#GovJamCLT Is this Weekend - June 12-14

The Charlotte Shapers are giving you the opportunity to collaborate on solutions to problems and challenges facing the city. It’s a weekend-long event, dubbed #GovJamCLT (see hash on Twitter), with the goal of helping “Charlotte residents begin to make the increasingly important connections needed between government and those the public sector serves.”

You might be familiar with previous events and initiatives the Charlotte Shapers have done over the last couple of years, such as its annual business idea competition. Part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, the Charlotte group carries out the international organization’s mission of empowering young leaders (people in their 20s and 30s) to create solutions to problems around the world, essentially one community and city at a time. The Charlotte group’s primary focus is tackling youth unemployment, but they also address a wide range of issues, as you’ll see with #GovJamCLT.

#GovJamCLT Rundown

Date: June 12-14 | Friday, 5:45 - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Admission: $15; covers all three days (each day that you attend, you get $5 back).
Location: The Junior League of Charlotte, 1332 Maryland Ave.

Part of the Global Gov Jam, when people around the world will come together for 48 hours, #GovJamCLT is open to everyone, and the theme of this “jam” will be announced at the start of the event (but you can presume it will be tied to local government). If you've never participated in an event like this before, all you need to do is come with an open mind and a desire to see positive change where you live.

Get complete details and register for #GovJamCLT at charlotteshapers.org/govjamclt.

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Volunteer with Youth this Summer -- It's Rewarding

Summertime is approaching, and although we aren't kids anymore (which means gone are the nearly three-month-long summer breaks), there are plenty of opportunities to support youth in our communities. I've found, over the years, this is when many youth programs and nonprofit organizations are in great need of volunteers and mentors. I encourage you to get involved, whether it's in a long-term capacity with one organization or you're supporting various events throughout the coming weeks and months.

On Saturday, I volunteered with the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation's annual football camp. The Carolina Panthers' star, Thomas Davis, puts on the free event for Charlotte youth and invites several of his teammates and other players and coaches from around the NFL to provide a day of fun, sports training, and motivation for the kids (fellow Panthers Luke Kuechly, Ryan Kalil, and Jonathan Stewart were among those in attendance; watch the Panthers.com video of Davis' camp). The camp is a part of TDDDF's annual charity weekend, which also included a fundraising party Friday night at the Harvey B. Gantt Center (also attended and supported by several NFL players).

As I helped with the camp registration Saturday morning, and the kids walked up one by one to check in, it reminded me why I love giving my time to serve youth. Just seeing the looks on their faces -- excitement, enthusiasm, and even shyness for some -- took me back to when I was their ages, and had the benefit of men in my community positively impacting my life (from my father to my Boy Scout troop leaders and recreation league coaches).  

A pleasure volunteering at @ThomasDavisSDTM @TDDDF's free youth football camp today in #CLT. #TDDDF pic.twitter.com/7u1Gc9KeLM

— Jarvis Holliday (@HollidayInk) May 16, 2015

Out here supporting the man of the year @td58 with his football Champ Charlotte #defendingdreams #keeppounding

A photo posted by Jonathan Stewart (@jonathanstewar1) on May 16, 2015 at 8:18am PDT

Below is a quick video I captured with my phone of the TDDDF camp kids shouting their excitement at the end of the day's activities.

I look forward to volunteering with youth throughout this summer, and I hope you will too! Follow me on Twitter @HollidayInk, where I often share details on volunteer and charitable opportunities in Charlotte.

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Enjoy Brunch, Honor Dr. King

My twin brother and I are co-hosting a brunch this Sunday, January 18, in Charlotte in honor of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event begins at noon and takes place at Sydney's Martini and Wine Bar in Uptown. We're looking forward to presenting a culturally and socially enriching afternoon, which will include a live band and MLK-themed performances. Admission is free, but RSVP is required at mlk.hollidaysocial.com; the cost of the brunch buffet is $15.

Credit: The King Center

I hope you will join us on Sunday!

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Read About It: Understand Charlotte's Black Culture, And This Is a Story About More Than Race

In the current issue of Creative Loafing (Oct. 30-Nov. 5), is one of the most important and, in my opinion, most impactful stories I've ever written. It's the cover story and is titled, "Black-ish: An introspective look at why the African-American cultural scene struggles to thrive in Charlotte," and you can read it by clicking here. Since the story was published a few days ago, I've received (and observed) lots of feedback in person, via emails, in the web version's comments section, and mostly, of course, on social media--Facebook and Twitter to be specific.

I don't have much to add here other than to say that if you haven't read the story yet, I hope that you will. It's 3,500 words, so it's a long read, but I think you will find it to be engaging. I know that many people aren't comfortable talking about issues dealing with race--at least not in public--but if we don't have those discussions then we won't understand each other, and we certainly won't make progress as a society. I've been pleased with the enlightened conversations that have been going on so far from readers of the story.

And as I referenced in the guest column I wrote for Creative Loafing, which was published a week earlier and served as a bit of a preview to the feature story (click here to read the column; it offers a great narrative of Charlotte's Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard), I had been reluctant to write about race throughout my career as a journalist. But I realized that this was a story I needed to tell: how social segregation and lack of ownership are stifling Charlotte's African-American cultural scene--from young professionals to business owners--and the impacts that has on the city as a whole.

I believe you'll realize that this story is about much more than race. It's about how we relate to each other as human beings, and whether we are living up to the ideals we profess.

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Money Magazine Reveals What We Already Know: Charlotte Is the 'Best Big-City Bargain' In the Country

ICYMI, earlier this week, Money magazine published its annual package of stories and rankings comprising its "Best Places to Live in America." Among the 2014 lists is the "Best Big-City Bargains," and coming in at No. 1 is Charlotte, which you likely agree with if you live here. Nos. 2-5 are Phoenix, Fort Worth, Boston, and Chicago. The Time Inc.-owned publication describes its methodology for determining the list:

To create this list of best-value big-city neighborhoods, we ranked places with over 500,000 in population on housing affordability, economic strength, home price forecasts, and livability using data from NeighborhoodScout, OnBoard Informatics, and CoreLogic. Then we looked for promising, well-priced neighborhoods in our top 10 locales.

It highlights two thriving Charlotte neighborhoods in particular: Plaza Midwood, writing, "Just 10 minutes by car from the center of Charlotte, this artsy, bike-friendly neighborhood is an interesting mix of the gritty and the pretty;" and Mountain Island Lake, "Convenient to the soon-to-be-completed I-485 beltway, Mountain Island Lake features pretty, spacious homes." I live in the less glamorous section of the Mountain Island area, but about five minutes north of me is the community Money is referring to, which really is a hidden gem in Charlotte (and maybe in five years I'll be able to afford to live there).

In addition to Best Big-City Bargains, Money, in the October 2014 issue, also profiles the 50 Best Small Cities, Best Places to Be Rich and Single, Top Earning Towns, and Best Places to Find a New Job.

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Carolina Panthers Make Dream Come True for Kid with Cerebral Palsy

I'm a longtime fan and watcher of NBC's Today show, and I have the series set to record on DVR. I hadn't watched yesterday's show yet, and at some point throughout the day I saw on Twitter that Jhene Aiko had performed (I love her, and I saw her perform last weekend in Atlanta). So I watched a little bit of yesterday's episode this morning, primarily fast-forwarding to get to Jhene's performance. And in the process, I came across a great segment involving the Carolina Panthers and a kid who has cerebral palsy.

Credit: Today

In the video below, you'll see what the Panthers and quarterback Cam Newton did for 13-year-old Austin Smith, who enjoys playing football and doesn't let his physical limitations stop him, including giving him and his family tickets (great seats) to this Sunday's home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This further reiterates the influence NFL players--and most professional athletes for that matter--have on our society and on our youth in particular. Generally, these pro stars do a lot of good.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Panthers, NFL Foundation Give $200K Grant to Refurbish West Charlotte H.S. Football Field

Now, for a little bit of good news involving the NFL. A press conference was held this morning at West Charlotte High School to announce that the school will receive a new synthetic turf football field, as the result of a $200,000 grant from the Carolina Panthers through the NFL Foundation Grassroots Program. The program has helped build or renovate 290 football fields in underserved neighborhoods around the country since 1998.

This is just the latest form of community, corporate, and financial support West Charlotte High has received as numerous efforts are underway to help turnaround this once-reputable school that saw its academics and student population's well-being plummet in recent years. Project L.I.F.T. (Leadership and Investment For Transformation ) has led or coordinated many of these efforts at the high school as well as its eight feeder schools (elementary and middle), all located in Charlotte's westside.

Photos by Jarvis Holliday

There was a lot of positive energy at the press conference this morning. Of course there were officials representing Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the Panthers, and sponsors, including CMS' Superintendent Heath Morrison and Duke Energy Foundation president Richard "Stick" Williams, but what thrilled me the most was to see the involvement of students in the ceremony. This, after all, is who the initiative will positively impact the most, and it gives them another reason to be proud of their school and to believe that the community cares. Members of the West Charlotte High marching band played, the cheerleaders cheered, and several of the football players were there. There was also a group of student journalists conducting interviews.

West Charlotte student journalists. 

Sir Purr is excited (as always).

The refurbished football field will not only be used by the high school students but by recreational programs from the community as well.

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Saturday in Charlotte - GoodCamp and Men's Summit Events - Both Free

On my Dusk Till Dawn blog, each week I compile a list of social events and parties that are going on throughout Charlotte--there truly is a lot to do around here (check out this weekend's list of more than 20 events). But sometimes you need to participate in something that enriches you--your soul, your life, your career, your community. And there are a couple of events taking place this Saturday, September 6 in Charlotte that will help you do just that. Each is free and open to the public.

GoodCamp: A Social Good Unconference
9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Packard Place, 222 S. Church St.
GoodCamp is a user-generated (you pitch ideas; participants decide) "unconference" focusing on creating effective communications for social good. The organizers say that staff members, volunteers, and board members for nonprofits, foundations, philanthropic organizations, and governmental organizations will have the most to gain from attending. Visit goodcamp.org for more details and to register to attend.

Seconnd Annual Men's Summit
4-7 p.m. | Carole Hoefener Center, 610 E. Seventh St.
It’s an evening of empowerment, dialog, and tributes with special guests Senator Joel Ford, Dr. Tommy Watson, and Willie Ratchford. Presented by Suit Up Charlotte, an organization whose mission is to serve and inspire men in transition; to provide support that will result in more stable, confident, and stronger men, fathers, leaders, and families within our communities. Click here to register.

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Back-To-School Charlotte 2014 - Community Events

It's back-to-school time in Charlotte, as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students officially say goodbye to summer, and return to learning on Monday, August 25. Below is a handful of great community initiatives (of which I know organizers personally, and commend them for giving back), that are making the start of the school year better and brighter for our youth.

Please support these causes and spread the word!

Cuttin' Class - Community Hair Cutting Day
Saturday, August 23 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Park West Barber College, 3120 Wilkinson Blvd.
Just as they've done each year, the owners and staff of No Grease Barbershops are converging at one location and offering free hair cuts on the Saturday before kids go back to school. The free hair cut day will also include giveaways of book bags and school supplies. Boys grades K-12 are welcomed. Presented by No Grease, Inc. and The IT Factor Media Group. nogrease.com, Facebook event.

Hair-A-Thon Community Back-to-School Event
Saturday, August 23 | Begins at 9 a.m.
Pure Body Salon & Spa, 2415 Tuckaseegee Rd.
Young girls can come get pretty in time to start school, as this salon is offering free hair services to the first 60 girls, ages 5-13. They will also be given free school supplies and other goodies. purebodysalon.com.

West Fest
Saturday, August 23 | noon-6 p.m.
West Charlotte High School, 2219 Senior Dr.
This was a popular, annual summer festival on Charlotte's west side in the 1990s, and after a long hiatus, Project L.I.F.T. brought it back last year. This year's family friendly, free event will feature an appearance and performance by ABC Family star and “Just a Kiss” recording artist Mishon, as well as performances by local and regional R&B, jazz, gospel, dance, and hip hop artists, and the West Charlotte High School band. There will also be vendors, a resource fair, health screenings by Novant Healthcare, food, games, prize giveaways, and more. projectliftcharlotte.org, facebook.com/ProjectLIFTCharlotte.

Million Father March
Monday, August 25
Your child's school
The Million Father March is a nationwide initiative to encourage more fathers, particularly African-Americans, to become more involved in their children's education. The effort is kicked off each year by a campaign to get men in local communities to escort kids to the first day of school. And for the second consecutive year, Project L.I.F.T. is organizing it for seven CMS Schools: West Charlotte High School, Allenbrook Elementary, Statesville Road Elementary, Walter G. Byers School, Bruns Academy, Druid Hills Academy, and Ranson IB Middle School. Charlotte volunteers are being asked to sign up by visiting http://bit.ly/millionfathers, and the day will also include distributing of school supplies.

Back-to-School Ice Cream Social
Saturday, August 30
Center of Hope
InSPIRE Charlotte, a nonprofit organization created by professional women who are single parents, are organizing an ice cream social to brighten the day of the 120 school-age children that reside at Center of Hope in Charlotte, an organization that houses and provides services to homeless women and children. The ladies from InSPIRE Charlotte will serve ice cream sundaes and deliver school supplies to the children. If you would like to contribute, you can send school supplies and/or monetary donations to InSPIRE Charlotte, attn: Mashea Miller, P.O. Box 1316 Davidson, NC 28036; or contact  the organization at inspirecharlotte@gmail.com. meetup.com/inspirecharlotte.

And in other back-to-school news, CMS employees received an enthusiastic boost of encouragement during their pep rally yesterday at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Post by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

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No Grease Barbershop Opening At Carolina Place Mall

No Grease Barbershop is expanding into south Charlotte/Pineville, as it prepares to open at Carolina Place mall on Thursday, July 3. This will be the Charlotte-based franchise's fourth location, which includes barbershops at Time Warner Cable Arena in Uptown, Mosaic Village near Johnson C. Smith University, and at Concord Mills mall. No Grease also operates a barber school.

The new No Grease location at Carolina Place. Photos credit: instagram.com/nogreasebarbershop

I told part of the No Grease story in a feature I wrote last summer for Creative Loafing, that took readers inside Charlotte's barbershop culture. Twin brothers Damian and Jermaine Johnson opened their first No Grease shop in June 1997, when they were in their early 20s. It's been impressive and inspiring to see how much their business has grown, along with their partner Charlie Petty, and how much of an asset they've become to Charlotte as a brand, as small business owners, and as philanthropists.

The No Grease guys celebrated their 17th anniversary with a cocktail gala last Friday. Check out the snazzy video recap below.

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'Bear Witness' to Great Charlotte Photography Sunday

The Mint Museum Randolph is hosting a special event this Sunday, June 29 to showcase the works of several local photographers. Billed as "Bearing Witness: Seeing Through the Lens of Charlotte Photographers," the event will shine the spotlight on impactful black-and-white and color images taking throughout the city.

The featured photographers are: Jasiatic Anderson, De’Angelo Bethune, Daniel Coston, Stephen Graddick IV, Sandra Guynes, Jon Strayhorn, and Eboni Wallace Lewis. I personally know, and am familiar with the works of, Jasiatic, Daniel, Stephen, and Jon. Jon is a good friend who I have the opportunity to work with often, and I frequently use his photos in my blogs.

Event photography, such as this shot from a JCSU commencement ceremony, is one of
Jon Strayhorn's specialties. Credit: mediaartscollective.com

Each photographer will talk a little about the photos they're showing, and attendees will have a chance to mix and mingle with them during the reception. The event starts at 3 p.m., and is free and open to the public. I think it's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

This showcase is inspired by the renowned exhibit, Bearing Witness: Sonia Handelman Meyer and the New York Photo League, which is comprised of nearly 100 documentary photographs taken by New York City photographers in the 1940s and '50s, who explored their neighborhood streets with their cameras, capturing the lives of ordinary people as they had never before been depicted. It's been on display at the Mint since November and actually concludes this Sunday, so you'll get a chance to see it at this event if you haven't yet.

Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Rd., 704-337-2000, mintmuseum.org.

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Second Annual Cam Newton 7 v 7 Football Tournament June 26-27; Championship July 11-12

The Cam Newton Foundation brings its Second Annual 7 v 7 High School Football Tournament to Charlotte this week, June 26 and 27. The tournament series began at the end of last month in Atlanta, then went on to Birmingham, and now it's Charlotte's turn, with the games taking place at Hough High School. It's open to the public to attend, admission is $3 per person, and proceeds will benefit the Cam Newton Foundation. So, this is your chance to see some of the area's best high school football players compete, while supporting a foundation that does a lot to aid and lead youth programs in Charlotte (where Cam lives and plays for the Carolina Panthers) and in Atlanta (his hometown).

Cam Newton performs drills with high school players at last year's Charlotte tournament.
Photos credit: Cam Newton Foundation

Each city features several teams of high school players that registered weeks in advance (teams consist of up to 20 players and four coaches), and--new this year--the top two teams from each city, along with select others, will play in the CNF 7v7 championship on July 11 and 12 at Nation Ford High School, just across the Charlotte border in Fort Mill.

Hough High won the Charlotte tournament last year, receiving $2,500 for the school's athletic department, and the second- and third-place finishers received $1,500 and $1,000 respectively. Team trophies and individual awards were also given.

Below is a short video recap from last year's Charlotte tournament, at which Cam was actively involved. "I wanna see unbelievable talent, I wanna see unbelievable sportsmanship, and I wanna see unbelievable swag," said the Panthers' star quarterback.

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'PostSecret The Show' -- Go See It!

Do yourself a favor and go see PostSecret The Show at Booth Playhouse before it closes this Sunday, May 4. The show has actually been running for a week now, but it might be a bit of a secret to some of you. I had the privilege of seeing it last evening with a group of friends, and it's one of the best, most thought-provoking, and emotion-stirring live shows I've seen in awhile.

PostSecret, the brand, began in 2004, founded by Maryland-based Frank Warren as a community art project. He invited people to mail him anonymous postcards, confessing their secrets, and he would select some each week to post to his blog, PostSecret.com. It quickly grew to become one of the most popular blogs in the world, and today has received more than 650 million visits--Frank has received more than half a million postcards, all to his home address. He continues to post new postcards every Sunday. And, of course, he's gone on to write several bestselling books about the experience.

PostSecret The Show truly brings those postcards to life. I was amazed at how the one or two-sentence anecdotes were so riveting. Funny secrets--about pulling pranks and embarrassing confessions; sad secrets--thoughts on wanting to commit suicide or being victims of abuse; astonishing secrets--infidelity and crimes committed. It all comes together to convey that we really don't know what people are holding inside, and it reminds us just how alone in this world some people feel.

Actors Birgit Darby, J.R. Adduci, and Kerry Ipema in PostSecret The Show. Credit: Blumenthal

A group of Charlotte bloggers, including me, were invited to attend a dinner last week with Frank and the team of writers and producers responsible for turning PostSecret into a stage play (most of them are from Vancouver). That's where I learned that Charlotte, because of the presence of the great Blumenthal Performing Arts, is the debut city for this show, so Charlotteans are the first people anywhere to see it. You have four more opportunities to experience if for yourself:

Wednesday, Apr 30, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 2, 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 4, 3 p.m.

Tickets range from $19.50 to $39.50. Visit blumenthalarts.org/postsecret for complete details.

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What Does It Mean When A Family Dollar Store Opens In Your Neighborhood?

When opening a new business, particularly a brick-and-mortar store, one of the most important factors that goes (or should go) into the decision-making of the entrepreneur or corporation is the location (location, location, location, as developers say). A lot of market research and data are analyzed when new locations of franchises are being considered. So it's strategic when a franchise or chain like H&M, Chuy's, Taco Mac, or Chick-fil-A, for example, is deciding when and where it is opening in Charlotte. Among other things, it usually represents an area's population growth, and depending on the business, it might represent the affluency of that population.

But what does it mean when a new Family Dollar store opens in an area? Back in December, I was making a quick drive to the bank down the street from my house when I realized that a Family Dollar was being built. I commented on Twitter:

Noticed a Family Dollar is being built down the street from my house. Not sure if that's good or bad for my neighborhood.
— Jarvis Holliday (@HollidayInk) December 19, 2013

Over the last couple of weeks, I've had conversations with various people on topics involving socioeconomics. In a few of those conversations, we began talking about companies/stores like Walmart and Family Dollar, and in the case of Family Dollar, some interesting perspectives emerge as to the type of areas and neighborhoods the company opens stores in.

This Family Dollar is opening soon on Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road in my neighborhood.

Leon Levine opened the first Family Dollar store in Charlotte in 1959. Today, it's a publicly held, Fortune 300 company, headquartered in Matthews, with more than 8,100 stores in 46 states. It's largely viewed as a fast-growing chain, so it came as a bit of a surprise when Family Dollar announced on Thursday that it would be closing 370 stores and slowing new-store growth. This is a result of sales from the most recent quarter being down 3.8 percent. Also as part of their "immediate, strategic actions," the CEO says the company has "made a significant investment to lower prices on about 1,000 basic items." So apparently, you'll be able to buy many items at the store for even cheaper; I guess as a way to drive more customers to the stores.

Furthermore, this is how Family Dollar is described in its corporate bio:

For more than 54 years, Family Dollar has been providing value and convenience to customers in easy-to-shop neighborhood locations. Family Dollar’s mix of name brands and quality, private brand merchandise appeals to shoppers in more than 8,100 stores in rural and urban settings across 46 states. Helping families save on the items they need with everyday low prices creates a strong bond with customers, who often refer to their neighborhood store as “my Family Dollar.”

Recently, a friend told me that "You won't find a Family Dollar in Ballantyne." This goes back to the perception of the type of neighborhoods in which Family Dollar opens stores. And my friend is right; I searched the store locator on Family Dollar's website and there isn't one in Ballantyne. But according to the company's history section, where it describes how and why a young Leon Levine started Family Dollar, it says he found success opening discount stores in low to middle income neighborhoods.

If that trend continues, then does it mean that if there's a new Family Dollar store opening where you live, that your neighborhood is considered low to middle income?

This isn't at all intended to be a knock on Family Dollar as a company. I've never heard anything bad about what it's like to work for them, the way, say, we often hear complaints about Walmart. And it should be noted that the company's founder and his wife do some incredible charitable giving through the Leon Levine Foundation--their impact can be seen throughout Charlotte especially, with the tens of millions of dollars they've donated.

The reality is that a business is a brand, and brands represent things. What do you think it represents if a Family Dollar store opens in your neighborhood?

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National Volunteer Week Underway, Culminates Locally With Hands On Charlotte Day

I didn't realize this was National Volunteer Week (April 6-12) until I saw a couple of tweets last night on the topic. It's held annually in April, but the week ranges from year to year--sometimes it's near the beginning of April, sometimes at the end--so it tends to creep up (read the Presidential Proclamation for National Volunteer Week 2014). But now that I know--and you know--that it's underway, what are we going to do about it?

Fortunately, in Charlotte, we have Hands On Charlotte, a nonprofit volunteer service organization that makes it easy to get involved in the community throughout the year. HOC coordinates volunteers to help homeless families, guide at-risk youth, tutor disadvantaged children, feed the hungry, care for the environment, and more. The organization keeps a running calendar of volunteer events, in partnership with other local organizations, for which you can sign up.

Photos credit: facebook.com/handsoncharlotte

And its own signature community service event is Hands On Charlotte Day, taking place for the 22nd year, this Saturday, April 12. On HOC Day, as many as 1,000 volunteers spend the day working on projects across the city, ranging from sorting donated clothing and landscaping Charlotte schools to clearing neighborhood debris and repairing nature trails. If you want to participate, you need to register by April 10; and the sooner you register, the more likely you are to get the service project you want. Children and teenagers are allowed to participate at many of the volunteer projects, so you can make it a philanthropic outing for the whole family (pull those brats away from the Xbox).

You'll only have to spend about three hours of your time Saturday morning volunteering, and then you can spend that afternoon at VBGB Beer Hall and Garden for the "after-party" with other HOC Day volunteers.

You'll find all the details at handsoncharlotte.org.

According to Points of Light:

National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change – discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to make a difference.

Amen to that.

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LaCa Projects Turns One Year Old, Brings Cuban Art Exhibition to Charlotte

Latin American Contemporary Art (LaCa) Projects opened exactly one year ago this Friday (March 21) in the revitalized FreeMoreWest neighborhood in Charlotte. I've been wanting to check out the gallery for the past year, and finally made it happen last Thursday for the opening of Cuba: Art of the Fantastic. The opening reception drew a great crowd and featured live music and dancing in addition to the amazing artwork.

Curated by Abelardo Mena, Cuba: Art of the Fantastic is said to be the first exhibition of Cuban visual production in Charlotte and the surrounding region. Mena is the curator of Contemporary International Art at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana, and this exhibit brings together four incredible artists: Juan Carlos Verdial, Alicia de la Campa, Alexander González, and Vicente Hernández. "Full of imagination and fantasy, these artists are joined by their eagerness to freely reinterpret symbols of the Cuban culture, of its geography and history, Catholic and African popular religions, proverbs of the Cuban popular idiosyncrasy, and by their deep knowledge and intertextual game with iconic works of the Western, European, and United States, all places where they have gathered considerable momentum," as the exhibit is described in the press release.

Cuba: Art of the Fantastic is on display through May 2. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 1-5 p.m., and by appointment.

LaCa Projects, located at 1429 Bryant St., is a great space, tucked away amid other renovated buildings that have been transformed for commercial and artistic uses. Usually when I make my way over to FreeMoreWest, I'm visiting the restaurants along the West Morehead Street corridor, like The Burger Company, Pinky's Westside Grill, and Savor Cafe. But if you make short turns onto South Sumit Avenue and Bryant Street, you'll find LaCa, which is dedicated to the presentation, development, and promotion of Latin American art and culture. The gallery is part of a larger planned expansion that includes artist studios and a cafe.

Ventures like LaCa Projects show that there are many diverse cultures thriving in Charlotte, and you should certainly pay them a visit. For more details, go to lacaprojects.com, facebook.com/LaCaProjects, and twitter.com/LaCaProjects.

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'Gifts for Guns Exchange' Underway in Charlotte

New Life City of Praise church, led by pastor and famed gospel recording artist John P. Kee, is holding their annual Gifts for Guns Exchange. It's simple: you bring in a gun (remove the ammo first), there are no questions asked, and in return you'll receive a gift card ranging from $25-$100. It's the church's admirable efforts to reduce crime by taking illegal guns off the streets.

New Life holds this gun drive each year during the Christmas season. The 2013 drive began yesterday and runs until noon tomorrow (December 21). All guns turned in will be given to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to be destroyed. New Life is located at 1337 Samuel St. in the historic Double Oaks community. I wrote about the neighborhood a few years ago before it was revitalized into what's now called Brightwalk.

Pastor Kee tweeted a photo this afternoon of the pile of guns he said had been collected in less than six hours.

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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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You Should Know: 'Coal Ash Chronicles' -- Help Fund the Documentary

I didn't know what coal ash was until I met Rhiannon Fionn a few years ago. That's part of the problem, and she's part of the solution. Rhiannon, or Rhi as many call her, is an independent journalist who lived in Charlotte for several years before relocating to Seattle, and who has spent years reporting on the environmental issues and health problems being caused by coal ash. Now, she and her team are seeking your help as they raise funds to complete a documentary they've been traveling the country to film as part of their "Coal Ash Chronicles" project.

Coal ash is formed after coal is burned to generate electricity, which is a process done by many utility and energy companies. Coal ash is said to be this country's second-largest, mostly unregulated waste stream, and the materials contain heavy metals and radioactive elements, which often end up in the air, rivers, and lakes.

Credit: Coal Ash Chronicles

Rhi has been writing about this problem and doing investigative reporting on it for years. Locally, you may have seen her stories on coal ash in Creative Loafing, as well as an award-winning article she wrote for Charlotte magazine.

After traveling with a group to Washington D.C. to educate Congressional representatives about coal ash and how it's affecting communities, Rhi created Coal Ash Chronicles. Now, her team, which consists of about 20 contributors and volunteers, including other Charlotte-based journalists, photographers, videographers, and creative types like Desiree Kane and Kevin Beaty, as well as others from around the country.

They've recently launched an Indiegogo campaign, with the goal of raising $50,000 to complete their documentary. Watch the seven-and-a-half-minute video below, which shows people telling compassionate stories of how coal ash has affected their lives.

Rhi has put more than 60,000 miles on her car as she's traveled the country documenting these stories. She's stopping in Charlotte this week to host an event about the documentary (details below).

Support Coal Ash Chronicles

• Fundraising campaign: www.indiegogo.com/projects/coal-ash-chronicles

• Website: CoalAshChronicles.com

• Twitter: @Coal_Ash

• Facebook: CoalAshChronicles

Meet the Coal Ash Chronicles Crew
Thursday, September 26
Come out and meet Rhiannon Fionn and several members of the film crew, and learn more about the documentary and the impact of coal ash. Cupcrazed Cupcake Bar is supplying tasty cupcakes, and there'll be music and a cash bar. 6 p.m. Free. Dilworth Billiards, 300 E. Tremont Ave., dilworthbilliards.com.

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Robin Emmons, of Sow Much Good, Is a 2013 CNN Hero

For the last few months, one each week, CNN has been unveiling its 2013 CNN Heroes--"everyday people changing the world." Thousands of submissions were sent in from around the globe, and 24 people have been chosen as heroes (a few more are left to be revealed). This week's CNN Hero is Robin Emmons, founder and executive director of Sow Much Good, a nonprofit organization that's working to eliminate urban food deserts in Charlotte by providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and educating people about healthy lifestyles, among other things.

I've seen and read about Robin's work for the last couple of years, and she and her team have done a great job of spreading their message and reaching the people who most need their help. But as the CNN article on Robin points out, more than 72,000 people in Charlotte lack access to fresh produce. So she has a lot of ground to cover, just in this city alone. And they're doing it. The video below shows a few examples of how Sow Much Good, now with 200 volunteers, has grown more than 26,000 pounds of fresh produce for local underserved communities.

It's one thing to not eat healthy because that's your choice, but it's another to eat unhealthy foods because you can't afford or don't have access to better food. That's often the case for people in low-income neighborhoods, who end up eating most of their meals from dollar menus at fast food restaurants, and do much of their grocery shopping at gas station convenience stores.

On Thursday, October 10, CNN will reveal the Top 10 CNN Heroes of the year, with each receiving $50,000. As you've likely seen in years past, the top 10 will be featured on the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute telecast this fall, and the person selected as CNN Hero of the Year will receive an additional $250,000 to continue his/her work. During the tribute show, the heroes are each introduced by celebrities.

Let's hope that Robin Emmons is selected as one of the top 10. But even being chosen as one of the 24 heroes is already an incredible accomplishment. Get all the details by visiting CNNHeroes.com.

Sow Much Good, sowmuchgood.org, facebook.com/SowMuchGood, twitter.com/SowMuchGood.

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