236-1548

Janitorial/Custodial All Things Professional Cleaning, Inc (704) 345-3976 allthingsprofessional.net

Top Pro Cleaners 704-241-6206 www.topprocleaners.com

Daniela Melendez State Farm 704-733-9022

Latin American Chamber Charlotte

Dentist Salud 704-771-2268 www.dentistsalud.com

1900 Mexican Grill 704-334-4677 www.1900mexicangrill.com

El Progreso Hispano Newspaper 704-529-6624 www.progresohispanonews.com

AC&M Group 704-697-4400 www.acmconnect.com AFC Custom Granite 704-598-1647 www.afccustomgranite.com America’s Real Estate Group, Inc. 704-540-4646

ATL & C Cleans, LLC 704-839-0283 www.atlccleans.com

Apex Exterminating, Inc. 704-573-1197 www.apexexterminatinginc.com

Bucket, Mop, and Broom Cleaning Service LLC 877-784-0781 www.bucketmopandbroom.com

Agua Source, LLC 704-831-8311 www.aguasourcellc.com

Elite Touch Cleaning Services, Inc. 704-266-0623 www.elitetouchcleaningservices.com Green’s Commercial Cleaning, Inc. 704-525-5859 www.gccpride.com JAC Janitorial Services 704-401-7142 jacjanitorialservice.com JC Services Unlimited 980-253-7256 www.jcservicesunlimited.com Joffie Contracting Services, Inc. 704-392-4442 www.joffie.com Mint Maids 704-367-9931 Miriam Davis Cleaning, LLC 704-201-6111 www.miriamdaviscleaning.com MOLLY MAID of South Charlotte / Matthews 704-714-1150 www.mollymaid.com Mr. Clean Maintenance Company 980-339-5399 Sparkle & Shine Cleaning Co. 803-315-7932 www.sparkleandshinecleaningcompany.com

Squeaky Completely Clean 704-455-7580 www.scclean.com The Johnson Group 704-522-3546 www.aejohnsongroup.com

Culturati Research 858-750-2600 www.culturatiresearch.com

El Soplon Deportivo 704-238-0260 Elite Touch Cleaning Services, Inc. 704-266-0623 www.elitetouchcleaning.com Exotic Landscapes 704-537-0842 www.exotic-landscapes.com H3 Staffing, LLC 910-280-6039 www.h3staffing.com Heits Building Services 919-249-6840 www.heitsofcentralnc.com/

Arlette Guerra de Hurtado 704-591-0359

Hernandez Auto Service 828-310-1326

Arronte Law Firm, PLLC 704-774-6292

Into Languages Global 704-408-3132 www.intolanguagesglobal.com

AVON Products Cynthia Garcia 704-999-5581 AVON Products Myriam Gladney 704-814-7318 Baruu Advertising Group LLC 888-841-0179 www.baruu.com Beauty & Body Rituals 704-568-5458 www.bbrituals.com Bonilla Brothers, LLC 704-737-7124 www.bonillaroofingnc.com Borealis Language Academy 980-207-3958 www.borealislanguage.com Cambio Coaching LLC 704-497-2340 www.cambiocoach.com Carnitas Guanajuato Mexican Restaurant 704-563-1651 www.carnitasmexican.com Celia Estrada Realtors 704-335-4400 Centro Medico Latino, PC 704-333-0465 www.centromedicolatino.com Concepcion Barajas Painting 704-557-5072 CSB Promo 704-708-5088 www.csbpromo.com

ResourceListings

Refulgent Technologies Inc. 704-405-4238 www.refulgent-tech.com

JDC Construction 980-721-2882 Johamar, Tires/Wheels 704-847-0175 JV Painting, LLC 704-942-1514 LaCa Projects 704-837-1688 www.lacaprojects.com La Noticia, The SpanishLanguage Newspaper 704-568-6966 www.lanoticia.com Las Delicias Bakery, Inc. 704-568-2120 Latin American Coalition 704-531-3848 www.latinamericancoalition.org Latino Community Credit Union 704-531-0201 www.latinoccu.org Latorre Insurance Group 704-766-0889 www.latorreinsurance.com Law Offices of Stefan R. Latorre, PA 704-342-1111 www.latorrelaw.com Mellorinas Catering 704-264-6115 Metro Landmarks Architecture, PC 704-333-2011 www.metrolandmarks.com July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Mundo Uniforms, LLC 704-287-1527

ResourceListings

Precise Translating, LLC 704-606-2869 www.precisetranslating.com Premier Home Healthcare Services 704-521-4901 www.premierhomehealthcare.com Promotion Magic 704-596-2300 www.promotionmagic.com Punta Cana Grill 704-529-3599 www.puntacanagrill.com Que Pasa Mi Gente Newspaper 704-319-5044 quepasamedia.com/Charlotte/ RentMeUSA 980-355-9696 www.rentameusa.com Sign Connection 704-868-4500 www.signcon.com USTT, Inc. 704-676-0990 www.usttusa.com Windsor Jewelers 704-556-7747 www.windsor-jewelers.com

Marketing/Public Relations AC&M Group 704-697-4400 www.acmconnect.com A Design Company www.robinsonthinks.com Apple Rock Displays 1-800-478-2324 www.applerock.com BluePepper Public Relations 704-625-6564 www.bluepepperpr.com CGR Creative 704-334-2232 www.cgrcreative.com Compass Career Management Solutions 704-849-2500 www.compasscareer.com Digital Divas 201-304-2933 Dream Builders Communication, Inc. 704-727-5006 www.dreambuilderscommunication.com

Eaddy, Perry & Associates, Inc. 704-965-6956 www.eaddyperry.com Fast Signs 704-599-4949 www.fastsigns.com 52

Finishing Partners, Inc. 704-583-7322 www.finishingpartners.com

Norsan Media 800-975-0760 www.norsanmedia.com

Shred-It, Inc. 888.750.6450 www.shredit.com

HDS Manufacturer Representatives 704-504-1032 www.hdsreps.com

QCitymetro.com www.qcitymetro.com

UPS Store - Stewart Creek Crossing 704-392-5099 store5926@theupsstore.com

Image Solutions 704-619-1539 www.imagesolutions.biz International Minute Press 704-782-2020 www.concordimp.com Jervay Agency, LLC 704-780-7004 www.thejervayagency.com KS Image Solutions, LLC 704-786-7763 www.ksimagesolutions.com Latoya Evans Public Relations LLC 910-261-5874 www.lepragency.com

Qué Pasa Media 704-319-5044 www.quepasamedia.com Pride Communications/ Pride Magazine 704-375-9553 www.pridemagazineonline.com Radio One — Old School 105.3, Praise 100.9FM 704-548-7800 www.oldschool1053.com www.praisecharlotte.com Speak Up Magazine 704-980-9885 www.speakupmag.org SPARK Publications 704-844-6080 www.sparkpublications.com

Optometrists Advantage Vision Center 704-375-3935 www.advantagevisioncenter.com Fort Mill Vision Center 803-547-5547 www.fortmillvision.com

Photography/Aerial/ Commercial

Lockman-Brooks Marketing Services 704-944-3188 www.lockmanbrooks.com

The Charlotte Post 704-376-0496 www.thecharlottepost.com

Avioimage Mapping Services, Inc. 704-573-7080 www.avioimage.com

Michelle Connley-Gore 980-477-5665 www.mdcmarketinggroup.com

Mental Health

Advanced Imaging Systems 800-365-1038 www.aisimc.com

Motivation Marketing Firm 704-326-2187 www.MotivationMarketingFirm.com Mythic Advertising & Marketing 704-227-0700 www.mythic.us Pride Public Relations 704-375-9553 www.pridepublicrelations.com The Lyerly Agency 704-525-3937 www.lyerly.com

Media/Magazines/ Newspapers/Radio Asian Library 704-332-4167 chungroup.org

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions 980.938.4100 www.cardinalinnovations.org Essential Assessments & Behavioral Health 980-939-5099 Pride in North Carolina 919-934-1312 www.pridenc.com Symmetry Behavioral Health Systems 704-632-9900 www.symmetrybhs.com The FMRT Group 866-761-0764 www.fmrt.com

Boyle Consulting Engineers, PLLC 704-676-0778 www.boyleconsulting.com Color Star Media 980-819-0255 www.colorstarmedia.com Flawless Capture Photography 704-713-1254 www.FlawlessCapture.com Indigo Photography 704-335-0948 www.indigocharlotte.com JB Long Photography 803-517-7159 www.jblongphotography.com Joanna Dehart Photography 704-545-5850 www.joannadehartphotography.com

Office Supplies/ Services

Kim Brattain Media 704-562-9161 www.kimbrattain.com

Aaron’s 877-607-9999 www.aarons.com

Loyd Visuals 704-615-8743 www.loydvisuals.com

Ad Concepts, Inc. 704-366-1616 www.goadconcepts.com

Media Arts Collective, LLC 704-771-9927 www.mediaartscollective.com

Lake Norman Currents 704-749-8788 www.lncurrents.com

Beardsley Office Solutions, LLC 704-395-3081 www.beardsley-office.com

Moments by Donna 704-364-1215 www.momentsbydonna.com

Lake Norman Woman 704-895-6168 www.lakenormanwoman.com

Carolina Marking Devices 704-599-4500 www.caromark.com

Origin Land Surveying and Mapping, Inc. 704-506-5225 www.originlandsurveying.com

LaRaza — 106.1FM 800-975-0760 www.laraza.com

Richa Graphics 704-331-9744 www.richa.com

PPT Photography 704-293-7459 www.pptphotography.com

Breiding Electronics, Inc. 704-362-5333 www.breidingelectronics.com CAM Talent Agency 614-488-1122 www.camtalent.com La Noticia 704-568-6966 www.lanoticia.com

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Action Graphics 704-332-1164 www.actionprints.com

Timeless Arts, LLC 803-493-7086

Allegra Marketing, Print, and Mail 704-385-4212 www.allegracharlotte.com

Plumbers

American Labels & Printing 704-633-8005

Agua Source 704-831-8311 www.aguasourcellc.com

Fast Signs Matthews/Ballantyne 704-841-4033 www.fastsigns.com

Crockett Quality Plumbing LLC. 704-231-1531 Qualityplumbing.Crockett@aol.com Dependable Plumbing 704-982-6938 Heyworth Plumbing Company, Inc. 704-523-2696 www.heyworthplumbing.com Moore & Son’s Services, LLC 866-540-5054 National Plumbing Solutions 704-309-9565 Pay Less Plumbing 704-393-9032 Paylessplumbingofcharlotte.com

Brightflow Technologies 704-893-8445 www.brightflow.com Carolina Cartridge & Supplies, Inc. 704-347-2447 www.ccsinside.com Classic Graphics 704-597-9015, 800-368-1056 www.knowclassic.com Copy Cat Instant Printing of Charlotte, Inc. 704-529-6606 www.CopyCatSouth.com FSI Office 704-598-8971 www.fsiofficefurniture.com

Reed’s Plumbing Company 704-399-7785

ImageMark 704-865-4912 www.imagemarkonline.com

Rooter Man 866-577-1221 www.rooterman.com

Image Solutions 704-771-5038 www.imagesolutions.biz

Roper Construction, LLC Roper Construction Company 704-332-737 www.roperconstruction.com

Lake Printing and Design 704-895-3878 www.lakeprinting.biz

Tew Equipment Solutions, Inc, 704-573-5476 www.tewequipment.com

Printers 3.10 Graphics 704.910.2242 www.310signs.com

Marie’s Print Shop, Inc. 704-633-1125

Proforma Impressions Group 704-575-2743 www.proforma.com/ impressionsgroup RR Donnelly 704-949-3568 www.rrd.com Richa Graphics 704-331-9744 www.richa.com Squeegee Tees & More, Inc. 704-888-0336 The Charlotte Post Publishing Co. Inc. 704-376-0496 www.thecharlottepost.com Underground Printing Custom T-Shirts & More 980-495-0324 www.Undergroundshirts.com/clt Vision Print Solutions 1-800-200-9797 www.visionenvelope.com

Recycling/Junk Removal/Shredding All Points Waste Service Inc. 704-821-5424 www.wm.com C & M Recycling, Inc. 704-599-1771 www.gotsomeconcrete.com Carolina Recycles 704-376-4295 www.carolinarecycles.com Junk King 704-469-4815 www.charlotte.junk-king.com Shred-It, Inc. 704-424-5997 www.shredit.com

Publishing/SelfPublishing Books

Remodeling

SPARK Publications 704-844-6080 www.sparkpublications.com

Anointed Flooring, Inc. 704-510-8906 www.anointedflooring.com Do It All Interiors, LLC 704-492-9741 www.doitallinteriors.webs.com

Real Estate Canopy Realtor Association 704-372-0911 www.CarolinaHome.com

Mid-Carolina Reprographics, LLC 704-529-0612 www.mid-carolinareprographics.com

Morton Malloy Realtors 704-773-6457 Nettie Lark, REALTOR Morton Malloy Realty 704-340-3862 704-773-6457 www.mwrealtors.com

Perfect Image Printing, Inc. 704-841-2464 www.perfectimagemktg.com

Valarie R. Brooks Real Estate 704-488-2420 www.valarierbrooks.com

Metrographics 704-375-2474 www.metrographicsprinters.com

Servant Heart Realty Group 704-748-0922 www.servantheartrealtygroup. com/our-firm

ResourceListings

Sanborn 1-866-726-2676 www.sanborn.com

Free Agent Electric 704-502-4677 M&V Builders 980-579-0344 www.mandvbuilders.com Mister Sparky 704-341-2270 www.mistersparky.com Interior Motives by Will Smith LLC 704-523-0935 Interiormotives.ws ToddCo Builders, Inc. 704-277-6338 www.toddcobuilders.com

“ If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.” — Maya Angelou

July-August 2021 | Pride Magazine

Restaurants

ResourceListings

Asian 88 China Bistro 704-335-0288 www.88chinabistro.com Basil Thai CuisineCharlotte, NC 704-332-7212 www.eatatbasil.com Be-Em Asian Kitchen 704-708-4793 www.be-em.com Dim Sum Chinese Restaurant 704-569-1128 www.dimsumchineserestaurant.com Golden Taipai 704-494-8688 www.goldentaipaicharlotte.com House of Leng 704-510-5081 www.houseofleng.com Ishi Restaurant 704-921-9219 www.sushiishi.com Nikko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar 980-213-973 www.nikkosushibar.com

Keyper Systems 704-455-9400 www.keypersystems.com

Copper Cuisine of India 704-333-0063 www.copperrestaurant.com

Landmark Security, Inc. 704-527-7756

Don Pedro Mexican Restaurant 704-921-2414 www.donpedrorestaurant.com La’wan’s Soul Food Restaurant 704-665-7225 www.lawans.com Los Paisas (Colombian) 704-542-5477 www.lospaisasrestaurant.com Luna’s Living Kitchen 704-333-0008 www.lunaslivingkitchen.com Mr. Charles Chicken & Fish 704-333-0455 www.mrcharleschickenandfish.com Mr. Charles Chicken & Fish 704-595-7410 www.mrcharleschickenandfish.com Maharani Indian Cuisine 704-370-2455 www.maharanicharlotte.com

Soho Bistro 704-333-5882 www.sohobistro2go.com

Mert’s Heart & Soul 704-342-4222 www.mertscharlotte.com

Shun Lee Palace, Inc. 704-366-2025 www.shunleecharlotte.com

Monterrey 704-593-0167 www.monterreyuncc.com

Thai House - University 704-717-8006 www.thaihouse.us.com Thai Orchid 704-364-1134 www.thaiorchidrestaurantcharlotte.com Thai Taste 704-332-0001 www.thaitastecharlotte.com Vietnam Grille 704-525-2408 www.vietnamgrille.business.site

Multicultural Cuisine Anntony’s Caribbean University 704-598-6863 6434 West Sugar Creek Rd. Suite F www.anntonyscaribbeancafe. weebly.com

Chicken Box 704-566-6000 www.thechickenboxcafe.com

Nana’s Soul Food Kitchen 704-357-3700 www.nanassoulfoodkitchen.com Saffron Indian Restaurant 980-297-7722 www.saffron-cuisine.com Soul Central 980-349-4015 www.soulcentralfood.com Three Amigos Mexican Grill & Cantina 704-536-1851 www.threeamigoscharlotte.com VelTree – Vegan Soulfood 980-355-0075

Security Alarms and Services

Azteca Mexican Restaurant (Woodlawn) 704-525-5110 www.aztecarestaurantcharlotte.com

Alpha Alarm Systems, Inc. 704-598-5829 www.alphasecurity.us

Bobbee O’s BBQ 704-509-6902 www.bobbeeosbbq.com

Firestop Carolinas, Inc. 704-662-7720 www.firestopcarolinas.com

Cantina 1511 704-331-9222 www.cantina15eleven.com

JP Government Investigations 877-990-2111 www.jpgovernmentinvestigations.com

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

LifeGuard Protective Services, Inc. 704-319-3180 www.lifeguardprotective.com Professional Protection, Inc. 704-523-1660 www.ppi-inc.com Professional Security Services 1-888-704-7765 www.pssprotection.com SAF Technologies, Inc. 704-844-0955 www.saftechnologies.com Security Solutions Group & Investigative Services 540-220-0052 www.ssgis.com andre@ssgis.com Southeastern Public Safety Group 704-394-1500 www.secpd.com

Street Sweeping/ Parking Lots Major Clean 704-529-5775 www.majorcleaninc.com Supreme Sweepers, LLC 888-698-9996 www.supremesweepers.com

Tax Return Preparation ABC Tax Services 704-735-7900 Accounting Associates 704-864-0284 Accounting Payroll & Taxes, Inc. 704-482-1722 ATG Advisors 704-303-9998 www.atgadvisors.com Burchett Financial Services 704-549-9401 www.burchettfinancial.com Bustle Tax Service 704-873-3946

Signs

H&R Block 704-503-1502

Bunn Barber Specialties 704-650-2242 www.bbunnspecialties.com

Hawkins Accounting & Tax Service 704-509-2399 www.hawkinstax.com

DAWA, Inc. 704-321-4748 www.dawainc.com FastSigns - S. Tryon 704-527-9102 www.fastsigns.com/176 Graphical Creations, Inc. 704-888-8870 www.graphi-cal.com Signs Now 704-343-9619 Metrolina Sign Supply 704-343-0885 www.metrolinasignsupply.com Petrie Sign Installation 704-599-6977 Pronto Signs 704-890-4554 Quality Neon, Inc. 704-598-2256 www.qualityneoninc.com Rite Lite Signs 704-788-7097 www.ritelightsigns.com

Liberty Tax Service 704-373-1343 www.libertytax.com Lucas Tax & Energy Consulting 704-968-5506 www.lucastaxandenergy.com Marilynn Allred (H&R Block) 704-827-5761 MND Accounting 866-774-9447 Mndaccounting.com Storey’s Tax Bookkeeping & Secretarial 704-865-0210 www.storeystaxservice.com TaxPro 1000 Instant Tax Centers 704-596-3400 www.taxpro1000.com

Taxis

Signs by Tomorrow 844-957-4467 www.signsbytomorrow.com

Assistance Travel & Transportation, Inc. (919) 489-5050 www.assistancetravel.com

Signs, ETC of Charlotte 704-522-8860 www.signsetcofcharlotte.com

Crown Cab Company, Inc. 704-334-6666 www.crowncabinc.com

Sign Innovations 704-375-2338

Luxury Transportation 704-458-9126

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ResourceListings

Prestige Wheelchair Transportation 704-332-3939

The Agency Marketing Group 704.564.9694 www.gettheagency.com

TJ’s Taxi 704-938-5440 www.TJS.com

The Anstad Group 704-208-8304 www.anstad.com

VIP Transportation Services 704-200-2347 www.ondutylimo.com

Zuri Creative Services 704-380-0278 www.zuricreative.com

Video Production Apollo Video Productions 704-814-8899 www.apollovideoclt.com Civilized Films, Inc. 704-904-6368 www.civilizedfilms.com Color Star Media 980-819-0255 www.colorstarmedia.com

Nonprofits Chambers of Commerce Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce 866-937-2742 www.caacc.com

Chinese-American Association of Charlotte 704-877-6759 www.charlottechinese.com

Metrolina Minority Contractors Association 877-526-6205 www.mmcaofcharlotte.org

Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County 704-525-5843 www.meckdemwomen.com

N.C. Small Business Administration (SBA) 704-344-6563 https://www.sba.gov/localresources/north-carolina

Diversity Council of the Carolinas 281-975-0626 www.ndccarolinas.org German Language and Culture Foundation 704-906-5850 www.germanfoundation.com Hispanic Contractors Association of the Carolinas 704-583-4184 www.hcacarolinas.org Hmong Southeast Puavpheej 828-260-3910 hmongsoutheastpuavpheej.org

National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Charlotte 704-900-3067 www.nawbocharlotte.com National Black MBA Association — Charlotte Chapter 877-732-0314 www.nbmbaacharlotte.org National Hispanic Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Inc. www.nheo.org

Kim Brattain Media 704-562-9161 www.kimbrattain.com

Charlotte Business Guild (LGBT Community) 704-750-5224 www.clgbtcc.org

Rebrand Media 510-862-6757 www.rebrandlifestyle.com

Charlotte Chamber 704-378-1300 www.charlottechamber.com

InnerVision, Inc. 704-377-5042 www.innervisionnc.org

Neighborhood Good Samaritan Center 704-605-6723 704-531-9989 www.ngscenter.org

SL Media Productions 704-451-3566

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce cltblkchamber.com

Internal Revenue Service Charlotte 704-548-4100 www.irs.gov

Office of International Relations 704-336-2174 charlottenc.gov/international-relations

Junior Achievement of Central Carolinas 704-536-9668 centralcarolinas.ja.org

Philipine American Association of North Carolina www.paanc.org

Stratagon Inc. 888-506-3466 www.stratagon.com The Inertia Group 704-301-2551 www.inertia-group.com

Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte 704-237-0552 www.lacccharlotte.com

Web Design

Business & Civic Organizations

Brand Equity Marketing, LLC (704) 372-3982 www.brandequitymarketing.com

100 Black Men of Charlotte 704-375-7300 www.100blackmenofcharlotte.org

New Creations Enterprises 704-971-7854

Altrusa International of Charlotte 704-321-2902 districtthree.altrusa.org/charlotte

Neonsky Creative Media 704-377-4820 www.neonsky.com STP Ventures, LLC 704-470-4121 www.stpventures.com

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Republican Women 704-661-5020 cmrw.org

Homes of Hope, Inc 704-982-3634 www.homesofhopestanly.org

Lao American Association www.lasga.org Latin American Coalition 704-531-3848 www.latinamericancoalition.org Latin American Women’s Association 704-552-1003 www.lawanc.org

Pride Entrepreneur Education Program (PEEP) 704-375-9553 www.peepcharlotte.org SCORE 704-344-6576 www.charlottescore.org The Diversity Forum 704-527-9191

League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg 704-556-4600 www.goleaguego.org

Urban LeagueCentral Carolinas 704-373-2256 www.urbanleaguecc.org

Metropolitan Business & Professional Women 704-500-3524

Vietnamese Association 704-607-4461 vietcharlotte.wixsite.com/vietcharlotte

“ I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’ ” — Muhammad Ali

Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Women’s InterCultural Exchange 980-355-7000 www.wi-ce.net

A Child’s Place 704-343-3790 www.thompsoncff.org/a-childs-place/ Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas 704-910-1301 www.bbbs.org Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency 704-535-8803 www.carolinarefugee.org

Kicking for a Dream 305-439-7464 www.kickingforadream.org Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services 704-336-3000

Children and Family Services Center 704-943-9400 www.childrenfamily.org

www.mecknc.gov/dss/Pages/Home.aspx

Refugee Support Services 704-458-3245 www.refugeesupportservices.org

Community Link 704-943-9490 www.communitylinknc.org

United Way of Central Carolinas, Inc. 211 (information and referral services) 704-372-7170 www.uwcentralcarolinas.org Urban Ministry Center 704-347-0278 www.urbanministrycenter.org YMCA of Greater Charlotte 704-716-6200 www.ymcacharlotte.org

Safe Alliance 980-771-4673 www.safealliance.org

Crisis Assistance Ministry 704-371-3001 www.crisisassistance.org

Supportive Housing Communities 704-335-9380

Hope Haven, Inc. 704-372-8809 www.hopehaveninc.org

ResourceListings

Community Services

Center of Hope/ Salvation Army (Shelter for women and children) 704-348-2560 www.salvationarmycarolinas.org/ charlotte/get-help/center-of-hope

www.supportivehousingcommunities.org

“ If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” — Frederick Douglass

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Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine (2021 - 2022)

Articles inside

IOR Global Helps Expatriates Settle In

Fleeing Civil War

Hester Ford Dies at 115

Fifth Third Bank

The Need to Raise the Minimum Wage

From the Publisher

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee

Precision Passion. Results.

Leading the Way