#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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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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Steve Smith Tweets Out Against Domestic Violence

Several NFL players have spoken out against domestic violence in recent weeks, in the wake of the Ray Rice and Greg Hardy situations. And the latest to take a stance--via Twitter--is Steve Smith, who's in a rather unique position. See, Smith is a former Carolina Panthers player, as you know, and former teammate of Hardy; and he currently plays for the Baltimore Ravens, which was Rice's team until they cut the running back last week after the now-infamous inside-the-elevator video was released.

Credit: @89SteveSmith

I'm not digging in the weeds here on the NFL's domestic violence crises because it's being reported on around the clock on major news networks and publications. But I wanted to share Smith's tweets, in case you haven't seen what he posted last night. And in true Mr. Ice Up Son fashion, he didn't back down from smack talk from other tweeters. Click here to read the full thread.

You know its not that hard get!!!! Keep your damn hands off women!!!! God made women for you to Lean on them Not beat on them #RealTalk

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

@MattW88811 dark past. Go to @SteveSmithFDN and see what I do. You never heard me hit a women so it's not the same. Plus it was 6yrs ago

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

@MattW88811 I'm not judging I'm stating a current events that has happen. 64 homicides were related to domestic violence last yr in clt.

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

@MattW88811 I think these ppl have put themselves in a vonarable place to be judge by many other people. My mom is DV survivor.

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

The last time me and my wife were in elevator heading to our hotel room!!! We got this guy 9 months later.. #Realtalk pic.twitter.com/LV6P6uOrT5

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

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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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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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'You can go as far as your talent, hard work, and faith will take you...'

My message to the youth.

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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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You Should Know: 'Destination Freedom' at Levine Museum of the New South

Levine Museum of the New South recently opened a new series titled, Destination Freedom: Civil Rights Struggles Then and Now, that will feature several different exhibits and programs over the next two years. The first three exhibits are on display now, and I had the opportunity to check them out a few weeks ago during a members' preview. The museum is holding an official kickoff event this Sunday, September 15 that you should check out. And even if you can't make it out that day, you'll want to make plans to visit the museum in coming months.

Destination Freedom is Levine Museum's commemoration of several important milestones in the Civil Rights Movement that are each approaching 50th anniversaries between 2013 and 2015: The March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech (August 28, 1963); the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church and murder of four young girls in Birmingham (September 15, 1963); the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended segregation in public places (July 2, 1964); and the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (August 6, 1965). Those historical moments alone signify the importance of the exhibits, but as Levine Museum so greatly does with many of its exhibits over the years, it's presenting them in though-provoking ways along with scheduled events, corresponding programs, and dialogue sessions.

This Sunday is the Destination Freedom Kickoff, an event that's free and open to the public, beginning at 3 p.m. There'll be a panel discussion featuring David Forbes, SNCC member, Raleigh Hall of Fame inductee; Juan Carlos-Ramos, United for the Dream; Dorothy Counts-Scoggins, 1957 desegregation of Harding High School; Tiffany Flowers, director at KIPP Charlotte; and Joshua Burford, LGBT historian researcher, UNCC Multicultural Affairs; and will be moderated by Irving Joyner, NCCU legal scholar and Legal Eagle Review co-host. After the panel discussion, you'll get to enjoy a reception with entertainment by Latanya Johnson and the Sycamore Project, and tour the new exhibits.

Then at 6 p.m., at First United Presbyterian Church, which is directly across the street, the museum is presenting a keynote address by Diane Nash. Nash is a Civil Rights activist and co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (I learned a lot about SNCC during my Afro-American Studies classes in college), and she'll reflect on 1963 and the lessons for today.

Sunday's activities are free, but reservations are requested at 704-333-1887 ext. 501 or rsvp@museumofthenewsouth.org.

If you can't attend on Sunday, you should make a point to visit the Destination Freedom exhibits soon. Whenever I experience these kinds of things, they always remind me how important history is to what we encounter today. These exhibits, in particular, will show you how much progress in racial equality this country has made over the last 50 years. And while it would be natural to focus on the work that still needs to be done or to complain about things that still aren't fair, I'm inspired by the incredible hurdles and hardships that people before me overcame--it took people of all walks of life to work together--which makes many of the problems we face as a society today seem petty and disrespectful to the path that's been laid before us.

I was also inspired from talking to a teenager at the preview event a few weeks ago. She's a high school senior who participated in "A Ride for Understanding," the four-day, four-city Civil Rights bus tour across the Southeast that Levine Museum took 15 students on over the summer. Part of their experience is documented in the View from the Other Side exhibit that's featured in Destination Freedom. I was inspired by my conversation with the young lady because she, who's white, took an interest in a part of history that's far too often described as "Black History" when it is more American history than just about anything else. Plus, she reminds us that kids today don't harbor the same feelings about race that their parents and grandparents might. They're growing up having friends of all colors, listening to the same music, and sharing similar experiences. So they shouldn't be saddled with views that have been skewed by things they'll never have to experience. These exhibits help them realize how fortunate they are, but also why justice and equality are things that have to be tended to in order to be ensured and preserved.

The exhibits currently on display in Destination Freedom: Civil Rights Struggles Then and Now:

Network of Mutuality: 50 Years Post-Birmingham
(on display until December 1, 2013)
Synopsis: Featuring provocative works by leading contemporary artists and designers, who carefully examine the various social conditions and components that energized the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, as well as continue the dialogue of race and equality in today's society.

Focus On Justice
(on display until January 26, 2014)
Synopsis: Curated by photographer Byron Baldwin, the exhibit includes photographs documenting the regional Civil Rights Movement as seen through the eyes of Carolina photographers Don Sturkey, Bruce Roberts, James Peeler, Cecil Williams, and others.

View from the Other Side
(on display until February 2, 2014)
Synopsis: Artists and students present works informed and inspired by issues of civil and human rights. Featuring pieces from local artists TJ Reddy, Rosalia Torres-Weiner, Mikale Kwiatkowski, and Antoine Williams, along with pieces from Performance Learning Center and History Active students.

Levine Museum of the New South, 200 E. Seventh St., 704-333-1887, museumofthenewsouth.org, facebook.com/LevineMuseum, Twitter @LevineMuseum.

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Ed D. Kane and Anthony Hamilton Offer Gritty Look at 'Da Streets'

Many of you know Anthony Hamilton for his love songs, ballads, and soul-stirring music. But if you've followed his career since the early days, you'll recall that in addition to being nominated for Grammys, going platinum, and selling out concerts, he's always been a sought-after hook singer. And by that, I mean singing the choruses on rap songs. In fact, his first hit song was the 2002 collaboration with Nappy Roots on the rap song "Po' Folks." Two years later, he assisted Jadakiss on one of the biggest songs of The LOX member's career, "Why."

The rap collaborations have continued over the years, with A-Ham singing hooks for everyone from Common to Nas to Twista to Young Jeezy. For his latest collaboration, he brings it home to his native Charlotte, with Ed D. Kane, an artist on Anthony's own label, Mister's Music. The song is titled "Da Streets" and the video was released a few days ago.

Charlotteans Ed D. Kane and Anthony Hamilton.

The video was shot in "da streets" of Charlotte, literally, featuring gritty scenes paired with news footage of controversial national stories and civil rights issues. The visuals are to match the song's message, and you could say that it follows in the vein of the aforementioned "Po' Folks" and "Why." Unfortunately, "Da Streets" falls short in its efforts. Ed D. Kane's lyrics aren't strong enough in this song, and his profanity is a distraction. I applaud when rappers add substance to their music, but this song isn't quite "conscious" music because his attempt to bring attention to issues like drugs and violence could be confused with glorifying them. However, I do like when Ed D. Kane says, "You know you know better. Done been selling crack out your mama's house."

Anthony nails the hook, as usual. And it's good to see him continuing to rep his old hood--Beatties Ford Road, West Charlotte. I'm sure the locals surrounding him in the video appreciate the love.

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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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Crazy Over Chick-fil-A

I guess when you've always had access to something, you tend to not make a big deal over it. I've lived in the South my whole life, where a Chick-fil-A restaurant has always been nearby. Growing up in Rembert, SC, I would eat at Chick-fil-A from time to time when I visited Sumter Mall (back in my day it was called Jessamine Mall). But I didn't become a regular until I attended the University of South Carolina (shout out to my Gamecocks!), where there was a Chick-fil-A in our student union (shout out to the Russell House), and we could purchase a chicken sandwich combo on our meal plans. Yeah, I ate enough chicken sandwiches and waffle fries over the course of those four years to last me a lifetime.

Credit: facebook.com/ChickfilA

Years later though, while living in Augusta, Georgia and eventually here in Charlotte, Chick-fil-A has simply become another staple in the fast food chain for me. Don't get me wrong, they make the best chicken sandwiches in the business (and can someone tell me how come Chick-fil-A's Hi-C Fruit Punch tastes better than everyone else's?), but I don't eat as much fast food now that I'm in my 30s. And while I love food, I don't think there are many restaurants, or dishes for that matter, that excite me to near-orgasmic levels. But Chick-fil-A causes that reaction in many people, particularly those who don't have the opportunity to eat there as often as they would like. There are more than 1,700 Chick-fil-A locations and growing in 39 states, but the Georgia-based franchise is still most-heavily concentrated in the South (the states with the most locations are Texas, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia--those five states comprise about half of all the Chick-fil-A restaurants).

And the fact that you can't buy Chick-fil-A in New York--no, Mayor Bloomberg hasn't banned them because of the size of their cups; there just aren't any locations (well, one on NYU's campus but that's it)--meaning millions of people who live in one of the most populated states and the most populated city, NYC, have either never experienced the famous chicken sandwich, or can only get it when they travel out of state.

Celebrity socialite and Californian Kourtney Kardashian ate at Chick-fil-A for the first time ever when she and her boyfriend Scott Disick visited Charlotte three years ago, when Scott celebrated his birthday at the now-defunct Butter NC nightclub. "We went to the mall in Charlotte during the day to shop and eat Chick-Fil-A, which we were told was AMAZING," Kourtney wrote on her website at the time. "We were not let down, we were all dying over the chicken sandwiches with pickles… yum!" Then last year, while pregnant with their second child, she famously tweeted: "Chick-fil-A and a water birth. No big deal," which included an Instagram photo of her Chick-fil-A cup. Guess she's hooked now.

Whenever Charlamagne Tha God, radio personality for New York City's Power 105.1 FM The Breakfast Club morning show and MTV2 host, visits the South, usually to host a party, one of his highly touted (tweeted) stops is Chick-fil-A. He's a South Carolina native, so his cravings now come from the deprivation in NYC. I remember him making the chicken sandwich chain his first stop last year when he came to Charlotte during CIAA Week; when he came this year, a flight delay caused him to miss his coveted Chick-fil-A breakfast. More recently, he was in Myrtle Beach during Memorial Day weekend and tweeted: "FYI my fellow fat minded f#@!s the Peach milkshake Is back at Chick Fil A." And he's often, comically, talking about what Chick-fil-A (and another Southern delicacy, Krispy Kreme) will cause people to do.

So why am I talking about all of this now? Because this afternoon I was on Twitter and saw a few photos (see below) of people camping out in the parking lot of the new Chick-fil-A that's holding its grand opening tomorrow (May 30) at 10001 Rea Road, in the Blakeney area of south Charlotte. Apparently, they're aiming to be one of the "First 100," which is a promotion Chick-fil-A holds each time a new location is opening, offering the first 100 people a chance to win free Chick-fil-A for a year (one meal per week for 52 weeks). These folks are crazy over those chicken sandwiches and waffle fries!

Credit @woodyandwilcox

Credit: @BlakeneyCFA

You can keep up with the madness on the Chick-fil-A Blakeney Twitter @BlakeneyCFA and Facebook.

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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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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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Bluz Shows Why 'Hip Hop Is Poetry' in Hip Hop Caucus Video

April is National Poetry Month, and the Hip Hop Caucus is in the midst of a “Hip Hop Is Poetry” multimedia and social media project. HHC is releasing videos from renowned poets to showcase the contributions of poetry to hip hop culture and social and political movements throughout history. At HipHopCaucus.org/poetry you'll find videos of original pieces being performed by poets such as the legendary Nikki Giovanni and Charlotte's award-winning poet Boris "Bluz" Rogers.

Charlotte poet Bluz at dupp&swat.

Hip Hop Caucus-Charlotte Leadership Committee member Jameka Whitten organized a video shoot a few weeks ago for Bluz at dupp&swat boutique/studio in NoDa. In the video below, Bluz delivers a riveting four-and-a-half-minute poem about the many facets of hip hop culture and life's struggles. "I understand that life on the block, meets life in the block cell lot. Where prison bars produce convicts that spit 16 bars. 'Who's hard?' Not me," he rhymes.

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ABC Stores in N.C. -- The Letter and Spirit of the Law

People have had gripes with their governments since the beginning of civilized societies. But I would think criticism of government is at an all-time high, whether it's people complaining about government on the federal, state, or local level. All we seem to hear is that government is too big, meanwhile things like sequestration are happening and budgets for important programs are getting cut along with jobs. But there's one thing in Charlotte, and in North Carolina as a whole, I don't seem to notice people being too concerned about: the fact that all the liquor stores are government-run.

To be specific, in North Carolina, liquor stores, or retail spirit stores as they're called, are operated by Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) boards in individual counties. So in Charlotte, the liquor stores are ran by the Mecklenburg County ABC Board--there are currently 24 stores throughout the county. If you live here, I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't know. Well, you might not know the legalities of it, but you know that any time you want to buy a bottle of liquor from retail--your favorite vodka, tequila, gin, rum, or the like--you have to get it from a store with the big, illuminated ABC Spirits sign.

 Credit: My Windows Phone

This is the first state I've lived in where the liquor stores are government-run, even if it is on the county level, and I've just always thought that was weird. And this is coming from a guy who grew up in South Carolina where we have some of the most archaic laws, commonly referred to as blue laws. But even in the Palmetto State, liquor stores are owned by private business owners, even if there are tough restrictions on what times liquor can be sold.

This evening, I made a quick stop into the ABC store that's only about five minutes from my house. It's one of the newest in the city and is located across the street from a Walmart. Whenever I'm in there (which isn't too often, but hey, what if I go every day--mind your business), I always think about how liquor sales is such big business. And how come the conservatives or, better yet, people like the Tea Partiers, aren't complaining that government is taking away money that should be going to small business owners? Yeah, I know Meck ABC loves to tout how much of its profits go back into the community. But Americans care more about capitalism. Or is it okay for our liquor stores to be socialists?

Fancy display I saw inside the ABC store this evening. Credit: My Windows Phone

The one thing I will say that I'm pleased with that's a direct result of the ABC stores here being run by the government, is that they're some of the cleanest, well-maintained businesses you'll find. And they're usually placed in appropriate locations, oftentimes in or near shopping centers. Basically what I'm saying is we don't have to worry about having filthy, corner liquor stores in the hood.

The ABC boards were established in North Carolina in the 1930s, but in this new era we're living in when government officials can't decide on budgets, and people are saying that government is too big, maybe county governments in North Carolina should have one less thing to be responsible for. And the liquor stores should be returned to the people. Who's going to drink to that?

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Michael Jordan Is 50; We're Getting Old, Yet We Still Want to Be Like Mike

I'm an '80s baby, which means I was born at the greatest time ever. I grew up listening to music by--and trying to emulate the dance moves of--Michael Jackson. I watched great television shows created by Bill Cosby. I ate sweetened cereal that came with prizes in the box, and sat down with a big bowl in front of Saturday morning cartoons. I witnessed some of the greatest movies come to the big screen, and when my parents bought a VCR sometime around 1985, we watched many of those movies at home on our floor-model TV. But of all the entertaining marvels I was fortunate to have witnessed because of the era in which I was born, there are two that top them all: the aforementioned Michael Jackson and the other MJ: Michael Jordan.

Jordan turned 50 today, which you already know, sparking reflection throughout the sports and non-sports world. It's only fitting that his 50th birthday falls on the same day as this year's NBA All-Star Game (he threw a star-studded bash Friday night in Houston), and that sports news giant ESPN has spent the past two weeks counting down to this momentous occasion.

Sports analysts, reporters, bloggers, and anyone with a social media account have opined on what Jordan has meant to the game of basketball, sports as a whole, pop culture, fashion, and to their individual lives. He's widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, and he's the player every great player after him is and will be forever compared to, i.e. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

For me, personally, it's kind of hard to believe that Jordan is now 50 years old. But contrary to the media reports as to how he's dealing with growing older, we're the ones who are actually getting old. When you're as great and legendary as Jordan--and for him to have played his entire professional career at a time that allowed it to be captured on video--the stories that will be told about him 50 years from now will be supplemented by highlight films of him hitting game-winning shots, dunking over star players, waving championship trophies in the air, gliding from the free throw line, endorsing major brands and products, and releasing sneakers that bear his name and that people rush to the stores to buy years after he's quit playing.

I was a Chicago Bulls fan growing up, even though I'd never been to Chicago nor had I seen the Bulls play in person. I was a fan because as I was learning about the game of basketball and watching NBA games on TV for the first time, No. 23 was mesmerizing us. When my brother and I and numerous friends would play countless games on our backyard court, we all dreamed of playing like Jordan. When he retired for the first time in 1993, I was devastated. And when Jordan returned to the NBA in the spring of 1995, I remember his first game back being on a Sunday and how I couldn't wait to get home from church and watch the nationally televised game. Then the following season, when the Bulls won a record 72 games and embarked on their second three-peat, I couldn't wait to watch every game I could. His absence during his year-and-a-half-long retirement taught me not to take witnessing greatness for granted.

No other athlete, entertainer, or icon, for that matter, has had as large an impact on culture the way Jordan has. I was happy when he became majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats a few years ago and made Charlotte his part-time home, just so I could have that association with him (and be able point to his Uptown condo when I have guests visiting from out of town). Now, Jordan needs to prove he can build a winning NBA franchise as an executive.

I'm sure Jordan feels he has a lot left to accomplish in life, and why wouldn't he? But regardless, he's already left an indelible mark on the world and hundreds of millions of people. We all want to witness greatness, even if it's from a distance. Or for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to come face to face with it, like some kid named Justin Bieber had a few weeks ago.

Justin Bieber poses with Michael Jordan, backstage at his concert at Time Warner Cable Arena in January. Credit: instagram.com/charlottebobcats

I have three teen-aged nephews who are between two and four years younger than Bieber, and like him they're too young to remember the peak of Jordan's playing days. But they all know who he is, and they all want to wear his sneakers. Decades later, we all still want to be like Mike.

Below are links to a few of the many recent news stories and reflections on Michael Jordan's legacy now that he's turned 50 years old.

50 memories of Michael Jordan - Chicago Tribune

Michael Jordan's 50 SI Covers - Sports Illustrated

In Chicago, Especially, Jordan Still Reigns Supreme - The New York Times

Michael Jordan's Influence Praised By J. Cole, Kobe Bryant - MTV News

MJ at 50: A look at Michael Jordan's final All-Star Game performance - CBS Sports

Celebrating Michael Jordan's 50th Birthday with His Top 50 Career Moments - Bleacher Report

Michael Jordan's 50th birthday stirs memories of his basketball greatness - New York Post

Michael Jordan Top 50 All Time Plays - YouTube/Meir21

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Rock Hill Newspaper Places Gun Store Ad Next to Story on Newtown School Shooting, Apologizes; What Will We Learn?

The shooting yesterday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut is one of the most tragic events in our lifetime. As you know by now, a 20-year-old man shot and killed his mother, then drove to the school and murdered 20 children--all ages six or seven--and six adult staff members, then killed himself. Unlike many major news stories in the past, I've kept myself from being overly consumed with the reports on the 24-hour news networks and websites, largely because I feel many of them and their reporters are exploiting this tragedy. Can we give victims' families some time to grieve and try to understand this horrific event before we try to get "exclusive" interviews? Not to mention the countless inaccurate and erroneous details that were published during the hours immediately following the shooting, as media outlets raced to be the first to report. I've also been turned off by similar exploitation and recklessness by people on social media, particularly on Twitter.

When I was on Twitter this afternoon, however, I learned that The Herald newspaper in Rock Hill had placed an advertisement for a gun store on the same page as a story on the Newtown shooting in today's paper. The half-page ad is for a Christmas special on guns at Nichols Store in Rock Hill, and it ran on an inside page where the Newtown story had continued from the front page.

Credit: @DianneG

Paul Osmundson, the editor of The Herald, apologized around midday with a statement posted online, and I assume that same statement will appear in tomorrow's print edition. Below is an excerpt.

"In Saturday's Herald, an advertisement for guns was placed on a page near stories and a photograph about the tragic school shooting in Connecticut. Please be assured that this was neither intentional nor the fault of the advertiser. Advertisements are usually placed days before the newspaper lands on your doorstep. In this case, the advertisement in question was placed Thursday morning. But we at The Herald should have recognized the unfortunate juxtaposition of the advertisement with stories and a photograph about gun violence."

The newspaper apologized and took full responsibility, and I think that should suffice. But what began as an inadvertent placement of an ad, should actually serve as a moment of reflection and introspection for us. That ad, and the fact that it was promoting a special on guns for Christmas, epitomizes just how large a part of American society guns have become. In coming days and weeks, there'll be disagreements over whether this country needs more gun control laws. And regardless of what side of the debate you're on, you can be fairly certain that nothing will be done and we'll, unfortunately, be facing another tragedy all too soon.

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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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Early Voting Is Underway in North Carolina, What You Should Know, Respect My Vote!

Early voting has begun in North Carolina, kicking off today (October 18) and running through November 3. So you don't have to wait until Election Day (Tuesday, November 6) to vote. If you have already decided which candidates/political parties you're voting for, then hop to it. If you're still undecided (I hope you're not waiting on the final presidential debate next week), then educate yourself.

Earn this sticker.

Whether it's through my work as a journalist or blogger, or my involvement in the community--such as when I helped coordinate three nonpartisan voter registration events last month in Charlotte (here, here, and here) through the Hip Hop Caucus and its Respect My Vote! campaign--you'll never hear/read me telling you who to vote for (my only goal is to help you become more informed and more involved). I leave the persuasion up to the billion dollars that's being spent on television and radio ads by the political parties, to the tens of thousands of volunteers across the country who are going door to door for the campaigns, and to whichever partisan cable news station you watch--FOX News or MSNBC.

Actually, I hope you're cutting through all that clutter and not only deciding to vote, but understanding who and what you're voting for. Every four years, the presidential election becomes the hot topic that dominates far too many facets of our lives (my example in 2008), but when you show up to the polls, aside from going in to vote for either Obama or Romney, you'll also see races for state senators and representatives, local judges, county commissioners, and other important elections on the ballot. Some of the races are non-partisan, so even if you vote straight-party ticket, there will be other candidates you'll need to decide between. Don't go in there guessing.

RespectMyVote.com | #RespectMyVote

Below are a few online resources that can help you become more informed before you vote:

• Mecklenburg County Board of Elections (Charlotte), www.meckboe.org
• North Carolina State Board of Elections, www.ncsbe.gov
• NPR's State-By-State Early Voting Calendar, apps.npr.org/early-voting-2012
• Democracy North Carolina, www.democracy-nc.org

If you aren't registered to vote, even though the voter registration deadline has passed in North Carolina, in this state you can still vote at what's known as a One-Stop Voting Site, where you can register to vote and cast your vote the same day during the early voting period. So you can do that now through November 3 (but not on Election Day unless you're already registered). Click here for more details and here to search for the nearest One-Stop Voting Site in your county.

Watch this BET video of the making of a Respect My Vote! PSA, featuring Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. (president of the Hip Hop Caucus) and hip hop artists 2 Chainz and Travis Porter. (FYI: Ads that run before the video are because of BET and not the nonpartisan Respect My Vote! campaign.)

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