BarCamp Charlotte 8 Takes Place Saturday - Free

If you work in technology, for a startup, in the arts, media, investments, marketing, or computer fields--ranging from a freelancer to an entrepreneur, an executive to a college student, you're encouraged to attend BarCamp Charlotte 8 this Saturday, October 26. Seeing as how this list of professions and career fields runs the gamut, if you're not familiar with BarCamp Charlotte you should get the impression that it's open to just about anyone. So what is it?

As the local version of BarCamp, which began in 2005 in Palo Alto, California, BarCamp Charlotte is a community-organized democratic event that's filled with a day's worth of sessions in which the topics and ideas are pitched, voted on, and determined that morning (and again in the afternoon). That's why this type of event is often categorized as being an "un-conference." The topics typically deal with technology and innovation, and it should be a great way for you to network, build relationships, and maybe even come away with a new idea or two that you want to apply to your endeavors.

A BarCamp Charlotte event at its former home, Area 15. Credit: facebook.com/BarCampCharlotte

Since beginning eight years ago, BarCamps have taken place in more than 350 cities around the world. Charlotte got in on it in 2009 and has held seven events thus far, attracting more than 250 attendees. Area 15 in NoDa had served as the home to BarCamp Charlotte since its inception, but this year the un-conference has moved to a much larger venue, Pease Auditorium at Central Piedmont Community College.

BarCamp Charlotte 8 is free and open to the public. If you plan to attend, you're asked to register in advance. The event, which includes lunch, goes from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, followed by an after-party 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Kickstand Burgers-N-Bar.

Visit barcampclt.org for complete details. You can also follow the group on Twitter @BarCampCLT and the hashtag is #barcampCLT.

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An Evening with Charlotte's Mayors - May 21

If you're civic-minded, politically engaged, or just want to get more insight into the well-being and future of Charlotte, there's a great event coming up that you should mark your calendar to attend. An Evening with Charlotte's Mayors is a free public forum, taking place Tuesday, May 21, 7 p.m. at Dale F. Halton Theater at Central Piedmont Community College (1206 Elizabeth Ave.). All six of Charlotte's living mayors will be on the panel: current Mayor Anthony Foxx (who's leaving his post soon to join the Obama Administration) and former mayors: North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, Richard Vinroot, former U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, Harvey Gantt, and Eddie Knox.

Charlotte mayors present and past. Top, left to right: Mayor Anthony Foxx, Gov. Pat McCrory, Richard Vinroot; bottom: Sue Myrick, Harvey Gantt, and Eddie Knox.

The forum is billed as an "historic discussion [that] comes at an intriguing time in Charlotte's history. A crucial mayoral election looms while concerns swirl over the city's future: growth without annexation, the widening gap between the affluent and poor, and rising tensions over control of the airport and a persistently high unemployment rate." Award-winning documentarian and TV journalist Steve Crump will moderate the evening, and audience members will be allowed to ask questions.

The event is free to attend, but registration is required by clicking here.  Doors will open at 6 p.m., the forum begins at 7, and a dessert, wine, and coffee reception will follow. The event is sponsored by The Charlotte Observer, PNC Bank, and CPCC.

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President Obama Shouts Out Jackie Bray, Charlotte, Siemens, and CPCC in 2012 State of the Union

If you watched last night’s State of the Union address by President Barack Obama, then you saw the great face time a local woman received. About 17 minutes into his hour-long speech, President Obama touted Jackie Bray’s success story. He told how Jackie, from Kings Mountain, was laid off from her job as a mechanic. But thanks to a partnership between Siemens' new gas turbine factory in Charlotte and Central Piedmont Community College, the company paid Jackie's tuition; then hired her full-time.

Jackie was seated next to First Lady Michelle Obama, and the national television cameras cut to her about a half-dozen times. She was clearly overwhelmed by the fact that the POTUS was saying her name repeatedly.

"I want every American looking for work to have the same opportunity as Jackie did," President Obama said. "Join me in a national commitment to train 2 million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a job. My administration has already lined up more companies that want to help. Model partnerships between businesses like Siemens and community colleges in places like Charlotte, and Orlando, and Louisville are up and running."

Below is a two-minute video clip of Jackie's face time. It's also great publicity for CPCC, which is already a thriving community college system, and for Siemens, which comes off looking like a great corporate citizen.

You can watch the full 2012 State of the Union address by clicking here.

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C-SPAN's Spending the Week In Charlotte

Details below are edited from press release.

C-SPAN is visiting Charlotte for a week starting today, as it chronicles the history and literary life of the city for the cable network’s non-fiction book channel (BookTV on C-SPAN2) and history channel (American History TV on C-SPAN3). Charlotte is one of eight cities being featured in a special series called the LCV Cities Tour. The tour is given this name because C-SPAN producers are travelling in specially designed Ford Transit Connect vehicles, which they're calling Local Content Vehicles (LCVs), that are equipped with digital cameras, editing and other recording technologies, and each member of the LCV team is able to shoot and edit video on location as well as make presentations to the community about the work they do for the network.

C-SPAN Team: Mark Farkas, Tiffany Rocque, Adrienne Hoar, and Deborah Lamb. [Source]

During the week, C-SPAN producers will visit various literary and historic sites, interviewing local historians, authors and civic leaders, including Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and Charlotte Chamber President Bob Morgan. The C-SPAN team will also visit area schools, including Central Piedmont Community College, Providence Day School, and McClintock Middle School. C-SPAN is partnering with Time Warner Cable, the network’s local affiliate, which is helping to organize the week’s many logistics.

A Tuesday, August 30 public kick-off event will be held at Charlotte Museum of History, 3500 Shamrock Drive, with opening remarks at 6:30 p.m. from Time Warner Cable, C-SPAN, and representatives of Charlotte Museum of History. The event keynote speaker is local author and Levine Museum of the New South historian, Dr. Tom Hanchett. He'll discuss Charlotte’s unique history and other topics included in his book Sorting Out the New South City and his most recent work, Salad Bowl Suburbs: A History of Charlotte's East Side and South Boulevard Immigrant Corridors.

The kick-off event will air along with C-SPAN’s other productions during a special Charlotte feature the weekend of September 24-25 on BookTV and American History TV. For more details, visit www.c-span.org/LocalContent.

In the video below, Mark Farkas, C-SPAN executive producer and LCV project manager, explains why they're visiting cities like Charlotte.

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Black History Tribute: Dr. Ronald Carter

This is the final installment in my week-long tribute to Black History Month, where I've spotlighted Charlotte-area people and organizations that are making black history.

One of the things I enjoy most about my work as a journalist is the remarkable people I often meet when I'm working on stories. Last September, I spent a great deal of time with Dr. Ronald L. Carter, president of Johnson C. Smith University. I attended at least a half-dozen of his meetings and events where he spoke, as I gathered material for the article I was writing for Charlotte magazine. Months after the article came out ("Answering the Call," November 2010 issue), I'm seeing some of the things Dr. Carter was working on come to fruition.

Dr. Carter speaking at a recent event at JCSU. Photo by Jon Strayhorn/Media Arts Collective.

In his third year at the helm of JCSU, he's passionate about helping the historically black university connect more to the city--culturally and physically. He's launched several community-based programs that he feels will expose students to great opportunities and teach them to be civic-minded. He chairs the Charlotte Streetcar Advisory Committee, not the type of committee many university presidents would roll up their sleeves for, but he wants to ensure that his university and its Beatties Ford Road community are represented in the city's transit plans. One of those plans is Charlotte's proposed streetcar. The line would run a total of 10 miles along Beatties Ford Road near I-85 through Center City along Trade Street, traveling up Elizabeth Avenue by Central Piedmont Community College, and out to Central Avenue at Eastland Mall. Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) got a huge push in the right direction when it received a $25 million federal grant for the project last summer, but the costly streetcar still faces many economic challenges.

Dr. Carter was able to celebrate a smaller, but very important, victory two weeks ago, however. The Gold Rush, CATS' free Uptown bus service (the trolley on wheels that a lot of city and bank employees use), began its extended red line stops at JCSU on the west and Central Piedmont Community College to the east. The extension is made possible by a financial partnership between CATS, Charlotte Center City Partners, JCSU, and CPCC. Now JCSU students are able to travel to Uptown more conveniently to get to restaurants, meetings, cultural events, jobs/internships, and to catch buses and the light rail, all without using a car. Not to mention the potential for Uptown leaders--from city councilmen to business executives--to take the Gold Rush to JCSU's campus, where Dr. Carter has made the traditionally closed campus more open to building community and business relationships.

Another important initiative by the prez began in September. I attended a press conference then, in which he announced the university would be funding a community survey called Soul of the Northwest Corridor. Dr. Carter was inspired to have the study conducted after seeing the results of the Knight Foundation's Soul of the Community Project, which is a new community model that provides guidance for community and local government leaders seeking to create long-term, positive change within their cities. JCSU wanted to dig deeper and zero in on its neighborhood specifically. So it partnered with the Knight Foundation and hired Gallup to conduct the survey, which is said to be the first in the nation to be conducted at the neighborhood or community level.

Yesterday, JCSU released the results of the Soul of the Northwest Corridor Survey, in which 1,000 residents of neighborhoods along Beatties Ford Road were polled. It's a lot of data that can be particularly useful for a segment of the population that's not traditionally studied in such ways (click here to read it). I'm reminded of something Dr. Carter said a few months ago at an event in which he spoke in front of an audience of mostly African-American businessmen: "We cannot continue to say there is a problem and not define the problem." That's where Dr. Carter's going to make the most impact in the community. He's leading efforts to define the problems many African-Americans have complained about for years. And once they've been defined, real solutions can be sought.

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Events for MLK Weekend: January 15-18

Your best weekly list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte. This isn’t intended to be a complete list of everything that's going on, but instead are the events GPT recommends.

Friday, January 15

Aluminum Show Aluminum Can Drive
The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center is holding a can food drive to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. Anyone who brings five cans of food will receive a voucher for one free ticket to The Aluminum Show, which is playing at the Knight Theater until the end of the month. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wachovia Atrium, 401 S. Tryon St. www.blumenthalcenter.org.

MLK Memorial and Wreath Laying Celebration
This annual event commemorates the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Guest speakers will be on hand, and complimentary lunch will be provided by Bojangles’. 12-1 p.m. Free. MLK statue at Marshall Park, 800 E. Third St. Click here for more details.

SlamCharlotte Poetry Slam
Witness Charlotte’s own two-time defending national championship team of spoken word poets (2007 and 2008 winners) do what they do best at this monthly event. Show contains adult language and content. 8 p.m. $10. McGlohon Theatre, 345 North College St. www.blumenthalcenter.org.

Jesse Metcalfe at Suite
He played the gardener on Desperate Housewives that every guy wanted to be and every girl wanted to be with. See him in person as he hosts this party. 10 p.m. $10 and up. Suite, at the EpiCentre, 210 E. Trade St. www.suitecharlotte.com.

Kickin It on the Southside
Digital Divas presents this weekly Friday night event for those who live or want to party in south Charlotte. This week they’ll be celebrating Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founder’s Day. Enjoy drink specials and a DJ spinning hip-hop and R&B. 10 p.m. Free. On The Roxx, 14021 Conlan Circle (Ballantyne). www.digitaldivasevents.com.

Saturday, January 16

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade
Honoring the man, the memory, and the movement, this year’s parade features local and regional high school and university marching bands, steppers, social and community service organizations, as well as many local political, religious and community leaders. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Trade and Ninth to McDowell and Second streets. Click here for more details.

PlayDate Charlotte
Bring out the kid in you. Play card games, checkers, dominoes, Connect Four, Twister, Monopoly, old-school video games, and more while enjoying music and drinks. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Tyvola Marriott, 5700 Westpark Dr. www.playdatecharlotte.com.

Julius Peppers 30th Birthday
Come celebrate with the Carolina Panthers star. 10 p.m. Cost varies; members free before 11 p.m. Club 935, 935 S. Summit Ave. www.club935.com.

80s Blü Prom Party
Break out your shoulder pads and dress ruffles, and bring on your 1980s hair for Blü Magazine’s 80s Prom Party. Drink spiked punch and get your cheesy prom photo taken. Best dressed will be selected as Prom King and Queen. 10 p.m. RSVP to blu.parties@gmail.com to get in for free before 11 p.m.; $5 after that. Dharma Lounge, 1440 S. Tryon St., Suite 105 (entrance faces W. Summit Ave). www.dharmacharlotte.com.

Sunday, January 17

Cuttin’ Class Community Hair Cutting Day
No Grease! Barber Shop in collaboration with area celebrities will team up to sponsor haircuts for kids in the Charlotte area. Local celebrities will be on hand to sign autographs and take pictures, and food and drinks will be provided. 1-4 p.m. Free. No Grease! School of Tonsorial Arts, 4600 Holbrook Drive. www.nogrease.com.

Roc Da Runway
See the latest styles and trends at this hair and fashion show There will also be a networking social and after-party. Doors open at 6 p.m.; show starts at 7 p.m. $15 and up. Baxterhood Center, 452 S. Anderson Rd., Rock Hill, SC. Click here for more details.

King Holiday Celebration
Celebrate having the next day off by partying at one of Charlotte’s hottest lunges. 9 p.m. Ladies $5; men $10. Presented by Exclusive Entertainment NC. Luna Lounge, 521 N. College St. www.exclusiveentertainmentnc.com.

Southern Hospitality
It’s sure to be a packed house at one of the most anticipated parties of this holiday weekend. Music by DJ Jaycee, Ludacris’s official DJ. Presented by BlueGoose and Sol Kitchen. 10 p.m. $10 in advance; more at the door. The Forum, 300 N. College St. www.thesolkitchen.com.

MAZ’s New Year’s Resolution
To compensate for the complications at its New Year’s Eve party, MAZ Entertainment is inviting everyone to party for free. 9:30 p.m. Latorre’s Nightclub, Fiji Sushi Bar and Lounge, and Kashmir Nightclub (three levels in the same building), 116 W. Fifth St. www.mazentertainment.net.

Monday, January 18

City of Charlotte MLK National Holiday Celebration
Lockwood Home Owner Association president Chris Dennis will be awarded the Keeper of the Dream Award, and Dr. David Jacobs, associate medical director for trauma services at Carolinas Medical Center, will be awarded the prestigious MLK Medallion Award. The CMS Arts and Writing Contest winners will also be recognized and awarded scholarships. Special guests include violinist Daniel Davis, recording artist Tunesha Crispell, and Leap of Faith Dance Company. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Halton Theatre, CPCC Uptown Campus, 1206 Elizabeth Ave. Click here for more details.

Mainstream Mondays: Therapy for Haiti
This installment of this weekly mixer is focusing on a good cause, for victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Guests are encouraged to donate clothes and non-perishable items. HeadShell (headshellmanagement.com) will cover all shipping expenses to Haiti via Wyclef Jean’s Yele organization. Food and drink specials, and music by celebrity DJ Shogun. Presented by Eddietainment. 8 p.m.-midnight. Therapy Café, 401 N. Tryon St. www.eddietainment.com.

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Lacey Survives 'Hell's Kitchen' Another Week

Charlotte native and former Central Piedmont Community College student Lacey survived another round of elimination last night on Hell's Kitchen. The episode started with her Red teammates reminding her how she'd been lucky to make it through the previous round. During the heated moment, the 24 year-old responded: "Do you want me to go quit right now? Then shut the f--k up about it!" In case you don't know, a lot of cursing goes on in the kitchen. Catch Hell's Kitchen Thursdays at 9 p.m. on FOX. Click here for Lacey's bio.

You gotta stand the heat, Lacey.

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