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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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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Soledad O'Brien Brings 'Black In America' Town Hall Tour to Charlotte - February 18

Race is often something people have difficulty talking about, or they talk about too much but not in a constructive way. So it's great when you have an expert facilitating the discussion. That's what we'll get when Soledad O’Brien hosts her "Black In America" Town Hall Tour this Tuesday, February 18 in Charlotte. The event starts at 7 p.m. and is being brought to you by the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, but is actually taking place across the street at Knight Theater (430 S. Tryon St.) to accommodate more people. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased through CarolinaTix.

Photo credit: Starfish Media Group

The conversation will focus on issues of race, class, wealth, and education, all of which stir frequent debate and division in this country. Directly after the discussion, she'll hold a book signing for her book, The Next Big Story: My Journey Through the Land of Possibilities.

Charlotte is the second of five cities on the "Soledad O’Brien Presents: Black In America" tour, taking place over the span of a week. And this tour is a part of the new ventures Soledad (@soledadobrien) is launching, as she branches out beyond her role as an award-winning journalist (she's still doing high-profile reporting, including for Al Jazeera America and this recent interview with Russell Simmons). She left her CNN morning show a year ago to launch her own media production company, Starfish Media Group, which, among other things, she will continue to produce documentaries in the "In America" series on CNN.

The newswoman-turned-entrepreneur has partnered with Google, which is sponsoring the Black In America initiative, and the tech giant is assisting Starfish Media Group by providing Google+ Hangouts, Google Apps for Business, and creating a YouTube channel to allow the company to reach a broader audience, according to The Huffington Post.

You can follow Black In America on Google+, and the first Hangout airs live this Wednesday at 6 p.m., from the tour stop at Towson University in Maryland. You can join in the conversation by uploading a photo of yourself holding a sign that says what "Being Black in America means..." to you, and post it using this hashtag: #iAmTheConversation.

Photo credit: Google+

Visit iamtheconversation.com for more details.

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Deltas Legacy Film Showcase, Pride Awards, Special Museum Events Take Place this MLK Weekend

As the nation honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., here are a couple of annual Charlotte cultural events that celebrate African-American achievement.

11th Annual Legacy of Black Women Short Film Showcase
Friday, January 17, 6:30 p.m. | McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square, 345 N. College St.
The Deltas of Charlotte Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising partner of the Charlotte Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., presents this annual showcase of films written, directed, and featuring African-Americans. This year's event is themed "As the QC Turns" and will begin with a light reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the films starting at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit DST's scholarships. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the door or online at carolinatix.org.

2014 Lowe's Pride Awards
Saturday, January 18, 6 p.m. | The Westin Charlotte, 601 S. College St.
Pride Magazine presents its 21st annual awards gala. This year's black-tie event, themed "Changing the Game with Business Diversity," will honor an outstanding minority-owned business, a youth entrepreneur, and an organization for its business diversity best practices. Pride has collaborated with the Charlotte Knights for the event--hence the baseball theme. And Queen City Forward, an innovative hub for social entrepreneurs, is the nonprofit beneficiary of the evening. The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner and awards beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $212.50, and can be purchased by calling 704-375-955. Visit prideawards.net for more details.

Credit: prideawards.net

And on MLK Day itself, two of Uptown Charlotte's leading museums are holding special events in honor of Dr. King.

MLK Day 2014 - The Legacy is the Blueprint
Monday, January 20, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, 551 S. Tryon St., ganttcenter.org
Activities include: the museum's galleries, an interactive exchange with The Possibility Project, mentoring fair, Buttons & Protest Signs: A Drop-In Crafts Workshop, a film screening of The Fade & Discussion, panel discussions, performances, and more. Free and open to the public with suggested $5 donation. Click here for the complete schedule.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration 2014
Monday, January 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Levine Museum of the New South, 200 E. Seventh St., museumofthenewsouth.org
Activities include: the museum's galleries, film screenings of The Children's March, Viva La Causa, and Freedom Riders; Sunprint workshops, story time sessions; drumming, dance, and musical performances, and more. Free admission. Click here for the complete schedule, and Levine Museum will also hold MLK activities on Sunday afternoon.

Credit: facebook.com/LevineMuseum

By the way, if you're looking for parties and social events during this holiday weekend, just check my Dusk Till Dawn blog.

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Read About It: Inside Charlotte's Barbershop Culture

I spent a lot of time at Charlotte barbershops last month. Not because I was obsessed with being perfectly coiffed; I was researching an article for Creative Loafing. That work appears as the cover story, "Inside Charlotte's barbershop culture," for this week's paper (August 22-28), online now and on newsstands by tomorrow.

As men, we've been going to barbershops regularly since we were toddlers. I have about 30 years of barbershop visits under my belt, so you would think I--and you--know all about it. But with this story, I learned a lot about how much barbershop culture has changed, while in some ways staying the same, in Charlotte. I think the story reflects the many modern options and amenities we have in a growing metropolis, but also shows the importance of tradition. Some of you prefer that old-school, no-frills barbershop, typically run by a middle-age barber and where shop talk is essential. While others like the newer, more modern shops with the fancy décor, where you can enjoy a beer while you wait, and maybe get a scalp massage or pedicure in addition to your trim. But the story cuts deeper than that: it's also about class, race, and gender.

My premise is: "In 2013, where a man gets his hair cut in Charlotte says as much, if not more, about him as how he gets it cut." Check out the story, along with the accompanying video shot by ABlackTV, and see if you agree.

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Potential North Carolina Bumper Stickers, Inspired by State Legislature, Courtesy of Comedian TV Hosts

North Carolina has become the butt of jokes, thanks to extreme policies and laws either recently proposed or passed by the state legislature (North Carolina General Assembly). While many of these measures are no laughing matter--new gun, abortion, and voter ID laws to name a few--they have become great fodder for late-night TV show hosts.

Below are a few clips from segments that have aired over the past week. I pulled a quote from each one that, if it would happen to appear on a bumper sticker, wouldn't look too fondly for N.C.

Last night on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, fill-in host John Oliver said: "North Carolina's voter ID law is just the tip of a true sh*tberg of the legislative session."

Friday night on Real Time with Bill Maher, Bill said: "North Carolina, right now, is going ape sh*t in a way no state ever has."



Last Monday on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert said: "Who makes barbecue sauce with vinegar? That's what you use to clean a toilet, and when I say toilet I mean Charlotte." (Commentary on N.C. begins at 4:07 mark.)

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First Lady Michelle Obama Tells It Like It Is At Bowie State University Graduation

It's college graduation season, with young men and women all over the country receiving their degrees after four (or more) years of hard work. Many of them are lucky in that their commencement addresses are delivered by high profile, inspirational, and successful people (Lou Holtz spoke at my college graduation 11 years ago...man, I'm getting old). Of the news clips of graduation speeches I've seen so far this weekend, First Lady Michelle Obama's commencement address Friday at Bowie State University stands out the most.

Credit: whitehouse.gov

Both the First Lady and President Obama have to walk fine lines when talking about race. As the United States' first-ever African-American First Couple, when discussing the all-important-yet-sometimes-overly-sensitive topic of race, they run the risk of black people feeling they don't address race enough and white people thinking they talk about it too much. I'm generalizing here to make a point, but I think you understand what I'm saying.

So I'm happy to see that when Mrs. Obama spoke in front of the 2013 graduating class at the historically black university in Maryland, she delivered a message they needed to hear (and thanks to the Internet, the whole world can hear it). Below are a few of her notable remarks (click here for the full transcript):

• For generations, in many parts of this country, it was illegal for black people to get an education. Slaves caught reading or writing could be beaten to within an inch of their lives. Anyone -- black or white -- who dared to teach them could be fined or thrown into jail. And yet, just two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, this school was founded not just to educate African Americans, but to teach them how to educate others... And since then, generations of students from all backgrounds have come to this school to be challenged, inspired and empowered.

• So back then, people were hungry to learn. Do you hear me? Hungry to get what they needed to succeed in this country. And that hunger did not fade over time. If anything, it only grew stronger. I mean, think about the century-long battle that so many folks waged to end the evil of segregation...

• But today, more than 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, more than 50 years after the end of “separate but equal,” when it comes to getting an education, too many of our young people just can’t be bothered. Today, instead of walking miles every day to school, they’re sitting on couches for hours playing video games, watching TV. Instead of dreaming of being a teacher or a lawyer or a business leader, they’re fantasizing about being a baller or a rapper. Right now, one in three African American students are dropping out of high school. Only one in five African Americans between the ages of 25 and 29 has gotten a college degree -- one in five.

• But let’s be very clear. Today, getting an education is as important if not more important than it was back when this university was founded. Just look at the statistics. People who earn a bachelor’s degree or higher make nearly three times more money than high school dropouts, and they’re far less likely to be unemployed. 

• And as my husband has said often, please stand up and reject the slander that says a black child with a book is trying to act white. Reject that.

Preach!

Watch the video below of the First Lady's full commencement speech.

I often hear (or read in the comments section of online articles) people questioning the need of HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) today, or assertions that the continuation of black colleges is discriminatory or racist. This is an example of where healthy and honest discussions are needed. To answer that question simply, as the First Lady pointed out, Bowie State was founded in the mid-1800s when that was only the way blacks could get a higher education. So, after the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, were those universities, with their rich histories and traditions, supposed to close down since black students could finally attend college practically anywhere? (And don't forget, blacks continued to face resistance at many mainstream colleges on through the 1970s). Secondly, most HBCUs today, like Bowie State and Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte (Civil Rights icon and former Congressman and U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young spoke at JCSU's commencement this morning), aggressively recruit students of all races. The reason they're referred to as HBCUs is because they're "historically black" (I didn't attend an HBCU, so I don't need to defend them other than to speak the truth). We can't deny history; let's embrace it and move forward. And focus on the alarming statistics the First Lady stated.

By the way, Bowie State is a member of the CIAA, which holds its annual basketball tournament in Charlotte. Institutions of higher learning make up the CIAA, despite all the partying and debauchery the events surrounding the tournament have become known for.

Who spoke at your college graduation? Was it memorable?

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'From Sit-ins to Eat-ins,' Multiple Events Commemorate 50th Anniversary of Desegregation in Charlotte

May is a significant month in Charlotte's history, and over the next two weeks there's a coordinated effort to recognize a brave step the city and its residents took 50 years ago. "From Sit-ins to Eat-ins" celebrates the desegregation of Charlotte that occurred in May 1963. It's great to see that several organizations are coming together to present these events. I hope it serves as a reminder to us that 50 years isn't all that long ago, and if people from different walks of life could work together decades ago on something as serious and monumental as desegregation, most of our issues today aren't as difficult as we make them out to be.

Below are details from the press release, including the list of community events (admission is free, except where noted).

Charlotte made national headlines in May 1963 when Chamber of Commerce members led by Mayor Stan Brookshire voluntarily joined with African American leaders to go two-by-two and desegregate Charlotte’s leading restaurants. This “eat-in” came three years after the sit-in movement had opened lunch counters.

Charlotte Civil Rights activist Dr. Reginald Hawkins triggered the action, leading a march on May 20, 1963 from Johnson C. Smith University to the Mecklenburg County Courthouse and declaring “We shall not be pacified with gradualism; we shall not be satisfied with tokenism.  We want freedom and we want it now.” His call echoed a spirit of revolution dating to the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence demanding freedom from England, which tradition holds was signed on May 20, 1775, a year before the 1776 US Declaration of Independence.

The successful desegregation on May 29-31, 1963 – a year before the 1964 U.S. Civil Rights act required desegregation of “public accommodations” – pushed Charlotte into the national spotlight. The city’s progressive action contrasted sharply with the massive resistance then going on in places such as Birmingham, where police chief Bull Connor turned fire hoses and police dogs on young Civil Rights protesters that same month. It was a key turning point in Charlotte’s emergence as a major Southern city.

Organizers of this two-week celebration include: Levine Museum of the New South, Mecklenburg Ministries, The May 20th Society, Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Relations, and Mert's Heart & Soul, with assistance from Charlotte Center City Partners, Charlotte Chamber, Queens University, Johnson C. Smith University, and the Carolina Room of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Sunday, May 19

From Sit-ins to Eat-ins: History Makers Panel Discussion
Several participants from the 1963 desegregation march in Charlotte will be a part of this panel discussion, including the son of Charlotte activist Dr. Reginald Hawkins, who marched beside his father in 1963; Jack Claiborne, who is a long-time reporter for The Charlotte Observer and covered the Civil Rights movement locally; Evan Faulkenbury, who has studied Dr. Hawkins’ life; and Patricia A. Albritton, board chair of Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Relations Office. 2:30 p.m. First United Presbyterian Church, 406 N. College St.

Monday, May 20

March from Johnson C. Smith University to the Mecklenburg County Courthouse
Scheduled speakers include Malcolm Graham, attorney Charles Jones, James Ferguson, Dr. Reginald Hawkins, Abdullah Salim Jr., and Mayor Anthony Foxx. 10:30 a.m. Johnson C. Smith University, 100 Beatties Ford Rd.

Annual Noon Commemoration of Mecklenburg Declaration
Event will include cannons, a reading of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, and a celebration of Mecklenburg County’s 250th anniversary. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The Square, corner of Trade and Tryon streets in Uptown.

The May 20th Society 8th Annual Speaker Series featuring Isabel Wilkerson
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Warmth of Other Suns will connect her research on 20th century African American history with the Charlotte 1963 history. 7:30 p.m. $12. McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square, 345 N. College St., blumenthalarts.org.

Wednesday and Thursday, May 29 and 30

“From Sit-ins to Eat-ins” Event
To mark the city's historic desegregation, some of today’s civic leaders will kick off two days in which Charlotteans are urged to invite someone of a different race to lunch. Throughout Charlotte.

Thursday, May 30

“From Sit-ins to Eat-ins” Community Festival
Music and munchies set the mood in 1963. Participants in the 2013 eat-in reflect on history, share what they’ve learned, and suggest hopes for future. Hosted by Mecklenburg Ministries’ “Friday Friends.” 5:30-7 p.m. Levine Museum of the New South, 200 E. Seventh St., museumofthenewsouth.org.

You can also find details at www.may20thsociety.org and www.meckdec.org.

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Happy Birthday Anthony Foxx. The Best Is Yet to Come for You--and Hopefully Charlotte

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx turns 42 years old today. If you've even slightly paid attention to news in Charlotte over the last 24 to 36 hours then you know that Foxx has been nominated by President Obama to become the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation, to replace outgoing secretary Ray LaHood.

Credit: whitehouse.gov

Foxx as Obama's latest cabinet pick is being written and opined about everywhere. Here are a few links to what the national media is saying:

What You Need to Know About Obama Transportation Pick Anthony Foxx - National Journal

Meet Anthony Foxx, Obama's Next Transportation Secretary - The Atlantic

President Obama announces Anthony Foxx pick - Politico

Obama Diversity Promise Makes Second Cabinet Like First - Bloomberg Businessweek

Locally, The Charlotte Observer has done great reporting since news leaked on Sunday that Obama would nominate Foxx the following day. The story is the main feature on today's front page.

So, you have plenty you can read up on about Foxx as far as news is concerned. Here's what I'd like to add.

In 2009, when Foxx was running for his first term as mayor of Charlotte, I wrote here on Grown People Talking: "10 Reasons Why Anthony Foxx Will Be Charlotte's Next Mayor." In that blog post, the first nine reasons I listed described the attributes that made Foxx very electable, the strength of his campaign, the political climate in 2009, and even a couple of comparisons of him to Obama. Then in the tenth point on my list, I said:

He's a Charlotte native with a terrific story. Not only do we not encounter many Charlotte natives these days (I always say that only 2 out of every 10 people I meet in Charlotte are actually from here), but we have even fewer in leadership positions. Foxx has a great story that shows what a person can accomplish with hard work, talent, and ambition. As he remarked last evening, he grew up in a neighborhood off Beatties Ford Road, where he wasn't expected to succeed. After graduating from West Charlotte High School, he then went on to graduate from Davidson College (where he served as student body president), and got his law degree from NYU. He's been a successful attorney for the last 13 years, and a city councilman since 2005.

Today, Washington's gain is Charlotte's loss. Foxx was a great fit as this city's mayor. You might not agree with all of his policies, but you have to acknowledge that not many people actually care as much about this city as he does, or are as personally invested as he is. I ran into, met with, interviewed, and wrote about Foxx several times over the next four years, including that time I proclaimed "Mayor Foxx Is Charlotte."

I had plenty of interaction with him during the year I wrote The DNC In The CLT blog about the 2012 Democratic National Convention, including this Q&A published last May and the video below I captured of a DNC press conference last April when Foxx welcomed the mayor of Los Angeles to the city.

Then when I ran into Mayor Foxx about three weeks ago, after speculation had been swirling that he was being considered for the Obama cabinet position, after he announced that he wouldn't seek reelection as mayor, we had this brief exchange:

Ran into @mayorfoxx last night. He said "Jarvis, writing about anything exciting?" I said "Not as exciting as what you have going on." #CLT
— Jarvis Holliday (@HollidayInk) April 12, 2013

At 42 years old, and with the opportunity to serve in a high-profile position in the Obama Administration for the next three and a half years, Foxx's national political success will be his for the taking. And for all the kids attending west Charlotte schools today, who may feel like they have too many obstacles to overcome to be successful in life, they can point to a guy in the White House who used to attend schools along the Beatties Ford Road corridor too.

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Rick Ross Thinks He's Big Meech, Larry Hoover; Media Thinks He's Scared of Gangs; I Think It's About Sales

Chart-topping and recently Grammy-nominated rapper Rick Ross's street cred is taking a beating today. Yesterday afternoon, Live Nation announced that The Maybach Music Group tour concerts, featuring Ross, Meek Mill, Wale, and Machine Gun Kelly, scheduled for Friday, December 7 at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro and Saturday, December 8 at Bojangles’ Coliseum here in Charlotte have been cancelled. Though Live Nation didn't give an explanation, other than to say that tickets would be refunded, media outlets began to link the North Carolina show cancellations to ongoing and recent death threats made against the rapper by a gang known as the Gangster Disciples.

I'm not going to get into what the alleged beef is about (you can watch a couple of the many Gangster Disciples' YouTube video threats against Ross by clicking here and here), but what's interesting is how several leading news/entertainment websites began running the headlines last evening on through today, that are some variation of "Rick Ross Cancels North Carolina Tour Dates After Death Threats." You can find the articles at MTV, Rolling Stone, E!, XXL, Vibe, just to name a few. Most of them took the early reports by NBC Charlotte (WCNC) / The Charlotte Observer and ran with them.

And they're all giving the gang members too much credit.

After the news broke, awesome FOX Charlotte anchor Morgan Fogarty emailed me yesterday and asked if I would comment on Ross cancelling his North Carolina shows, for a story on her 10 p.m. newscast. I met Morgan and her cameraman in Uptown shortly before 6 p.m. to tape the interview (she also interviewed Power 98's Nolimit Larry). Even though I was just learning of the shows' cancellation like everyone else, my experience in covering entertainment led me to doubt that the concerts were being cancelled because of the threats made by gang members.

Are gangs to be taken seriously? Yes. Are the Gangster Disciples scary? Absolutely. But they've been posting those videos threatening Rick Ross since at least back in October. And the concerts in North Carolina didn't get cancelled until this week, a couple days before they were scheduled to take place. Sounds fishy.

When I talked to Morgan last evening, I told her, among other things (this blog allows me to elaborate more than TV soundbites), I believed the promoter cancelled the shows because of low ticket sales. My assumption was that because Ross, Meek, and Wale have been to Charlotte and Greensboro several times in the past year, the concerts that were planned for this weekend probably weren't drawing much interest.

I know about the Charlotte visits particularly well--heck, Ross and Meek performed at Bojangles' in March while the 2012 CIAA Tournament was in town, when Ross also proceeded to host at least four Charlotte parties over three days. Then Ross returned to Charlotte in June, when he headlined the 2012 Dub Show Tour at Charlotte Convention Center, and hosted an after-party at Club 935. So he's saturated this market all by himself. Not to mention, his MMG artist Meek Mill was a part of Drake's Club Paradise Tour that stopped at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in May. Wale also had a concert during CIAA Weekend in March at The Fillmore.

Morgan Fogarty interviewing me.

One other thing. You might recall that last year rapper Waka Flocka Flame had his tour bus shot up while he was in Charlotte. Three months later he was back here performing at the Dub Show Tour and hosting an after-party. That led me to ask, "Why, Waka?"

Some might say, Waka came to Charlotte when it was potentially dangerous, but Ross didn't. In hip hop, street credibility is (foolishly) all-too important. The difference here, however, is the money. Low ticket sales led to the cancellation of the North Carolina shows for this weekend, and I don't care how many news headlines claim the contrary. Ross, who was also scheduled to host an after-party this Saturday night at Club 935, is being clowned by many people on social media sites for the cancellations. He hasn't commented on the controversy yet, other than this tweet last night:

North Carolina I wuz so excited to perform tomorro wit #MMG Promoters cancelled show but I'll be Back ASAP. #luv
— TEFLON DON (@rickyrozay) December 7, 2012

Most importantly, as I often say, the hip hop community (primarily, the African-American race) needs to once and for all stop condoning and supporting the violence in hip hop music's lyrics, videos, and culture. I've been a fan of hip hop forever, and always will be. Have I ever bought a Rick Ross album? No. Have I ever bought a Waka Flaka album? No. And I don't plan to. Hip hop isn't the blame for all violence that goes on in the culture, and people are absolutely responsible for their individual actions. But you'd be a fool to ignore the correlations between what goes on in hip hop music and what takes place in the streets.

Because album sales have decreased dramatically over the last six or seven years, artists are hitting the road more and more because concerts are one of the ways they continue to successfully make money. Though the decrease in album sales is largely attributed to Internet piracy and a new generation of fans who, when they decide to pay for music, prefer to buy single songs online (mp3s) as oppose to whole albums, no genre of music has seen its album sales decline as much as hip hop. I'd like to believe that fans--many of whom aren't African-American--are being turned off by all of the ignorant talk, drug references, glorification of violence, and misogyny towards women. And it might finally be also affecting the turnout at concerts.

Waka Flaka was scheduled to perform at The Fillmore just last month, but that show was cancelled too.

By the way, if you don't understand the first part of the headline of this blog post, watch this Rick Ross music video. 

UPDATE 12/11/12
Rick Ross spoke at-length about the cancelled tour dates and situation with the Gangster Disciples in this interview with 99 Jamz radio station in his hometown of Miami. In summary, he explains that he cancelled the tour dates because of a promoter who wasn't handling business effectively and not because of gang threats. He makes it clear that he isn't scared--he's a bawse, he says repeatedly. "I was just in Chicago a week and a half ago. That's the birthplace of the G.D.s. And if I'll go to Chicago to handle my business like I did, I have no problem going to North Carolina or South Carolina.... I'm certified worldwide. I can put a thousand gangsters in any hood. But that ain't what I'm here for. I'm here to make stars, I'm here to make icons, I'm here to break records. I'm here to be Grammy nominated," he says.

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Read About It: 20 Years After the L.A. Riots—On Stage

Check out this week's issue of Creative Loafing for the feature I wrote, titled "Rodney King and the Twilight zone." It's about On Q Productions' presentation of Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, on stage through December 8 at Duke Energy Theater at Spirit Square. The Tony Award-nominated play by Anna Deavere Smith tells the story of the infamous Rodney King beating by LAPD officers, their trial, acquittal, and the subsequent riots by citizens of L.A. that lasted six days, leaving nearly 1,600 buildings damaged or destroyed and 53 people killed.

I was in middle school when the riots happened in 1992. I remember vividly watching the round-the-clock news coverage, the racial tension it caused even where I lived in South Carolina, and the disbelief that all of this was even going on. Up until that point, I think my generation believed that the days of mass racial violence in this country had ended with the Civil Rights Movement, and that it was something we only experienced in history books and documentaries. In the article I wrote for CL, not only did I interview the directors of the play for On Q, but I also talked to a law school professor who helped put the whole juxtaposition of race and the justice system into perspective.

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Catch the Final Night of 'Kiss My Black Angst' Tonight

On Q Productions' two-week run of Kiss My Black Angst concludes tonight at 8 p.m. at Johnson C. Smith University's The Arts Factory. I had the privilege of attending the second-to-last show last night.

Kiss My Black Angst, which is billed as "an evening of revolution dedicated to the Black Arts Movement," is comprised of two plays, directed by On Q's artistic director, Quentin "Q" Talley. Q is an amazing talent that Charlotte is fortunate to have (he was recently awarded a handsome grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation). Through productions such as this he's continuing to expand the presence of African-American arts and culture within the city's growing cultural scene.

Funnyhouse of a Negro performed last night.

The first of the two plays in tonight's finale is Funnyhouse of a Negro, written by Adrienne Kennedy, a key figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and '70s. The play runs about 55 minutes and chronicles the last hours in the life of Sarah, a young black woman who we witness experiencing terrible nightmares resulting from her race and identity issues--she's visited by several black spirits. The play is very dark, and at times, even creepy, but is well-performed by the cast of eight.

After a 10-minute intermission, the second play begins. Titled Dutchman and written by Amiri Baraka, another instrumental black playwright from the 1960s, this was my favorite of the two last night. It puts a twist on the Adam and Eve story--as you'll see from the presence of apples--but it takes place on a city subway and features a black leading man and white leading woman. Aside from a few people riding on the subway, they're the only characters in this 50-minute play. It's edgy, thought-provoking, sometimes funny and sometimes tragic, all the while examining race.

So, you can catch the final show tonight at 8 p.m. and purchase tickets ($24) by clicking here or at the door. It is also a good chance for you to experience the black box theater at JCSU's The Arts Factory (1545 W. Trade St.), which opened two years ago.

Also, before that, this afternoon On Q Productions is presenting a free panel discussion. "The Black Arts Movement: Present Condition - Future Vision" takes place at 3 p.m. today at Duke Energy Theater at Spirit Square (345 N. College St.). Distinguished leaders of the Black Arts Movement will explore the radicalism, relevance, and vision of this groundbreaking creative crusade from its emergence out of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement to current 21st century reality. The discussion will be moderated by John "Moe" Moore, and panelists include Amiri Baraka from Newark, NJ; Lou Bellamy, founder/artistic director of Penumbra Theatre Company from St. Paul, MN; and Joan Myers Brown, founder of Philadanco! - The Philadelphia Dance Company.

Visit www.YouAreNowOnQ.com for more details on these events.

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Join Me In a Social Media Discussion Thursday

Social Media Charlotte is holding its monthly breakfast meeting and networking event this Thursday, July 12 and I'm one member of a four-person panel who'll speak. The topic is "Targeting Diverse Audiences: A Discussion on Inclusive Marketing and Social Media," and the event takes place 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Queen City Q, 225 E. Sixth St. The cost to attend is $20 in advance, or $25 at the door.

Jenifer Daniels will moderate the discussion between the panelists, which include Brant Aycock, Ana Lucia Divins, Brandi Williams, and me. We'll talk about the importance of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and religion in your social media marketing efforts.

Click here for more details on the event and for the panelists' bios. Hope to see you there. You can follow along with the discussion using the #SMCLT hashtag.

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'Hard Truths' Is Exhibit You Must See, Especially If You Were Raised in the South

Two exhibits, each representing African-American culture and history, have recently opened at Uptown Charlotte museums. I had the privilege of checking out both of them—Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial at Mint Museum Uptown and America I AM: The African American Imprint at The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. I'm sharing my thoughts on each exhibit in separate blog posts. Below is about Dial's.

Before I walked through Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial, I wasn't familiar with the artist or his work, so I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't know I would see glimpses of my early childhood in rural South Carolina.

Dial is a self-taught artist who was born, raised, and has lived his entire life in rural Alabama. He's 84 years old now, and he was practically an elder gentleman when his art was discovered about 25 years ago, subsequently becoming a part of exhibits in the 1990s through today. He spent several decades doing what most blacks in the South of his generation did—worked on farms, in fields, and later in factories. Born a year before The Great Depression and living through Jim Crow and poverty, as you could imagine, he had very little opportunity for a formal education.

His story is what makes his artwork so amazing, to see how he's able to express social, political, cultural, and religious messages in such thought-provoking ways. He made masterpieces out of what's commonly referred to as "yard art," with many of his sculptures and large paintings comprised of materials that are usually relegated to landfills. Those scraps of wood, metal, and plastic reminded me of what I would often see throughout the acreage of my grandparents' yard in Rembert, South Carolina, when I was about five or six years old in the mid-1980s and my siblings and I would roam around the yard finding anything to play with, throwing stuff at chickens to make them scatter.

You find those scraps in Dial's pieces such as "The Beginning of Life in the Yellow Jungle" (2003), a 75-foot-by-112-foot painting made from plastic soda bottles, clothing, bedding, wire, metal, a doll, rubber glove, turtle shell, artificial flowers, and other materials on canvas. And in one of his most recognizable pieces, "Don't Matter How Raggly the Flag, It Still Got to Tie Us Together" (2003), a 71-foot-by-114-foot painting made from mattress coils, chicken wire, clothing, can lids, metal, plastic twine, wire, and more. The description accompanying it reads, in part: "In this piece, the image of a torn and ravaged United States flag symbolizes the struggle underlying American history and the quest for freedom, liberty, and equality. Created just after the start of the Iraq War, the painting is also a commentary on human conflict that turns the flag's patriotic red and white into festoons of bloody bandages on a gory battlefield."

"Don't Matter How Raggly the Flag..." is one of more than 30 Dial pieces on display.

Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial is on display until September 30 at Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St., www.mintmuseum.org.

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Carlton Hargro Is Creating 'The African American Superhero Anthology'

My friend, colleague, and 282 host Carlton Hargro is diving into one of his first loves: comic books. He's collected them since he was a kid and even used to write them before he got heavy into his journalism career. Now as a freelancer and with more time and flexibility, Carlton has began working on a new comic book tentatively titled The African American Superhero Anthology.

Carlton hangs out at local comic book stores--Heroes, to be exact--and attends conventions like Comic-Con, so he's never lost his passion for the art. But he feels now is a good time to strike with his venture because of the prevalence of comic book characters in pop culture. Just look at all of the Marvel Comics stories that have been made or remade into blockbuster movies in recent years, with several more on the way (The Avengers hits theaters next month).

But as Carlton points out, very few of these comic book characters, whether in print or on the big screen, are people of color. They're fictional, after all, so why not add more black characters?

Isis is a character by Image Comics artist Jimmie Robinson, scheduled to be featured in the anthology.

The African American Superhero Anthology is designed to introduce a bevy of new and divergent heroes of color to the comic landscape, Carlton says. And you can support his cause by making a financial pledge to his Kickstarter campaign for the project. If you pledge $5 or more, you'll receive a special edition of The African American Superhero Anthology, featuring a special cover and autographs from all the creative teams involved.

Carlton actually reached his fundraising goal of $3,000 today, after only eight days. But with a month left to go on Kickstarter, you have the opportunity to give to this project so that the creative teams will have a more ample budget to work with. Click here to make your pledge today.

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Charlotte Organizations Hosting Free Workshops to Honor National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day this Saturday

See the press release below and please support this important cause.

RAIN’s Trinity Project, The Red Pump Project, and CW Williams Community Health Center invite mothers, daughters, and girlfriends of the Queen City to come out for free self-empowerment, HIV/AIDS awareness and education workshops, and HIV/AIDS testing Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 501 N. Tryon Street (click here to register). In addition to scheduled workshops, attendees will be motivated by the words of keynote speaker Kimberly Jowers, author of The Heart of Perfecting My Space (PMS)!

Ladies attending are encouraged to wear (or bring) a pair of red pumps to enter the Red Pump Shoe Contest, hosted by The Red Pump Project, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and education about HIV/AIDS specifically aimed at women and girls. Photos of those in the contest will be posted on The Red Pump Project’s Facebook page. The Red Pump Project’s Facebook friends will vote for their favorite pair of pumps and the top five with the most likes will participate in the Red Carpet Walk Off. The crowd will choose the final winner, who will receive a Red Pump Gift Pack.

“HIV/AIDS is a serious public health issue,” said Geneva Galloway program director of Community Services at RAIN. “More importantly, it is a serious health issue for women, particularly women of color.” 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2009, 57 percent of total new HIV infections among women were among black women and 18 percent were in Latina women. The rate of new HIV infections among black women was 15 times as high as that of white women and more than 3 times as high as that of Latina women during that year. The reasons why black and Latina women are more affected by HIV and AIDS than that of other racial and ethnic groups are not directly related to race or ethnicity, but rather to the circumstances that place these women and girls at greater risk of becoming infected with HIV. These circumstances may include stigma, fear, discrimination, and limited access to high-quality health care.

“Limited access to high-quality health care plays a major role in why minority women are impacted by the effects of HIV/AIDS at higher rates,” said Elizabeth Kirk, program manager for CW Williams’ HIV/AIDS Program. “Many times some providers will not provide care for those infected with HIV/AIDS. CW Williams provides comprehensive health care for women, infants, children, and youth who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. We provide services to those with and without health insurance, making sure they receive comprehensive quality primary and infectious disease care.”

CW Williams will be on-site to provide information on their HIV/AIDS Program and other health services. 

This event is just one of many that will be held around the country to honor National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on March 10, a national awareness day coordinated by the Office on Women’s Health (OWH), within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its goal is to encourage people to take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS and raise awareness of its impact on women and girls. This National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, OWH is partnering with the Greater Than AIDS campaign and asking, “What’s your deciding moment?” According to Greater Than AIDS, deciding moments are everyday opportunities to take action against HIV, whether it is getting tested, talking with friends and family, using condoms, practicing abstinence, or taking medications as directed.

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Lowe's Should Admit It Made a Mistake and Fix It

It's a controversy that's been building for nearly two weeks now, but is one that could've ended a week ago had Lowe's simply admitted it made a mistake when it decided to pull its advertising from the TLC show All-American Muslim earlier this month. I'm sure you've seen at least some of the mountain of news coverage this issue has received.

Lowe's, which is headquartered in Mooresville and is the second-largest hardware store chain in the country (behind The Home Depot), continues to come under fire, with prominent people calling for boycotts of its stores. Music and fashion mogul Russell Simmons and his GlobalGrind site have been among the most vocal. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih, who is Muslim, has recently gotten on board as well. There were protests held in front of Lowe's Home Improvement stores around the country over the weekend, and a website, LowesBoycott.com, has been set up.

Protesters rally outside of a Lowe's store in Maryland. [via colesville.patch.com]

On or around December 6, Lowe's made the decision to stop advertising on All-American Muslim, after being contacted by the Florida Family Association (click here to see original email of Lowe's response to the group). FFA had contacted several advertisers claiming: "The Learning Channel's new show All-American Muslim is propaganda clearly designed to counter legitimate and present-day concerns about many Muslims who are advancing Islamic fundamentalism and Sharia law. The show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks while excluding many Islamic believers whose agenda poses a clear and present danger to liberties and traditional values that the majority of Americans cherish."

Somehow, Lowe's didn't seem to see for itself that, perhaps for the first time in TV history, a show was being denounced for what it didn't include. Companies have been known to pull their advertising when TV shows feature too much violence, nudity, sex, profanity, or hate speech, for example. But FFA believes All-American Muslim is unfit for companies to be associated with it because "the show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks..."

When news began to spread a little over a week ago that Lowe's had pulled its ads, the company posted a statement on its Facebook page on December 10, saying: "It appears that we managed to step into a hotly contested debate with strong views from virtually every angle and perspective – social, political and otherwise – and we’ve managed to make some people very unhappy. We are sincerely sorry. We have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, across our workforce and our customers, and we’re proud of that longstanding commitment."

But Lowe's didn't say a whole lot in that statement--nor did it apologize for pulling the ads--and certainly didn't address if it would do anything differently. That Facebook post garnered more than 28,000 comments in four days, with many people saying they would never shop at Lowe's again, and some supporting Lowe's for its stance. But there were almost as many comments with hateful and racist language, prompting Lowe's to remove the entire post from its page. It replaced it Wednesday with a post asking users to "keep your comments on this Facebook page respectful..." and "Again, we offer our sincere apology to anyone offended by our advertising business decision or posts on this page." That post has received nearly 12,000 comments so far.

Lowe's is usually active on Facebook, posting several times a day about sales at its stores, but the status addressing the controversy has been its only post in the last 10 days. And on Twitter, where it typically tweeted five to ten times a day, there hasn't been a post since December 10. So Lowe's, whose spokespeople have said in news interviews that the company stands by its decision regarding All-American Muslim, has gone silent on social media. While social media--and traditional media--are severely harming the company's reputation.

All of this could've ended last week if Lowe's would've addressed the issue better. Big businesses never seem to want to give the impression that they're caving on anything or are being pressured to do something, which is why I guess Lowe's hasn't reversed its decision (for a month, Bank of America stubbornly stood by its announced plans to add a $5 monthly debit card fee, until the public backlash became too great). Meanwhile, it appears to most people that Lowe's caved to the pressure from Florida Family Association, which in recent days has been exposed to have misled companies about its actual pull, so to speak.

There's a great article yesterday by USA Today ("TLC show brings Muslims in America out in the open") on the fallout surrounding All-American Muslim. The newspaper also produced a video interview with two of the cast members from the show. This only makes Lowe's look worse when you see these people talk about their lives, which aren't much different from most of us.

My advice to Lowe's: Have your CEO come out and say that the company made a hasty decision that was prompted by a so-called family association without doing more research into whether concern was merited. And to prove that you want to turn this unfortunate fiasco into a learning experience, Lowe's would sponsor a forum on racial and religious tolerance. Two would be held: one in Dearborn, Michigan, where All-American Muslim is filmed and where 30 percent of the population is Arab-American; and one in Charlotte, which is near Lowe's headquarters, so company executives can take part, and is where there have been two well-publicized incidents recently of Muslims being singled out during flights to and from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (a lawsuit was filed today regarding the first incident).

Lowe's: imagine that this problem is a leaking pipe under the kitchen sink. If you continue to ignore it, it will only get worse.

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2 Videos, 1 Dead Teen, Gang Violence Continues

If you have teenage sons, nephews, brothers, or--equally important--are concerned about the environment in which so many of our kids are growing up, you should watch these two videos below.

You've likely seen the first one. It went viral in January, and shows an uncle beating his teenage nephew with a belt. The uncle was outraged that his nephew had been on Facebook glorifying and claiming to be in a gang. So in an attempt to discipline--and it's safe to say, embarrass--the kid, the elder recorded a minute-long video and forced his nephew to denounce gang activity. I, like millions of people, watched this video nearly a year ago when I saw it posted online. It was shared over several days on Facebook and other social media sites, sparking much debate as to whether the uncle had gone too far. Some commended the uncle for doing what he thought was necessary to keep his nephew from going down a dangerous path. Others believed the uncle should've handled it differently. And some even found the video funny.

Well, unfortunately, in this second video, this time a news clip, it tells how 16-year-old Michael Taylor was shot and killed last week outside of his home in Terrytown, Louisiana. Michael is the same kid who was in the viral video nearly a year ago being disciplined by his uncle. According to a story by news station WDSU, Michael's family believes his glorification of gang life, which apparently had continued, might have led to his death. Yesterday, police arrested a 21-year-old suspect in the killing.

Both videos are embedded below, with the older one first, and you should watch them in that order.

After our young people have been slain over senseless violence, it's too late to say you wish you would've done more. We need to acknowledge that this is happening far too often in predominantly black neighborhoods and schools, and not show a lack of concern if it isn't our kids or if we don't live in one of those neighborhoods.

We also need to stop condoning rap music and rappers who glorify gang life in their music, which has surged over the last few years. I've seen firsthand how kids will wear red bandannas (they call them flags) and holler "su woo" because Lil Wayne or Game does it. Those rappers will say that they aren't concerned about being role models and it's the parents' job to raise their kids. That's true, but that's also why I don't buy Lil Wayne or Game's CDs anymore. See how easy that is.

For Charlotte, below are a few organizations (click on the links) in which you can get involved to try to make a difference in a young boy's (or girl's) life, so hopefully he doesn't end up like Michael.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte
• Communities in Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg
• MeckTeens

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Civil Rights Pioneer Sylvia Mendez Speaks Wednesday

This Wednesday evening, October 5, you have the opportunity to be enlightened on some important issues from our country's history that are still prevalent today.

Levine Museum of the New South presents "Para Todos los Niños/For All the Children: Access to Education, Then, Now, and in the Future," featuring a conversation with Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Sylvia Mendez and The Honorable Judge Albert Diaz. They'll explore educational access and community equity. The event, sponsored by Norsan Multimedia, takes place 7 p.m. at McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square, 345 N. College Street. Admission is free.

Sylvia Mendez received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in February.

Featured in Levine Museum's current exhibit about the 1946 Mendez v. Westminster School District court case, Sylvia Mendez learned about discrimination at a very young age. When she was eight years old, her parents attempted to enroll her in a local all-white school close to her home. She was denied admission and directed to the all-Mexican school in their California community, a school with significantly fewer resources. Sylvia's parents refused. Her father, Gonzalo Mendez, a Mexican immigrant, and her mother Felicitas Mendez, a Puerto Rican immigrant, decided to sue the school district, The subsequent case Mendez v. Westminster led to a landmark decision in the fight against educational segregation. Many commentators say the case was won largely based on young Sylvia’s testimony.

Admission is free; reservations recommended. To reserve seats, contact 704-333-1887 ext. 240 or lfairbrother@museumofthenewsouth.org.

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Intolerance In Norway Looks Familiar

I avoided watching most of the news coverage over the weekend of the mass bombing and shooting spree that took place in Norway on Friday. Even though it happened in a country where we usually don't hear about any violence, when the story broke it seemed like another tragic account of hate and mass murder that unfortunately dominates world news. Finally, yesterday I began to watch the news stories and read some of the published reports about Anders Breivik and the carnage he left behind (death toll is currently at 76). By Monday, the narrative began to focus on why this maniac did what he did. From what I understand, he wanted to lead a violent revolution against multiculturalism, more specifically Muslim integration, in Europe. A New York Times article sums up the tension that had been building in Norway concerning immigration:

Norway has recently tightened its liberal immigration and asylum rules in the midst of a longstanding debate about assimilation and multiculturalism. Despite Norway’s oil wealth and low unemployment, there has been a growing concern over the increasing size of the Muslim population... But the Muslim population is growing, and Islam is now the country’s second-largest religion. The impact of an increasing, and increasingly visible, Muslim population in a relatively monoethnic, liberal and egalitarian Norway has led to a surge in popularity for the anti-immigration Progress Party, now the second-largest party in Parliament. And it appears to have been one of the triggers to the massacre carried out here on Norway’s white elite. The suspect, Anders Behring Breivik, claims he was compelled to act by the failure of mainstream politicians — including those in the Progress Party — to stem the Islamic tide.

The article goes on to state that Norway’s immigrant population nearly tripled between 1995 and 2010. And I've seen a few news reports of Norwegians interviewed who don't like that so many Muslims have moved into their country of just under five million people.

This all reminded me of a documentary I saw last October during a special screening at Levine Museum of the New South. The film is titled Welcome to Shelbyville and depicts a small Tennessee town that historically was mostly populated by whites and blacks, but in recent years had seen an influx of Latinos and Somali refugees. Because of their Muslim faith, the Somalis are met with increased resistance from the townspeople. Some locals say they feel threatened by them ("they're going to start blowing up in Shelbyville next"), blame them for the overcrowding of schools, and say they bring down property values. Some of the allegations are even published in the local newspaper.

Welcome to Shelbyville reminds us how race, religion, and cultural differences can divide people before they even attempt to get to know or understand each other. What happened in Norway reminds us how far some will go with intolerance and hate. Fortunately, the Shelbyville film shows people in the town making progress--though it is a work in progress. You should watch the 60-minute documentary, directed and produced by Kim A. Snyder along with the BeCause Foundation and Active Voice. After you do, think about your own views on immigrants, who have become our neighbors in Charlotte and throughout the South. You might be able to catch the film airing again soon as part of PBS' Independent Lens series. It's also available on DVD. You can view the trailer below.

For more details, visit www.shelbyvillemultimedia.org.

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