#GovJamCLT Is this Weekend - June 12-14

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

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

#GovJamCLT Rundown

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

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

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

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Volunteer with Youth this Summer -- It's Rewarding

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

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

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

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

— Jarvis Holliday (@HollidayInk) May 16, 2015

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

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

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

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

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Carolina Panthers Make Dream Come True for Kid with Cerebral Palsy

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

Credit: Today

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

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

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

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

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

Photos by Jarvis Holliday

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

West Charlotte student journalists. 

Sir Purr is excited (as always).

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

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Back-To-School Charlotte 2014 - Community Events

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

Please support these causes and spread the word!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Post by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

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No Grease Barbershop Opening At Carolina Place Mall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Music Box Lunch Series and Free Fitness Sessions at Romare Bearden Park

Romare Bearden Park is a beaut, and has quickly proven to be a great addition to Uptown Charlotte. Operated by Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, and open since last fall, the urban park is really coming into its own, both in popularity with visitors and the programming it offers.

Credit: Derrick Montgomery/Flickr

There are three event series that have recently kicked off at the park that you'll be interested in, and each is free and open to the public, scheduled through September.

Music Box Lunch Series: Taking place Tuesdays and Fridays, noon to 1:30 p.m. Bring your lunch, grab a seat on a bench or at one of the patio tables, and enjoy live performances by local musicians and bands.

Party in the Park Series: Each Wednesday, 5:30-8:30 p.m., bring your folding chairs or blankets and get comfortable on the lawn after work, as local and regional bands perform live.

Fitness Program: This series is the most surprising--in a good way--because it's common to find music series going on at city parks, but to see a program that's addressing physical fitness is awesome. A variety of fitness sessions are offered Monday through Thursday, such as yoga/pilates, boot camp, and zumba.

Credit: James Willamor/Flickr

Credit: Instagram @paulbunyunbeardgang

As you can see from the photos I've embedded above, visitors of Romare Bearden Park (located at 300 S. Church Street, and across from the new BB&T Ballpark) often share their experiences on social media. You'll find several captivating photos posted on Instagram and Flickr.

Go to romarebeardenpark.charmeck.org for complete details, and follow on Twitter @rbeardenpark.

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

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

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

Photos credit: facebook.com/handsoncharlotte

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

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

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

According to Points of Light:

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

Amen to that.

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NASCAR's 'Heroes' Commercial Targets Young Fans

When I interviewed longtime NASCAR team owner Felix Sabates for Where Charlotte magazine last year, among the many interesting things he told me (and many that I didn't have space for in the article) that he believed his league needed to do to grow is to attract younger fans. Well, one of NASCAR's newest television commercials, which began airing this weekend with the running of the Daytona 500, features kids.

Credit: youtube.com/nascar

In the minute-long commercial, titled "Heroes," several boys and one girl talk about what they dream of becoming. They appear to be between elementary and middle school age, and they dream "of flying," "of riding a rocket," "of being an athlete," "of being a king," and "of being fearless," among other things. Their assertions are followed by quick and exciting scenes from NASCAR races and several of the sports most popular drivers. The commercial closes with one of the kids saying he dreams of being a race car driver, which essentially is what each of the kids is saying.

When I saw the commercial this afternoon, I immediately liked it. Heck, it even gave me a little bit of that excitement we only tend to have about something as kids. Even though I consider myself an avid sports fan today, it pales in comparison to how I was as a kid. When I would watch games all day on the weekends, wouldn't miss a round of the playoffs, read the player and team stats whenever they were published in the newspaper (that's a lost art). So it is absolutely imperative that NASCAR chase these young fans, whom I assume they hope will grow to be adult fans.

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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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It's #GivingTuesday -- Recommended Charlotte Organizations to Support

I don't remember if I heard of GivingTuesday last year when it launched. But now in it's second year, this national day of giving's message is all over the place--as it should be. Founded by a NYC-based nonprofit organization, GivingTuesday is intended to remind us that it is important to give during this holiday season, and it strategically takes place following what has become national shopping days (and oftentimes acts of greed): Black Friday and Cyber Monday. So today, Tuesday, December 3, is GivingTuesday.

Credit: facebook.com/GivingTuesday

This charitable campaign got a big boost this year when the United Nations Foundation joined as an official partner. Nonprofit organizations--big and small--are participating all around the country. Below I've listed a few Charlotte-based groups that would be deserving of your support, should you decide to give today. For each of these, I've either been involved with the organizations and/or know some of the key people behind them. And they run the gamut, from helping the homeless and impoverished to working with youth, education, and improving health. Donations can be given online at each of the organizations' websites.

Organizations listed in alphabetical order.

Charlotte Rescue Mission
Founded in 1938 (celebrating 75th anniversary), this organization has a long history of reaching out to the homeless and those battling addictions. Its mission is to minister the good news of Christianity to individuals caught in the crisis of poverty, hopelessness, or addictions by meeting their spiritual, physical, and emotional needs. charlotterescuemission.org

Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg
An affiliate of the national Communities In Schools network, the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization, its mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. As a result, our youth will be better equipped to find meaningful employment, lead productive, gratifying lives, and become contributing members of society. cischarlotte.org

Crisis Assistance Ministry
An independent nonprofit agency, it focuses on preventing homelessness and preserving dignity for Charlotte-Mecklenburg's working poor by providing assistance with rent, utilities, clothing, and furniture. crisisassistance.org

EmpowHERment, Inc.
Provides mentorship, talent development, and advocacy programs for girls and women throughout the Charlotte region. It started a few years ago as an annual summit, then last year became a fully developed nonprofit organization. You can support its efforts and have an enjoyable evening at EmpowHERment's First Birthday Celebration on Thursday, December 12 at UNC Charlotte Center City. Click here to buy tickets. empowherment.com

Freedom School Partners
FSP's mission is to engage, educate, and empower children to succeed in school and in life through quality, year-round educational enrichment programs. Provides quality summer Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools programs for students in grades K-12 throughout Charlotte’s communities. freedomschoolpartners.org

Queen City Mobile Market
Working to improve food access one neighborhood at a time. The mobile market will roll out on a mission to make sure everyone enjoys fresh produce regardless of their zip code in Charlotte and the surrounding area. qcmobilemarket.com

The Red Pump Project
A nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls through education, and open dialogue about the issues that surround sexual and reproductive health. The Fifth Annual Red Pump/Red Tie Affair takes place this Saturday, December 7 at The Hart Witzen Gallery in Charlotte. Click here to buy tickets. theredpumpproject.org

Learn more about GivingTuesday by visiting givingtuesday.org, at facebook.com/GivingTuesday, and Twitter @GivingTues | #GivingTuesday. You're also encouraged to post an #UNselfie--a photo showing where and why you gave to a charity.

UNselfies. Credit: @UTAFoundation

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Personal Look at the Curry Family in Montessori Video

While most of the world knows Sonya Curry as Stephen and Seth's mom, the lady we enjoyed watching on television in the stands at college basketball games, she has an important day job. Aside from being the matriarch of Charlotte's First Family of sports, which also includes husband Dell and daughter Sydel, Sonya is the founder and head of school of the Christian Montessori School at Lake Norman. Because the school is a member of the American Montessori Society, we're treated to a video the society produced, featuring the Curry family discussing how receiving a Montessori education positively impacted their lives.

Photo of a young Curry family, shown in the Montessori video. 

I first became familiar with Montessori schools several years ago, shortly after moving to Charlotte. I was working on a magazine article that led me to learn that Montessori schools, for the most part, allow students to learn at their own pace and there are usually multiple ages placed in a classroom to foster peer learning. In the video, all five of the Currys talk about what they like about Montessori education. But what I think you'll enjoy most is getting a rare glimpse into the personal lives of a family that has been in the public eye for much of the last 20 years, but does their best to keep a relatively low profile outside of their professions.

In describing each of her kids' personalities, Sonya says Steph is really task oriented, Seth is quiet, shy, and reserved, and Sydel is a social butterfly. If you've ever come across Sydel's Twitter, then you know the Elon University freshman volleyball player is social. And I know that the Sonya Curry stans will be happy to see that the hot mom gets a lot of face time in the video.

I learned of this video from a tweet Steph posted yesterday.

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Charlotte-Area Teen Nash Grier Becomes Vine Star, Goes On National Media Run

I'm hooked on watching Vine videos, those six-second clips that users create on their smartphones, powered by the Twitter app. I don't usually watch the short videos individually, but instead I view the Vine compilations that you can find on YouTube and other sites. People will compile videos made up of dozens, sometimes hundreds of vines--most of them either funny or weird or both--that were created by random people from all over the country (in effect, you're watching a 10-minute-or-so blooper reel). And it's extremely entertaining. I've watched enough of them to where I recognize some of the popular "actors," but I only recently learned (from a Charlotte Observer article) that one of them is a teenager from the Charlotte area.

Nash being Nash. Credit: twitter.com/Nashgrier

Nash Grier is a 15-year-old Mooresville kid who's become a Vine sensation. He now has more than 1.5 million followers on the app, which, according to Rankzoo, ranks him at No. 23 for the most followers. Slightly ahead of him at No. 22 is Harry Styles of One Direction, while Nash has more Vine followers than Wiz Khalifa, Ellen DeGeneres, Kevin Hart, and other top-ranked celebrities on the list (he's way ahead of Justin Bieber). In August, Vine surpassed 40 million users, continuing to grow at a rapid pace even though many analysts thought its popularity would be hurt by the introduction of video on Instagram.

You can expect Nash's profile to rise exponentially because he's currently on a quick national media run. He flew to New York yesterday, appeared on ABC's Good Morning America this morning (he met Sylvester Stallone), and also taped an interview for Inside Edition that's scheduled to air this evening. As is the norm with Internet sensations, I expect for his story to get picked up by many other media outlets in coming days (the U.K.'s Daily Mail already picked up his story from the Observer).

Follow Nash on Twitter @nashgrier, where you'll find links to his Vine videos (which you can view there on the web even if you don't have the app), and Instagram @nashgrier. You can also watch many popular Vine videos and top Viners online and all in one place at vinebox.co (here's the direct link to Nash's).

He's recorded several different "Mr. Steal Yo Girl" videos like this one.

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The Air Jordan 5 'Bel-Air' Releases Saturday

For sneaker heads, Saturday is often an important day. That's when a lot of the highly anticipated sneakers are released for sale in stores. This Saturday, October 5 is a big day for fans of the J's. The Air Jordan 5 "Bel-Air" is being sold at limited stores nationwide and is expected to sell out.

The 5's continue the lucrative trend by Jordan Brand of releasing retro sneakers in new colors. You have people my age and older who remember when these sneakers were originally released in 1990 and they want them today partly because of the nostalgia or because they can afford them now. And then there are the teenagers like my nephews who are intrigued by the sneakers that originally came out before they were born.

This release of the Air Jordan 5, or V, which retails for $185, has been given the nickname Bel-Air because the colors are reminiscent of the flashy and funky styles Will Smith wore on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The colorway for the sneakers are cool grey, court purple, game royal, club pink. Guess you could say it's a classic's ode to a classic, and one of the best sitcoms of all time also debuted in 1990, the same year as the Jordan 5's. Will's character often wore Air Jordans on the show.

If you're looking to buy these sneaks tomorrow, good luck. They're only being sold at select stores. If you're looking for them in the Charlotte area, the Foot Locker stores at SouthPark Mall and Carolina Place Mall are selling them, but you won't be able to just show up to buy them. Having learn from the craze, headaches, and even potential dangers of crowds forming outside of stores on the morning of popular sneaker releases, stores like Foot Locker now do sweepstakes or lotteries--just for the opportunity to buy the shoes. Specifically for the Bel-Airs, the Foot Locker at SouthPark and Carolina Place (as well as other select FL stores nationwide) issued tickets on Wednesday and Thursday to people who came by the store. You had to designate the exact size you wanted. Then today, Foot Locker called the winners, who'll now be able to come to the store tomorrow to buy the sneakers.

If you want to buy them from a store locally, you'll have the chance to cop the kicks from Social Status, the high-end sneaker boutique and men's clothing store in Plaza Midwood (1519 Central Ave., 704-632-9902). I called the store and the representative said they're selling the Bel-Airs on a first-come, first-served basis when they open at 11 a.m. tomorrow, and that you must also spend an additional $100 on merchandise to be able to buy the sneakers.

Social Status. Credit: socialstatuspgh.com

Foot Locker also says the sneakers will go on sale online tomorrow at 8 a.m. at Footlocker.com.

And artists are still making new songs about wearing J's.

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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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West Fest Community Celebration Returns to Charlotte's Westside this Saturday

Charlotte natives know this city before it became what it is today, the way we transplants know it. Because of my work as a journalist, I tend to learn more about this city's history than the average person who moved here within the last decade, like myself (Charlotte had the nation's fastest growing population from 2000 to 2010, by the way). And I love talking to natives who share stories about how things used to be, like how Uptown Charlotte wasn't always the hip and attractive destination it is now, and where certain low-income housing projects used to be, long since replaced by ritzy urban living. As they wax poetic on yesteryear, most will agree that we're all better off with the Charlotte of today. But for some, they want to bring back a little of what's been lost.

That's the case with West Fest, an annual community festival that thrived in the 1990s and that showcased Charlotte’s Westside. It would take place on the football field of West Charlotte High School and feature local vendors, live musical performances, community resources, games, and more. Now, through a collaborative effort led by several local organizations, West Fest returns this Saturday, August 24, noon to 6 p.m., free and open to the public.

West Fest 2013 is being presented as the latest initiative from Project L.I.F.T., the lauded public/private partnership between community leaders, Charlotte-based corporations and foundations, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to help transform West Charlotte High and the eight elementary and middle schools that feed into it. The other major partners in West Fest are UNCC's Urban Education Collaborative, Radio One Charlotte, WBTV, and West Charlotte alum Amber May.

It's an event for the whole family. There'll be food, games, vendors, and a full afternoon of performances from about 20 musicians, poets, and dance groups. The performance lineup includes rappers Bettie Grind and Mr. 704, soul singer Nicci Canada, slam poet Bluz, the West Charlotte band and cheerleaders, and more before national gospel recording artist Zacardi Cortez closes out the stage. Click here for the complete schedule.

Each of the entertainment acts will be introduced by West Charlotte graduates from the 1970s through 2000s, including many who have gone one to become community leaders, like Charlotte City Councilman and mayoral candidate James “Smuggie” Mitchell and JCSU head basketball coach Steve Joyner. There was a time when West Charlotte was churning out future community leaders like them, as well as former-Charlotte-mayor-turned-recently-appointed-U.S.-Secretary-of-Transportation Anthony Foxx. That's the vital community West Fest is trying to showcase, and that Project L.I.F.T. is working year-round to bring back. It starts with the community, the parents, the youth--everyone.

In other Project L.I.F.T. news, the organization is asking fathers with students at any of its nine schools to personally take their kids to school on August 26. They're participating in the nationwide Million Father March, created by The Black Star Project, to increase adult male participation in schools. Research shows an increase in male involvement increases academic and social outcomes for students.

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You Should Know: All We Want Is LOVE

A few weeks ago, I received an email with details on an upcoming event that sounded like it would be a good fit to include on my Dusk Till Dawn blog's list of weekend events, so I did (it took place last Friday). The event, held at Bubble, was a fundraiser, and I especially like to help spread the word on events that support good causes. I'd never heard of the organization the event was supporting, called All We Want Is LOVE, but the brief details I read about it showed it to be a noble cause. All We Want Is LOVE (Liberation Of Victims Everywhere) is a nonprofit organization, based in Charlotte, that works to end human trafficking and sex slavery. Last night, the organization's founder, Jillian Mourning, appeared at the 2013 Do Something! Awards, broadcast live on VH1.

VH1 partnered with DoSomething.org, the country’s largest not-for-profit for young people and social change, to present the awards ceremony. Jillian was one of five finalists up for the Do Something Award Grand Prize, a $100,000 grant for the winner's community project or organization. They are "five 'do-gooders,' 25 and under, who are in the trenches, creating substantial change in our world," the organizers said. The five finalists each represent incredible organizations and important causes: Sasha Fisher (Spark Microgrants), Daniel Maree (Millionhoodies Movement for Justice), Jillian Mourning (All We Want Is LOVE), Lorella Praeli (United We Dream), and Ben Simon (Food Recovery Network).

The two-hour Do Something! Awards show, hosted by Sophia Bush and featuring performances by Sara Bareilles and J. Cole, was attended by numerous celebrities. It also honored stars Patrick Dempsey, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jennifer Hudson, LL Cool J, and Kelly Osbourne for their charitable work. But the show closed out with the presentation of the $100,000 prize winner, with each of the five finalists on stage. After millions of votes by the public, Daniel Maree was announced as the winner for his Millionhoodies Movement. The other four finalists will each receive a grant of $10,000. Watch the video below of the award presentation.

Last night's award show should go a long way to helping these great organizations get the recognition and support they deserve. It's what propelled me to write this blog post, and to hopefully lead more people to support All We Want Is LOVE, in particular.

The organization, according to their website, combats human trafficking in all forms, but their main objective is on sex trafficking, by focusing their efforts on the physical liberation, emotional liberation and rehabilitation, and aiding the victims back into society, as well as increasing global awareness on the issue. They fund established groups with parallel goals in liberating and rescuing victims from modern day slavery. These include groups that are rescuing victims from brothels, offering them shelter and safety, providing them with basic education, and aiding in reintegration into society.

All We Want Is LOVE founder Jillian Mourning. Photos credit: facebook.com/AllWeWantIsLove

Jillian, a Charlotte resident, model, and graduate of UNC Charlotte, has an incredible story of her own. When she was 19, she was raped and became a victim of sex trafficking for six months. Not only is she brave for sharing her story, but she turned tragedy into triumph when she started this organization in July 2012.

A lot of people tend to view human trafficking as something that's only a problem in foreign countries, but it happens more in the U.S. than you might think, particularly the sex trafficking of teenage girls and young women.

Visit All We Want Is LOVE online for more details on this great organization and how you can get involved: www.allwewantislove.org, facebook.com/AllWeWantIsLove, twitter.com/WeWantL_O_V_E.

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Welp! At Least Cam Newton Isn't Wearing an Atlanta Falcons Hat

The NFL is the only professional sport where the players and teams continue to dominate sports news during their offseason. Guess that's how powerful and influential the league is. Or maybe it's just the around-the-clock sports networks needing to fill time during the summer when there's pretty much only baseball going on.

Well in recent days, we've learned that the San Francisco 49ers' breakout star quarterback Colin Kaepernick likes to rock a Miami Dolphins hat (see here and here) and isn't sorry for it. Then over the weekend, in an interview with The Atlanta Journal Constitution, it was revealed that Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is still an Atlanta Falcons fan. "I've always been a Falcons fan, and I'm still a Falcons fan except for those two times a year [when the Panthers play Atlanta]," Cam said.

His comments became big news today once ESPN got wind of it. See their analysts discuss it in the video below.


I don't have a problem with Cam being a Falcons fan. He did, after all, grow up in Atlanta, and it's common for us, as adults, to root for the same teams we were fans of since we were kids. But I have a problem with Cam admitting to being a Falcons fan in 2013. Granted, the AJC article was part of a wide-ranging interview with a reporter he sat down with after an event his Cam Newton Foundation put on for kids at a YMCA in Atlanta (his foundation does great charitable work in both the ATL and Charlotte). But Cam has to know that as the leader of the Carolina Panthers, he can't say anything that puts into question his desire to win in Carolina or loyalty to his team. I'm not questioning it--and, for the record, I'm a big fan of his--but he opens the door to that criticism.

Cam Newton at the School Pride Day his foundation hosted in May for more than 700 Charlotte middle school students. Credit: camnewtonfoundation.org

And at least Cam has ties to the NFL-team-he-paid-homage-to-but-doesn't-play-for. In regards to Colin, however, I can't figure out what's behind his audacity to wear a Dolphins hat--I don't think he's ever lived in Miami, and he didn't play college ball in that city--other than for the fashion statement he was trying to make, which continues to be popular with young guys who love wearing pro teams' hats and athletes' sneakers. Cam and Colin are both young--ages 24 and 25, respectively--so I believe a lot of this behavior and mindset can be attributed to them being born in the late '80s. Could you imagine Randall Cunningham wearing anything other than a Philadelphia Eagles cap back then?

This also reminds me of the time I chastised Cam for wearing a Charlotte Hornets hat to a Bobcats game. Looks like he was just ahead of the curve though.

But in comparison to the trouble some star NFL players get in, if all you or I have to complain about with our team's star quarterback is a little fondness he displays for another team, I'll take it.

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