2019 March/April "Women's" Issue

March-April 2019

Charlotte’s African-American Magazine

Northeastern University Empowering Women

Matthews Heritage Museum

Links to the past

Black Triathletes

Next level fitness

Salt Therapy Holistic healing

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PROUD TO GIVE BUSINESSES A LIFT CATS is proud to provide opportunities for businesses to create local jobs through the advancement of transit projects. CATS also seeks to create an environment that gives small and socially or economically challenged local businesses the opportunity to compete for publicly funded contracts by participating in the Small Business Opportunity (SBO) and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Programs.

To date, 11 DBE firms have been awarded contracts of over $13 million to help build the CityLYNX Gold Line Streetcar.

As the major provider of public transportation to Charlotte and the surrounding region, CATS relies on the communities we serve to build and operate the service every day. By working together on these new opportunities, we can all keep our communities moving in the right direction.

For more information, visit ridetransit.org.

CATS. YOUR RIDE IS HERE.

I

felt empowered at a very early age thanks to very supportive parents, especially my mom, Martha Seidel, who always told me if I worked hard, nothing was out of reach. She also walked the talk by going back to school at age 50 to complete her bachelor’s degree, and went on to own her own business for more than a decade. I know I inherited my zest for lifelong learning from her, as well; evidenced by the three degrees I went on to earn (BA, MA and PhD).

Fast forward to 2004, when I moved to Charlotte from Denver. I met Mary VickersKoch, who hired me as director of business & industry relations at CPCC. Just four months later, she told me about an associate dean position she thought I should pursue. While I thought it was a stretch, given my newness to the college and Charlotte, she encouraged me to apply. I got the job, which set me on the path that led to becoming dean of CPCC’s Cato Campus and subsequently my current role as CEO & Regional Dean at Northeastern University-Charlotte.

I pay Mary’s investment in me forward by empowering my team members and volunteering my time in the community. Northeastern University established a Charlotte campus in 2011 with a small staff, mostly women, who have since grown into greater roles. We also launched with eight degree programs and now have more than 40. I’m proud of the role I have played in this growth.

I learned early on how important community engagement is in Charlotte. Your day job may end at 5 p.m., but that’s when the real work of volunteer leadership begins.

For that reason, at any given time, I sit on multiple boards. Currently, that includes: Apparo, Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, Patriots Path and the corporate board of Progressive AE. For many years, I have participated in and always enjoyed the Charlotte Business Journal’s Mentoring Monday speed networking event as a mentor.

Northeastern University shares my passion for developing the next generation, especially women. Since we opened our Charlotte campus, located in the Center City at Trade and Tryon, we’ve played a major role in the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s Emerging Business Leaders (EBL) Program, the Latin American Chamber’s Leadership Program and Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Mentoring Program.

In this issue, you’ll read about two amazing Northeastern female professors, Dr. Corliss Brown Thompson and Dr. Tiffani Williams, both committed to mentoring other women.

Just as my mom has always empowered me, I am privileged to do the same with my 16-year-old daughter, Ashlyn, who is a great student, star athlete and ambitious young woman. Borrowing my mom’s script, I tell her regularly, work hard and nothing is out of reach.

Warmly, Dr. Cheryl L. Richards

CEO and Regional Dean, Northeastern University-Charlotte

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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A PLACE‌

where each and every heartbeat begins where connections are made bringing health, hope and healing

FOR ALL

Wishing you health in 2019

March – April 2019

Departments

30

10 From the Editor 12 Notable Names 13 By Faith 14 The Mindful Parent 15 Book Review 18 Family Notes 34 Scene and Seen

15

47 Events Calendar

Health 44 The Salt Pad

Helping Charlotte breathe again

46 5 Health Issues

Facing Black women today

Business 39 B eauty

After the Bars Program gives women hope

41 FYI News & Notes

42 Workplace Warrior

Company provides employment consultation

38

44 Log on to pridemagazineonline.com for more features including our weekly calendar of events.

Features 19 Northeastern Professor Helps Graduate Students

Meet Corliss Brown Thompson

21 Dr. Tiffani Williams

Doing her part to make Charlotte a tech hub

23 Sarah Baldwin

Using faith and gymnastics to win at life

24 The “IT” Girls

Nonprofit prepares girls for the technology industry

30 Matthews Heritage Museum

Tank Town one of the first African American communities

32 Triathlon Training

Group Pushes Black Women

On the Cover Northeastern University professor Corliss Brown Thompson at the Charlotte campus.

Photo by T. Ortega Gaines.

38 Never Too Late to Date

Seniors Seeking Love

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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UNDER N O I T C U R T S N UNDER CO C o ll a g

in t M M e h T m e f ro

u s e um

N O C R E D N U N UNDER CO STRUCTION STRUCTION N O I T C U R T S N O C R E UND N O I T C U R T S N O C R E D N U

OPEN THROUGH

AUG 18, 2019

Collage fr

o

t Mu s e u m The Min

MINT MUSEUM UPTOWN

m

Learn more at mintmuseum.org Exhibition organized by The Mint Museum.

Generous support provided by Colville Capital.

IMAGE Cristina Toro. The Invisible Life of Small Things, 2011, acrylic paint. Museum Purchase: Funds provided by an Anonymous Donor. 2013.56. © Cristina Toro

C o ll a g e f

se u M t n i M rom T he

um

Giving back to the community never tasted so good.

Please join us for a culinary extravaganza to benefit Community Link, featuring savory bites, delicious sweets, a silent auction and more. All to fund our continuum of programs and services that help take people in our community from homelessness to homeownership. Learn more, buy tickets or donate at Sweet-Escapes.org.

APRIL 13TH, 7PM-10PM MINT MUSEUM RANDOLPH (704) 943-9512

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A

G

A

Z

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E

Charlotte’s African-American Magazine

CEO/Publisher Dee Dixon

Editor-in-Chief

Lashawnda Becoats

Copy Editor Polly Paddock

Lead Writer Angela Lindsay

Creative Director Larry Preslar

Design & Production SPARK Publications www.SPARKpublications.com

Distribution Watch Dog Entertainment®

©

Account Executive Nikelle Fesperman

Public Relations Nepherterra Estrada

Subscribe to Pride

$13.25. Please subscribe online at www.pridemagazineonline.com, mail to P.O. Box 30113, Charlotte, NC 28230 or call 704- 375-9553

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Please send an e-mail to info@pridemagazine.net fax to 704-375-9550 or mail to Pride Magazine 402 W. Trade St., Suite 102, Charlotte, NC 28202 www.pridemagazineonline.com

Copyright© 2019 Pride Magazine All rights reserved. Copying or reproduction, in part or in whole, is strictly prohibited.

Pride Magazine reserves the right to deny any advertisement, listing or feature that does not meet Pride Magazine standards or that is outside the scope or mission of our magazine. Pride Magazine assumes no responsibility for information, products, services, or statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Pride Magazine prints with soy ink.

Vol. 27 No. 2 March-April 2019 All rights reserved for PRIDE Communications Inc. Find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/PrideMagazineNC

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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FromTheEditor

By Lashawnda Becoats

Get Inspired

B

y the time you read this letter, we will have successfully pulled off the NBA All-star game, the CIAA Tournament and are headed into hosting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) game this month.

This is a great way to kick off the year, and it tells me 2019 is going to be a year full of possibilities.

Speaking of which, we highlight Northeastern University-Charlotte, which is giving adults new career options. Be sure to read the stories starting on page 19.

As we headed into the spring, I’m looking forward to the warm weather and a chance to get out and participate in some fun outdoor activities. Our story on women triathletes on page 32 is inspiring. Read about how these sisters took a physical challenge and train for it.

Did you know the town of Matthews has a museum? I was excited to learn about the rich history of Tank Town, one of the first African American communities in the South. Read about who started this small community in the story “Matthews Heritage Museum Studies Tank Town” on page 30.

As always, I hope you enjoy this issue. We value your opinion and feedback. Be sure to let us know what you think.

Run toward your life,

Lashawnda K. Becoats Run Toward Your Life

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Walmart's New Education Benefit Puts Cap and Gown within Reach for Associates Under the program, the associate contribution toward a college degree is just $1 a day. Walmart will subsidize the cost of tuition, books and fees, eliminating the need for student loan and debt and addressing one of the biggest hurdles that keep people from returning to college.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE AND HOW ASSOCIATES CAN JUMPSTART THEIR PATH TO COMPLETION BY EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT FOR PAID TRAINING AT WALMART ACADEMIES, LOG ON TO: corporate.walmart.com March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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NotableNames

By Ryan Kouame

JANEEN BRYANT

KHAMIAH ALDERMAN

BRENDA HAYDEN

JEFF ANDERSON

Founder of Facilitate Movement, Janeen Bryant, was named one of MeckEd’s five new board members. Bryant is an intersectional educator, facilitator, trainer and speaker who advocates for building community capacity.

In 2000, she established Facilitate Movement, a consulting firm that specializes in helping businesses make connections between their staff and the community. Bryant received her masters of science in management and leadership from Montreat College and a bachelor of arts in anthropology from Davidson College. She formerly served as the vice president of education at the Levine Museum of the New South and is a regionally and nationally published author in industry-specific journals.

Brenda Hayden was named the first African American woman to serve as president of the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association. The Charlotte Regional Realtor Association is a trade association that provides more than 11,500 Realtor members with the resources and services they need to conduct ethical, professional, successful and profitable businesses.

Hayden has been a member of the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association since 2001, serving on many committees, such as the Fair and Affordable Housing Advisory Group and the Housing Opportunity Foundation Committee. She also served on the City of Charlotte Community Relations committee.

Hayden received her master’s in business administration from Queens University and bachelor of science in business administration from Northeastern University.

She is licensed to practice real estate in both North and South Carolina. When she is not helping individuals find their dream homes, Hayden enjoys spending time with her family, hiking and volunteering with nonprofit organizations focused on eliminating homelessness.

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Khamiah Alderman, a senior at Zebulon B. Vance High School, was named as one of MeckEd’s five new board members.

MeckEd is a local education fund that consists of independent nonprofit organizations with a mission to ensure that all young people in Mecklenburg County public schools have the knowledge, skills and experiences to live successful and productive lives.

Alderman maintains a 4.2 GPA while dedicating her free time to leadership and service in the community. She is involved in the Young Black Leadership Alliance, National Honor Society and has accumulated more than 140 hours of volunteer service to Promising Pages, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing children’s literacy. Alderman has plans to attend UNC Chapel Hill or Howard University with the goal of becoming a community leader committed to creating positive changes for an equitable world.

Jeff “Uzi D” Anderson was named the new operations manager for Radio One, Inc. in the Charlotte market.

Anderson previously served as the operations manager for Radio One Richmond and Beasley Broadcast Group in the Charlotte market. He will be managing three Radio One brands in the Charlotte market: 105.3 RNB, Praise 100.9 and 92.7 The Block.

“I am truly grateful for everyone at Radio One who believes in me and was instrumental in bringing me back to help grow these amazing brands in Charlotte, NC to meet their ratings and revenue goals,” says Anderson.

Radio One is one of the nation’s largest and diversified broadcasting companies that targets African American and urban consumers. It operates syndicated programming such as the Tom Joyner Morning Show, the Rickey Smiley Morning Show and the DL Hughley Show.

ByFaith

By Rev. Dr. Dwayne Bond

Dashed Dreams

H

ow do you respond when you have to live life without your dreams ever coming to fruition?

Simply put, what do you do when your dreams have been dashed? What happens when what you’ve longed for never materializes?

After graduating from college, your plan was to be married by a certain age. You longed for a healthy relationship, but found yourself constantly navigating through toxic ones. You asked yourself, “Will I ever have a relationship that lasts?” You thought to yourself that maybe if I just loved him unconditionally, he would treat me better and we’d have the relationship that I dreamed of.

You’ve always wanted children. You’d be happy with even just one biological child.

But for some reason, you can’t get pregnant or your pregnancies end in miscarriages.

Having grown up with a volatile relationship with your mother, you thought that maybe as adults, you and your mate would enjoy one another. After the last intense argument, you wonder whether that time will ever come. Will you ever understand one another?

You never imagined having so much disappointment in your career. You worked hard. You sacrificed time and energy. Why is your dream position still out of reach?

Why does she get all of the promotions?

You never thought that you’d be the one that would have a debilitating chronic illness that hinders you from enjoying life.

Why do you wake up with body aches, experience social isolation and entertain depressive thoughts?

Once you started dating him, you knew that you two were a match made in heaven.

However, the man of your dreams turned out to have the leading role in your worst nightmare. You never thought you would end up with a failed marriage.

As you ponder life’s disappointments and unmet expectations, you find yourself left with countless unanswered questions. Do you become numb to and paralyzed by your dashed dreams, or do you move on with life despite the sadness, discouragement and despair? Is there any

hope on the other side of dashed dreams?

Regardless of how you answer these questions, understand that even though you may be faced with a new and unexpected normal, you’re not alone. God is with you whether your dreams have become a reality or not. Depend on God to help you develop new ways of coping with all the emotions that dashed dreams bring.

Perhaps, God might bring to life the very dream that you thought was dead. How would you respond to such a surprise? Let’s learn from Scripture. Luke 1:6-13 says, that Elizabeth and Zechariah were both righteous before God, “…walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.”

But they were both advanced in age, and had no children because Elizabeth was barren.

Both of them lived for God and sought to obey Him. Yet, they were childless. I can imagine that they longed to one day have a child, but eventually resolved to themselves that it never would happen.

According to Luke 1:13, while Zechariah was serving in the temple, the angel of the Lord told him that his prayer was heard

and would be answered. The angel said, “... your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” God answered their prayers and turned the couple’s dashed dream into a reality.

What can you learn from this story?

First, if your dream appears dashed, never stop praying. Continually pray even when it doesn’t seem like your prayers are being answered. Secondly, avoid allowing your obedience and service to God to be conditional. In other words, regardless of whether God gives you what you desire, seek to still obey and serve Him. Lastly, understand that the ultimate fulfillment of your dreams is in the hands of God. Trust that He is for you, with you and has your best in mind.

Trust His will, His timing and His plan for you. Regardless of life’s outcomes, God is always good. As you survey your life and all that you hope for, may your heart rest in God’s faithfulness. P The Rev. Dwayne Bond is the lead pastor of Wellspring Church.

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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TheMindfulParent

By Shavonda Bean

Preparing Your Child for Relationship Success Starting at Home

M

ost parents do their best when it comes to how they care for and nurture their children, while striking a balance in their own lives. At the heart of each carefully engineered strategy and parenting decision is an effort toward developing healthy, well-rounded adults who are not only successful in their personal and professional lives, but in their relationships and marriages as well. How a parent loves, protects and responds to a child’s needs is just as important.

The Attachment Theory, developed

by John Bowlby and investigated by Mary Ainsworth, indicates a strong and secure relationship with at least one caregiver is vital to launching healthy emotional development and interpersonal relationships. This bond is referred to as the Secure Attachment. Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver later applied the attachment theory to adults. So how do you parent in a way that best supports healthy adult relationships in the future?

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Children who can consistently rely on a parent to nurture them and keep them safe is believed to have formed a Secure Attachment.

The parent is predictable, sensitive the child is more likely to be confident, exploratory, open in their communication, loving, caring and trusting. These children become adults who are able to form stable, satisfying and healthy relationships with their partners, while being open to accepting advice, more flexible and empathetic.

I believe a child’s natural temperament also influences the attachment, so the idea of nature versus nurture cannot be lost in this theory. It also proposes that several factors lead to insecure attachments and negatively influence relationships and commitment in adulthood. Although these attachment types are argued as less reliable segments of the theory, they are interesting to explore nonetheless.

One insecure attachment type is referred to as the Ambivalent Attachment. It is said to

be formed when a parent vacillates between accepting and rejecting the child, does not consistently meet the child’s emotional needs or provide a stable sense of safety. A child in this environment is more anxious, angry and insecure. In adulthood, this person is clingy while also pushing away at the sign of intimacy. He or she might seek out unhealthy relationships or look for others to provide a sense of security.

The parent who is critical, dismissive or disengaged towards his or her child forms the Avoidant Attachment. This child is not likely to seek out the parent for comfort and safety and eventually learns that his or her needs are not likely to be met. The child finds him- or herself fearing dependency, while also dismissing attachment to others, thereby making it easy to walk away or remain emotionally detached in relationships.

Extremely dysfunctional parenting is associated with the Disorganized Attachment type. These children are more likely to develop serious psychological conditions.

In relationships, this adult might fear abandonment, feel unworthy of love and struggle with intimacy, and find themselves in dramatic or unstable relationships.

While the constructs of the theory involving the insecure attachment types is challenged, there is no question that a secure attachment is a vital component of developing a happy, resilient and emotionally healthy child. So this is the goal. Forming a secure attachment doesn’t mean being the perfect parent or living perfect lives. It involves being attuned to and responsive to your child’s needs and health, and managing your own emotional well-being and stress appropriately. Recognize how your child responds to your voice, touch, body language and energy; does it draw them close or create distance? Create opportunities to bond, laugh, enjoy and emotionally connect with your child. Nurturing goes a long way! P Shavonda Bean is a licensed psychological associate and owner of Essential Assessments & Behavioral Health. Visit www.EssentialHealthNC.com for more information.

BookReview

Local Authors Shine

By Angela Haigler

‘If You Died Today Would You Live On? Your Legacy Needs Your Attention’

By Barbara Pinson Lash Celebrity media coach and journalist, Barbara Pinson Lash has dedicated NEED her life to asking clients an important question: BOOK “What legacy do you want IMAGE to leave behind?” Over time, Lash learned this simple question helped her clients zero in on the most important actions needed to achieve their goal. In her book debut, she uses her own answers, as well as interviews with previous clients, family and friends, as prompts. Lash then asks readers to follow along and write their responses in the space provided. In the end, the book acts as both a resource and a recorder.

Local Author

Local

‘The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys’

Young Author Readers:

By Eddie Moore, Jr., Ali Michael, Marguerite W. Penick-Parks In school systems across the country, white female teachers are often a dominant force.

NEED But are white women properly equipped to BOOK teach Black boys? This IMAGE issue is explored by a global collective of education experts, who help provide some of the topics and tools needed. For teachers and institutions willing to recognize the problem and seek solutions, this book will likely be the perfect resource. Contributors include the renowned expert on the Black male experience Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, educator Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. and others.

‘Genesis Begins Again’

By Alicia Williams

NEED BOOK IMAGE

‘Fabulous F Words of Business Ownership’

By Fabi W. Preslar When you think of “F” words, “fabulous” is usually not one of them. Business owner Fabi Preslar puts a twist on our thought process, and provides 23 “F” words that are beyond fabulous. These F-words are also fantastic. They are lingering lessons from her journey she has made as a veteran business owner and yes each chapter features a word that begins with the letter “F”. What makes this book even more special is Preslar’s ability to teach others by showing her vulnerability and sharing her fears, failures AND finesse. This is not your typical business book and that’s just what’s needed. There’s inspiration for everyone, from the business owner to the everyday individual. (Published by SPARK Publications)

‘Healthy Made Easy: The Ultimate Wellness Guide for Busy Moms’

By Dr. Lisa N. Folden

Local Author

Using more than 11 years of experience as a health and fitness expert, wife and mother of three, Dr. Lisa Folden’s new book provides a guide for women on how to make health and fitness a priority in their hectic lives.

Colorful and lively, this book provides strategies, tips and meal ideas.

This middle-grade novel finds 13-yearold Genesis on the move, as her family is once again evicted from their living environment and this time, she must live with her maternal grandmother. Quiet and shy, Genesis struggles to develop self- confidence, despite hearing negative messages from Grandma about her dark skin.

Intriguing and told with a sensitive voice that attracts young readers, Genesis’ story will empower and encourage.

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Experience

no boundaries.

Break through the confines of discipline, degree, or campus for a lifetime of learning and discovery.

Anytime. Anywhere.

Boston |

Charlotte

| San Francisco Bay Area | Seattle | Toronto

northeastern.edu/experience

FamilyNotes Compiled by Robin W. Pearson

Easter Fun

Photo courtesy of Edward. C. Jones

Bring your kids to The Queen City Easter Festival on April 13 so children can enjoy face painting, crafts, baked goods, doing the limbo, jumping in the bounce house and of course, hunting for Easter eggs. The event is open to children 12 years and younger. It’s free fun for the whole family, at the Carole Hoefener Center, 615 East 6th Street, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Play Time!

Polls conducted by Americans for the Arts show families need to step up their art appreciation. Studying the arts—theatrical, visual or musical—improves academic performance, enhances creativity and problemsolving skills, helps healing and aids professional development. We weave art into our everyday lives by taking music lessons, studying great artists and seeing plays. The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte hits many artistic buttons March 8 and 9 with Step Afrika!, an awardwinning dance show currently featured at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of AfricanAmerican History. For more information: www.ctcharlotte.org

Finances Food takes a big bite out of any family’s budget, so finding ways to stretch the green—the kind you eat and the kind you spend --are important. Join Friendship Missionary Baptist Church for the “Come to the Table Conference” as it addresses the issues of rising hunger and poverty on March 12 and 13. There will be discussion of farming, community gardening, sustainability, youth-led farming efforts and faith and social issues.

Parking is free and attendance is open to the public; there’s a fee to register for the two-day event.

For more information visit www.friendshipcharlotte.org

Philosopher George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The Mecklenburg Historical Association (MHA) conveys this same lesson in “Voices from the Past.”

During the April 16 event, docents bring the past to life through reenactments, portrayals and self-led walking tours of Charlotte’s Elmwood and Pineville Cemeteries. Both the event and parking are free, but the information is priceless. Visitors learn the background of area architecture, the impact of past events on present-day culture and “hear” the voices of people who weren’t given a say or even a name on their headstones. Visit www.meckdec.org for more information

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Photo courtesy of U.S. National Whitewater Center

Take A Step Back in Time

Get up and Go to the Tuck Fest The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in North Carolina, more than 40 percent of African American adults and about 15 percent of its youth are affected by the “sitting disease,” or obesity. To increase your own “get up and go,” get up and go to the Tuck Fest at the U.S. National Whitewater Center April 25-28. Last year, nearly 55,000 people kayaked, biked, paddle-boarded and competed in various events. Less-daring doers jammed to music, ate, watched demonstrations and cheered on racers. Don’t worry: The event is free—and fun—for those who just want to exchange their seat on the couch for a seat around a campfire demo. tuckfest.usnwc.org P

Northeastern University Professor Helps Graduate Students Unleash Education’s Potential

By Tonya Jameson Photos by T. Ortega Gaines

C

orliss Brown Thompson loved school as a child.

She volunteered for school projects and got good grades, but she noticed her cousins and other classmates didn’t care about school. Nor did they get the chance to volunteer on special projects.

“I started to see this pattern of Black students not having educational experiences that were interesting, and that would help them posthigh school, post-college to find careers and gainful employment that was meaningful,” she said.

This disparity planted a seed that Thompson couldn’t shake, and it fuels her today as a college professor and researcher at Northeastern University in Charlotte.

Thompson’s interest in understanding equity in education prompted her to study desegregation cases as a student at Vance High School in Charlotte. She wanted to understand how Black children were educated, and how it could be changed to give students more purposeful experiences. Thompson’s parents, both college graduates, had

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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high expectations of their four daughters, pushing their girls to have a strong work ethic and give back to the community.

Today, Thompson, 37, is widely recognized for her work in experiential learning, which is an education practice that involves giving students immersive experiences that relate to their curriculum. As an associate teaching professor at Northeastern University, she teaches, researches and advises on dissertations.

Thompson’s philosophy on experiential learning aligns with Northeastern’s – that learning needs to be embedded in people’s everyday realities and connect to their future reality.

Thompson says education should connect backwards and forward. The students should be able to do something with the information. Experiential learning isn’t strictly vocational education programs and co-ops. It can be a more emotionally immersive style of learning that can happen in any classroom.

“School and how we teach is a reflection of who we are in our culture,” Thompson said. “Schools today have largely been created by white, middle-class norms. If you have access to those, you can maybe find an easier connection to schooling. A lot of us don’t have those norms. We don’t always have that history.”

After graduating from UNC Greensboro, Thompson began her teaching career at Chantilly/Billingsville Elementary in August 2004 (It would later become Billingsville Elementary.) It was a high need school, and she wanted to teach at a school that needed strong teachers. Although Thompson loved the students and community, she believed

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that it would take more than passionate teachers to create lasting changes. Two years later, she moved to Chapel Hill to start graduate school and continue teaching in elementary schools.

It was Thompson’s passion and determination that drew a young Cherese Childers-McKee to her during an education conference in Greensboro.

McKee was a young graduate student and Thompson was a more advanced graduate student.

“She just had words of encouragement,” said McKee, who later finished her own doctorate and is now an assistant teaching professor at Northeastern. “I felt like a fish out of water. I always remember her excitement about ideas and mentorship.”

Thompson’s enthusiasm makes her an asset to Northeastern and the community at large. She also emphasizes inclusion, bringing many voices to the table and empowering them to contribute.

Thompson was one of the initial faculty members who helped create the network for Northeastern’s NExT. The program connects kindergarten-12th grade, higher education, industry and community partners in a global network to explore and scale the next generation of highimpact experiential educational offerings.

NExT held an inaugural institute during the summer of 2017 at Northeastern, and the school has convened a national series of workshops. It has evolved from a Northeastern initiative to a collective network of passionate, diverse stakeholders.

“As a teacher, I see myself as a facilitator of learning, building relationships, helping

people construct knowledge connecting theory to what people already know, need to know and teaching problem-solving and research skills along the way. This is my philosophy in contrast to the model of professor as ‘all knowing expert,’ Thompson said. “The reality is that people’s situations and needs are different, and so learning needs to be connected to their experiences, and we need to use experience as a learning opportunity. This is the model I follow with my EdD students.”

It’s a model students such as Natascha Pendergrass appreciated. Thompson advised Pendergrass on her dissertation.

“She’s phenomenal to work with,” said Pendergrass, who received her doctorate in education leadership and curriculum from Northeastern University-Charlotte in 2017.

“I just truly have a love for her. You can tell it is not just a job for her.”

For Thompson, it was always personal. A seed was planted in a little girl who watched her cousins and friends miss opportunities to get an education that meant something.

Now, Thompson uses her knowledge and skills to prevent other children from suffering a similar fate. That’s not a job. It’s a calling. P

It was always personal.

A seed was planted in a little girl who watched her cousins and friends miss opportunities to get an education that meant something.

Thompson’s philosophy on experiential learning aligns with Northeastern’s – that learning needs to be embedded in people’s everyday realities and connect to their future reality.

Northeastern’s Williams Doing Her Part to Make Charlotte a Hub for Tech

By Tonya Jameson Photo by T. Ortega Gaines

W

hen Tiffani Williams was growing up in Arkansas, home video games such as Atari were just taking off, and school subjects in math and science were just that –not an acronym called STEM. Williams used to play against her younger brother in Atari, but the system that piqued her curiosity was the Commodore 64. It was an actual computer for your home, with a keyboard and monitor that was sold at regular retail stores. Williams, then a teenager, was determined to use the machine to do more than beat bad guys in a game. She read the user manual and saw coding that could help her use it as a word processor.

Today, the curiosity that pushed her to understand the potential in Commodore 64 led her down an education and career path that brought her to Northeastern University-Charlotte. Williams is the director of computer science programs and professor of the practice at Northeastern University’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences in Charlotte. She leads the master of science in computer science (MSCS) and Align, which is for people with an undergraduate degree but not a computer science background who want a future in the technology field.

Williams, 47, received her undergraduate and graduate degrees, including her PhD, in computer science.

“I’ve had people who have seen what I can do and have pointed me to opportunities along the way,” Williams said.

Williams tries to do the same for other students. She understands the feeling of doubt, especially among women.

Riya Nadkarni, 29, started the program last January after receiving her degree in pharmacy from a college in

India. After moving to the United States, she discovered that the tech industry was brimming with opportunity. Nadkarni said she contacted people on LinkedIn for advice, and learned about Northeastern’s unique bridge program to enter the field of tech. Nadkarni says she was stressed when she started the program, because she wasn’t sure she could do it. Williams made her classes and the concepts understandable, by using real-life examples, she said.

“She was quite encouraging, saying that anybody can do it if you have the heart for it. She kind of helped me through it,” Nadkarni said.

Like many graduate students, Williams says Northeastern students juggle full time jobs, family and schoolwork.

“The biggest thing that we have to instill is making sure that people are OK with starting over,” she said of students wanting to change careers. “That’s a big pill to swallow.”

Charlotte is one of five campuses that offer the Align MSCS. The other Northeastern campuses are more traditionally associated with the tech industry, such as those in Silicon Valley and Boston. Williams liked the opportunity to establish a masters in computer science here, because the South isn’t typically included in conversations about the tech industry. She is especially proud that Charlotte’s computer science students reflect the diversity of the city.

“We have a great representation of African American women, along with just women in general,” Williams said. “This diversity that we’re going after, that we want to see in STEM, is already here.”

Williams is showing the world that not only can the South be a hub for tech, but women can be the leaders. P

ALIGN BREWS & CHEWS April 3, 7-8PM Bar Louie, 8760 J.M. Keynes Drive, Charlotte, NC 28262 Come learn about Align from current students and Khoury College staff over refreshments.

RSVP to charlotte@neu.edu

Tiffani Williams

Williams liked the opportunity to establish a masters in computer science here, because the South isn’t typically included in conversations about the tech industry.

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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INSIDE|OUT CHARLOTTE IS COMING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU! The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for AfricanAmerican Arts+Culture have joined forces to dot Charlotte neighborhoods with fabulous replicas of art. Find out more about Inside|Out Charlotte and learn where other paintings, drawings, and sculptures are springing up, www.insideoutclt.org.

Generously supported by Knight Foundation, Inside|Out is a national program that launched in 2010 at Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), and has since expanded to Akron Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art and PĂŠrez Art Museum Miami.

A collaboration between

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Generously supported by

Pride Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Teen Uses Faith and Gymnastics to Win at Life

By Arvanna Smart

C

ompassionate, focused and disciplined are just three of the words that those around Sarah Baldwin use to describe her character. Sarah Baldwin is a 15- year-old girl just like every other teen, but what separates her from most of the rest is her passion for anything that she puts her mind to. Over the past year, that passion has been devoted to competitive gymnastics.

“I really didn’t start gymnastics until last year, but I just want to inspire others,” said Baldwin. “I watched the Olympics, and I just wanted to be that role model in others’ lives as (Olympic competitors) were to me.”

Baldwin competes with Metrolina Gymnastics, where she has moved up to a platinum competitor, won five medals at the Southern Regional Championships in May last year and recently placed first in the uneven bars and floor.

“It was a tough meet, but first of many this season,” said LaDonna Baldwin, her mother.

Baldwin is a well-rounded teen, as she knows the importance of school and her faith in God. She maintains straight As. She has also earned the Meritorious Award for her achievements in biblical studies at Calvary Church.

“The (Bible) verses that I learned during my studies at church are always in the back of my head, so throughout meets or if I am nervous, I play them in my head, and it calms me down to know that God is watching me and that is who I am doing it for,” said Baldwin.

“We are a Christian-based gym, so faith is very important to us,” said Nick Baker, owner of Metrolina Gymnastics. “Sarah

Baldwin plans to go on to college to be an engineer or study anything to do with numbers, as math is one of her favorite subjects. School always comes first on her priority list. She also has dreams of competing on the collegiate level with gymnastics.

“I think Sarah can go as far as she wants to with anything she does, because she is

is one of the nicest, sweetest people we have, and I am so thankful that she is a believer, because even if she doesn’t say anything, people can see the difference and it’s because she has the Holy Spirit.”

Inspirations for Baldwin include God and her parents. The work ethic and passion that Baldwin sees in her parents has trickled down to her, as they are always there to keep pushing her and supporting her in anything she does.

“My parents work so hard, and I see how far they have gone in life, and it’s amazing,” said Baldwin.

“I watched the Olympics, and I just wanted to be that role model in others' lives as (Olympic competitors) were to me.”

- Sarah Baldwin

ready to work, ready to learn and put 100 percent into her work ethic,” said Kourtney Colley, Baldwin’s coach. “She is a great asset to the gym, a God-fearing child and a great positive leader.”

With her determination, work ethic, support system and faith, Baldwin is sure to continue to be great at anything she puts her mind to.

“I just want to inspire others to achieve their goals, no matter what you go through or your situation,” said Baldwin. “Be persistent and don’t stop, because if you continue on and try to accomplish your goals, then you can be unstoppable.You can be that person that inspires others.” P

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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Khalia Braswell

IT

“

THE

”

GIRLS K

Nonprofit Prepares Girls for the Information Technology Industry

By Angela Lindsay

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halia Braswell was in the fourth grade when she received her first computer, and she’s been hooked on information technology ever since. Now, the 28-yearold is seeking to share her knowledge and passion with the next generation through her nonprofit organization.

The INTech Foundation was established four and a half years ago with the mission of informing and inspiring girls of color from ages 10 to 17 to innovate in

the technology industry. To date, INTech has reached more than 1,000 minority girls across North and South Carolina and has a small footprint in Oakland, California.

What started as a one-day, eight hour experience of bringing together middle school girls and women in tech grew into a five day summer camp in partnership with the Urban League of the Central Carolinas in 2016, says Braswell, who attended Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, where she fell in love with computer programming. The camp, which now occurs in both Charlotte and Raleigh, consists of coding and building websites about a social issue of the scholars’ choosing as their final project, as well as company tours at places such as Google Fiber, Microsoft and AvidXchange. The minority engineering program at Braswell’s alma mater, North Carolina State University, helps sponsor INTech on its campus.

Braswell received a bachelor of science degree in computer science from N. C. State University’s College of Engineering in 2013, and received a master of science in information technology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2016. She interned at several companies, including Apple, Inc., where she later accepted a full time positon. Throughout her journey, she noticed that few people in the IT industry, both in academia and in the workforce, looked like her, and that dealing with “imposter syndrome” could be a challenge for some.

“Basically, you just don’t feel like you are enough or that you are supposed to be where you are,” she explains.

Braswell says she didn’t struggle with imposter syndrome too much. However, she admits that the feeling would creep in in certain situations, and that there was a “double consciousness” of dealing with scenarios that might not exist in more inclusive work environments. This reality, she says, can take its toll when you are the only on” on your team or in your building.

Recognizing the need to have more Black and brown women working in her industry, she decided to leave Apple and return to Charlotte to try to and fill that void.

“There isn’t anyone in Charlotte specifically targeting Black and Hispanic girls that are in middle and high school . . . So, I created something I wish I would have had when I was growing up here,” says Braswell who didn’t have an opportunity to participate in an afters-school program for tech until her junior year in high school. “I just wondered what would have happened had I had that exposure in middle school.”

In a city where IT jobs are in abundance, recent reports find that it has been increasingly difficult to fill those roles with

INTECH HAS THREE PILLARS: Inform

Innovate

Inspire

an informal discussion about computer science and what technology means to the participants

a coding project that may include creating a website or mobile apps

a panel of women explain their experiences in tech, so the scholars can understand there is no one way into the industry

skilled individuals in Charlotte. In fact, many companies are opting to hire foreign workers instead (charlotteobserver.com). While INTech aims to fix that problem, Braswell says that the dearth wasn’t always so pervasive.

“I think it’s a systematic thing, honestly.

Women did dominate the technology field around the same era that the women of (the movie) “Hidden Figures” were at NASA. They started programming early. If you look at the trend, there were a lot of women in tech then, and then there was a downward curve in the number of women in the tech industry.”

Fortunately, Braswell had women in IT around her since high school, so she never hesitated about entering the field. This is where INTech comes in—by showing its scholars role models of women in tech early.. so that by the time they reach college and go into the industry, “it’s not even a second thought that they can do it, because we’ve already built that confidence up in them.”

INTech launched its high school program last fall, with the goal of training scholars to obtain internships as Braswell did during her junior and senior years. The idea is to recreate that experience and fulfill INTech’s

vision of giving scholars the tools they need from a professional development perspective, as well as the technical skills they need.

Financial support for this endeavor, such as a grant from the Walmart Foundation, has allowed INTech to cover costs, such as local transportation for the scholars and a trip to Washington, D.C. in April for an annual conference organized by blackcomputeHER. org, which provides a platform for supporting the community of Black women and girls in computing and technology through education and professional development.

“I hope to see our scholars, whether they have been with us since middle school or they just joined us in high school, I really do hope to see them either pursuing a technology degree or working or both,” Braswell says. “We realize that while getting a degree in computer science or engineering really is great, that’s not the reality for everybody, which is why we try to do the skills and the confidence, so that they can go get one of those jobs right away. I want to see them going down the path, obviously, that they choose, but killing it in the technology industry!” P

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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Ronea Chambers, MD Dermatologist Sona Dermatology & MedSpa, Ballantyne Location 704-834-1629 https://sonaskin.com/pridemagazine/

My mission is to:

I am proud of my:

I lead by:

Fulfill my highest potential, leave a legacy for my children and enjoy my journey.

Enhancing, in some way, the people and environment I encounter along the way.

Sons. They are incredibly bright, talented and dynamic. They inspire my growth as much as I nurture theirs.

Example and with vision.

I’ve learned the hard way that: No one can define and enforce my boundaries except me.

My hobbies are: Reading, Playing Tennis, Learning French, Traveling.

I’m thankful for: My husband, authentic friendships, laughter and music. My life is enriched daily thanks to them.

Best business advice I’ve ever received: You can’t know or do everything; build a team that you trust and always follow your instincts.The team we're building at Sona is a great example, where we address both the health and the beauty of the patient's skin.

LaToya

Evans

Head of Corporate PR, Ally Financial

&

CEO, LaToya Evans Public Relations LLC

Michelle

Connley-Gore Owner

910-261-5874 Company website:

latoyasevans.com My mission is to: Empower brands to tell their stories and encourage millennial women in particular to be leaders in both their professions and their communities.

I am proud of my: Journey. I’m able to look back on both personal and professional experience and say that I’ve learned lessons from those moments in time, and I’m prepared to meet challenges in the future because of it.

My hobbies are: Traveling to places like Cabo and anywhere with a beach. I serve on numerous boards and committees including the Charlotte Community Relations Committee, an advisory board for M&F Bank, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Media and Journalism School amongst others.

I’m thankful for: Very supportive family and friends.

I have an incredible village.

MDC Marketing Group, LLC www.mdcmarketinggroup.com • 980-477-5665 that I’ve received from friends and colleagues (and even neighbors!) in Charlotte.

My mission is to: Ensure that great brands achieve the awareness and support they need to thrive.

I am proud of my: Client list. In three years, I’ve built a strong roster of clients including, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Charlotte Works, Mecklenburg County ABC Board, Read Charlotte, and more.

I’m thankful for: All of the mentorship, business advice, and client referrals

I lead by: Learning. You must always be open to new ideas and new approaches to solving problems.

Best business advice I have ever received: Don’t burn bridges. The industry is small and you never know who is connected to whom.

Nicole

Ivory

Friendship Day School for the Sciences and The Arts

dayschool@friendshipcharlotte.org https://www.friendshipdayschoolcharlotte.org/

My hobbies are: Spending “unorganized” time with my husband and our children: Movies; Sports; Traveling; Singing.

My mission is to:

I am proud of :

I lead by:

Educate, empower, inspire and nurture the “whole” child in order to prepare them for a successful future.

The organization I started with my husband called Young Scholars Skills and Enrichment programming. Young Scholars allows us to work with students K-8 during the school breaks; exposing them to greater educational possibilities, athletic training, self-respect and awareness, and more.

Every year, I teach my scholars, “A leader is one who KNOWS the way, SHOWS the way and GOES the way.” (John C. Maxwell) This is a motto I try to adhere to as well.

I’ve learned the hard way that: Tomorrow isn’t promised. I lost two of my best friends unexpectedly, before the age of 34. Those moments forever changed my perspective on my purpose and the legacy I want to leave.

I’m thankful for: God’s unfailing love, favor and grace.

Best business advice I have ever received: Listen to your calling. Whatever career you choose, you should be able to effectively use your gifts.

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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Laila

Minott

Executive Director

Kilby

Watson President

A.C.E. Academy www.aceacademycharter.org

Blue Bee Coaching & Associates Kilby@bluebeecoaching.com

My mission is to:

Serve as a catalyst for creative, sustainable growth and empower women who are striving to reach greater levels of leadership.

I’ve learned the hard way that: The greatest opportunities for personal and professional growth often come through struggle, the process of self-discovery, and in stepping outside of your comfort zone.

I’m thankful for:

My mother. As a single parent, she raised me and my brother, ensuring we both went to college, and inspiring us to embrace our talents and life passions.

My mission is to: Provide, educate and serve. I want to inspire our youth and community to identify their gifts and strengths and utilize them as entrepreneurs and leaders.

I’ve learned the hard way that: Love yourself first. Pour into yourself and stay focused on your plan. Don’t let other people’s fears, conflicts or issues distract you from your goals. I’ve also learned that you can’t do it all. You need a team

Rachel

Roff

of change agents. With them anything is possible.

I am proud of: Creating a school that teaches entrepreneurship to youth, and gives students opportunities I never had as a child.

My hobbies are: Traveling, going to any beach, spending time with my friends, shopping and spending time with my son doing anything he loves.

Urban Skin Solutions Medspa & Weightloss Center

704-971-9191 www.urbanskinsolutions.com

Founder/CEO My mission is to:

Provide safe, effective and affordable skin and laser treatments for diverse skin tones, especially because there has been a lack of inclusivity in the clinical skin care industry.

I’ve learned the hard way that: One management style is not effective for all people. Some people want to be praised, others given fancy titles, and some want raises.

It’s different for everyone.

I am proud of my:

Accomplishments. My unrelenting drive to bring inclusivity to the skin care industry has truly paid off. My skin care brand is now sold in Target, CVS and Ulta, and my medspa has grown in 13 years from 3 employees to 30.

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My hobbies are:

Hiking, spending time with my daughter, drinking coffee and Jack Daniel’s, and traveling.

I’m thankful for: My mother and amazing employees.

Without their support, hard work and passion for my dream I would never have accomplished all of this.

I lead by:

Example of hard work and perseverance. The best way to get people to do what you want them to do is to show them by your own actions.

Dr. Paula

R. Newsome, CEO

Advantage Vision Center 704-375-3935 AdvantageVisionCenter.com

My mission: To provide the best eye care services in Charlotte in a warm and caring environment.

You’d never guess that: I have been parasailing, in a helicopter and a hot air balloon with an extreme fear of heights.

Best business advice I’ve ever received: Own your own real estate.

I stay empowered by: My relationship with God through Jesus the Christ.

I admire women who: Have found their passion and are pursuing it!

I hope more women would: Understand their personal power and not give it away too quickly.

My motto is: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The secret to doing good business in Charlotte Passion, persistence, perseverance and PRAYER !

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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Matthews Heritage Museum Project Researches

Tank Town

A sign on East Charles Street in Matthews marks Crestdale, a historic African American community.

By Hope Yancey

I

t’s a raw December afternoon, and Barbara Taylor, director of the Matthews Heritage Museum in downtown Matthews, is at work inside doing some sleuthing.

Unfurled on her desk are copies of old maps. She wants to know more about a historic African American neighborhood about a half-mile from her North Trade Street office.

Taylor is completing a project she began in January 2018, to research and document Tank Town. She’s using census records, 30

Pride Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

newspaper articles, oral histories of residents and their descendants and other resources. The quest has taken her to a library at UNC Charlotte and the main branch of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library.

Truliant Federal Credit Union’s Charitable Contributions Committee supported her endeavor with a donation of $2,000.

“This project was fascinating to our committee and really stood out as something unique and different,” Renee Shipko, community

Photo by Hope Yancey

Photo by Hope Yancey

Barbara Taylor, director of the Matthews Heritage Museum, is creating exhibits and educational materials on the historic African American community in Matthews called Tank Town, later known as Crestdale.

Old maps, census records, newspaper articles and oral histories of residents are useful to Barbara Taylor, director of the Matthews Heritage Museum, as she researches Tank Town, later known as Crestdale.

engagement supervisor, wrote in an email. “One of our focus areas is arts and culture, and we believe the idea of unearthing the African American story in Matthews and supporting the research for this project would enhance the history of the Matthews community.”

Taylor plans to make her findings accessible to the public through an in-depth temporary exhibit at the museum, hopefully to be followed by a smaller, permanent exhibit. There also will be instructional materials geared to third-graders in CharlotteMecklenburg Schools, she said.

Taylor notes most of the museum’s exhibits haven’t required such extensive research. “It’s consumed me,” she says of the yearlong project.

Tank Town’s history likely traces to 1879, 14 years after the Civil War ended. Dr. J.S. Gribble, a white physician, owned 130 acres of land and was selling several parcels. How he amassed the land and to whom it was transferred are threads in Taylor’s research.

Of note in Tank Town was a Rosenwald School, one of a group of schools for African American students started by Julius Rosenwald, philanthropist and head of Sears, Roebuck & Co. Tank Town, later known as Crestdale, is adjacent to the Sportsplex at Matthews, a modern complex of athletic facilities near Interstate 485. The name “Tank Town” derived from a wooden water tank that once stood, supplying steam locomotives. No one seems to know why the “Crestdale” name was selected, Taylor says. Over time, the community had its own entertainment in the form of “juke joints” – halls where jukeboxes played music – several churches, fraternal organizations, a store and more.

Follow signage for the Sportsplex along East Charles Street from downtown Matthews to enter Crestdale. A roadside sign denotes the boundary.

Matthews annexed Crestdale in 1988, and extended city water and sewer services, improving living conditions. One longtime resident of Crestdale is Harvey Boyd, 74. His late father, Sam, worked for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and was known unofficially as the “Mayor of Crestdale” for his neighborhood advocacy. Prior to annexation, residents drew water from wells and a few active springs, Boyd says in a phone interview. Without indoor plumbing, they relied on outhouses. At Halloween, mischief-makers sometimes overturned the outhouses, Boyd noted wryly.

Boyd’s late mother, Viola, was a hairdresser and proprietor of a beauty shop she ran from home. Her skills attracted customers from a wide area, he recalls. Boyd lives in his childhood home. His bedroom is a former “section house” built for railroad employees

and moved to the site by his parents, who made it part of their house.

Boyd studied at Central Piedmont Community College and Howard University. His career in art, advertising and graphic design took him around the country and abroad. He returned home to care for his parents, who have since died.

People knew each other in Crestdale. “It was a big family,” Boyd says.

To learn more, visit www.matthewsheritagemuseum.org for information on the museum, including hours of operation and cost of admission. P

Rhonda

L. Patterson Attorney and Arbitrator

The Patterson Law Office, PLLC

704-749-3106 rpatterson@thepattersonlawoffice.com www.thepattersonlawoffice.com

My mission is to: Use my talents and life experiences to positively impact those around me and those who will come behind me.

I’ve learned the hard way that: Red flags and gut instincts are not to be ignored.

I am proud of my: Children. At just 6 and 10 years old, they are bright,

compassionate, hard-working and full of promise.

My hobbies are: Veganizing recipes, binging Netflix series and booking travel.

I’m thankful for: Finding my calling. Sometimes you find your life’s purpose in the place of your greatest pain.

For me, navigating families through custody and divorce is my life’s work.

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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Certified triathlon coach, Michelle Grady with a group of RYPE participants.

Triathlon Training Group Pushes Black Women and Girls To Tri

By Tonya Jameson

W

hen Michelle “Shelly” Grady competed in her first triathlon in 2003, she remembered the exuberance and loneliness of crossing the finish line. None of the other athletes looked liked her -- an African American woman.

As a kid, Grady watched Ironman triathlon competitions on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.” She wanted to compete in one, too, but Black women rarely, if ever,

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crossed the finish line in the competitions she watched on TV. More than 15 years after Grady began competing in triathlons, Black women are still an anomaly in these races.

Grady hopes to change that with Realizing Your Potential Everyday (RYPE), a triathlon training group for African American women in the Charlotte area.

“I just had this dream and I knew how it felt to finish (a race),” Grady, 50, said of her desire to start RYPE.

In the last decade, organizations such as Black Girls Run have propelled more African American women to become active in outdoor fitness activities, but the world of triathlons still remains largely self-segregated. Less than one percent of triathlon participants are Black, according to USA Triathlon, the governing body for the sport.

Recognizing the lack of diversity, USA Triathlon launched an initiative last year to partner with HBCUs to field triathlon women’s teams. Hampton University became the first HBCU to field a women’s team last year. According to the organization’s website, there are Black triathletes who participate as individuals who attend other HBCUs, including North Carolina A&T. Caryn Maconi, communications manager of Colorado-based USA Triathlon, said the organization hopes Hampton’s participation will inspire other HBCUs to field teams. USA Triathlon plans to launch an indoor triathlon series and triathlon combines at various HBCU campuses across the country to identify potential athletes.

“We want to find those students at HBCUs who may not realize they have a talent in this sport,” Maconi said.

Grady sees this new initiative as an opportunity to create a local pipeline of athletes for the sport. Each year, about eight to 10 women, including some past participants, train with RYPE to participate in either a long or short triathlon. This year, RYPE will launch a mother-daughter initiative to expose the sport to young girls.

Her hope is that the girls will get involved now, and become college caliber triathletes in the future.

Grady eased her way into the sport, starting with the Latta Plantation race, which involves a 750-m swim, 17-mile bike ride and five-kilometer run. There are shorter and longer races. Grady has done many of them, but her first race still holds a special place in her heart and was her inspiration to start RYPE.

“It’s a real sisterhood,” Lewis said.

“Everyone’s always encouraging each other.”

Lewis joined the group last year, and she plans to compete in a half triathlon this year.

Lewis, a school behavior specialist, said she participated in all of the sport’s disciplines, but she never competed in a triathlon. A friend introduced her to RYPE. Initially, she began running with its members, but she

only for elite athletes, Henry said. However, Grady pushed her to do longer distances.

Henry, 43, participated in an Ironman (2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile marathon) after training with RYPE. She didn’t complete the race in the cut-off time, but that’s beside the point.

“I never thought I would do a full (triathlon),” Henry said. “Shelly was able to take me to a level I never thought about going to. She encourages you.”

Posting quotes like “Inspiring women to tri,” and “your speed doesn’t matter, forward is forward,” on their Facebook group page, the women push each other and themselves

Michelle "Shelly" Grady

“I got hooked by just crossing the finish line. It was probably the most empowering experience. When I crossed the finish line, I just burst into tears,” she said. “If I did this, I can do whatever I put my mind to, and continuing inspired me to start RYPE.” Grady wanted to share that experience with other Black women. She became a certified triathlon coach and launched RYPE about five years ago. Today, the nonprofit has three additional coaches. Participants can train for a short or long race. This year, RYPE trainees will do a triathlon in Lake Lure or the North Carolina Ironman.

The training season begins this spring and features weekly group runs, rides, swims or trainings. The cost is $60 for individuals or $75 for a mother/daughter team.

Grady, who works in engineering software sales, says the trainings are fun.

The group often leaves from a brewery for training runs or bike rides, or they may finish a workout at a restaurant. The women have formed a bond that keeps many such as Saundra Lewis, 53, coming back each year.

“I got hooked by just crossing the finish line. It was probably the most empowering experience. When I crossed the finish line, I just burst into tears,” she said. “If I did this, I can do whatever I put my mind to, and continuing inspired me to start RYPE.” thought she was too old to do a triathlon.

She doesn’t think that anymore.

“With the proper training and people supporting you, you can do anything,” she said.” I believed in myself and they believed in me.”

Grady’s focus this year is to establish mother/daughter teams to reach young African American girls, but her core crew ranges widely in age, with several women who are over age 40.

Crystal Henry started with RYPE in 2013 after completing a few triathlon sprints.

Doing the sprint level is about doing something that you’ve never done before, Henry said. Endurance level races, such as Ironmans, seemed so far out of reach and

in person or online.

Henry participated in other triathlon training groups, but the RYPE women have created a fitness family, using social media to check in with each other and connect to participate in upcoming races and events.

“It’s not only that I am racing, but I’ve built a relationship and a friendship with the people,” Henry said.

Group members take comfort seeing each other cross the finish lines, and seeing someone who looks like them striving to reach her everyday potential. P

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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SceneandSeen

The 2019 Pride Awards Luncheon at The Ritz Carlton, Charlotte Photos by Paul Willliams

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March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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Changing the Face of NASCAR...

One Tire at a Time W

By LaShawn L. Hudson

hen most people think about NASCAR, an image of a 20-something African American woman probably is not what comes to mind. Brehanna Daniels is working to change that. Unstoppable on and off the race track, the 25-year-old Concord resident is the first African American female tire changer for the stock car racing competition.

She says she has been both honored and humbled by the opportunity to make history and change people’s perceptions about NASCAR. “I’ve started to change the way people see me and think of me the longer I’ve

been doing this, and the more experienced I become,” she explains.

In 2016, the former Norfolk State University basketball player was recruited to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Program (D4D), an initiative aimed at recruiting more diverse candidates.

“At first, I felt a lot of pressure, being the first African American female tire changer for NASCAR,” says Daniels. “I wasn’t used to being in that type of environment. I didn’t know what people thought when they saw me; I didn’t want people to see me and think,‘She’s just a girl.’”

Brehanna Daniels, the first African American female tire changer for NASCAR.

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Since her first race in 2017, she says she has been focused on proving to the world that she is more than a girl dressed in a fire race suit, all while holding an “impact wrench,” of course.

“She has built a [positive] reputation; She’s a great leader and she’s known for putting in the extra work to succeed to the next level,” says Jusan Hamilton, who oversees NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program.

Before each racing competition, Daniels says she always takes a moment to pray.

The rising star credits her faith in God and her guardian angel, her mother, for her fame and success.

“My number one hero is my mother, just seeing how she battled with breast cancer.

She is the driving force to what I do each and every day,” she says.

Even though Daniels admits that she didn’t grow up watching NASCAR, she believes her years playing basketball (often with her twin brother, Brehon, by her side) helped her develop the handeye coordination, poise and focus that her NASCAR duties require. Like changing 50-pound tires within 12 to 14 seconds.

“It’s not like I have a timer on me during the race,” Daniels explains.”I try to listen to the sounds of when I taking off the lug nuts. I can hear when I’m hitting them. It’s a sound thing for me. When I’m going fast, it sounds fast.”

Earlier this year, Daniels got a step closer to her long-term dream of someday adding “professional actress” to her resume; she was one of 100,000 applicants tapped to flex her competitive muscles on NBC’s “The Titan Games,” a reality television competition series with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

“The producers for the show found me on Instagram,” she recalls. “It was an incredible experience working with DJ (Johnson). He’s a very cool guy. I am so thankful for the opportunity.”

When she’s not making history, Daniels says she enjoys writing in her journal, bingewatching episodes of Gabrielle Union’s “Being Mary Jane” television series and drinking tea. She says she has been enjoying building on her strengths, discovering her passions and writing her “own story,” the process that former First Lady Michelle Obama describes in her best-seller, “Becoming.”

Daniels says she hopes her historic honor will help her inspire other young women to tap into their God-given Black girl magic, and fearlessly go after their dreams. “ I want girls to know that they can do anything they put their minds to,” she says.

“Don’t listen to the naysayers. I am where I am today because of the man upstairs.” P

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HOSTED BY ALDERSGATE IN CELEBRATION OF OUR EASTSIDE COMMUNITY March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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Never Too Late to Date:

Seniors Looking For Love

By Angela Lindsay

T

echnology has changed the way we do just about everything—and this includes the way we meet potential mates. But in case you think dating is just a younger person’s game... think again.

Perhaps you’ve seen the television commercials for Our Time, where several slightly mature-looking model types lounge around and laugh in slow motion in front of the camera, as a disembodied voice makes promises of the joys awaiting you in your golden years if you just log on to their site.

That dating website is specifically geared toward connecting people above the age of 50 who are looking for love. It is just one of the many outlets available to older persons who are in the market for love—proof that

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dating amongst this generation is on the rise.

The baby boomer generation (persons born between 1946 and 1964) is the largest generation ever to enter retirement in the United States, according to Investopedia. com. The percentage of those in retirement is rising quickly with around 10,000 boomers retiring every day. As people generally tend to live longer these days, many of them are looking at their retirement years as a new beginning, which can include hitting the dating scene again.

However, for some, this stage of life can bring about feelings of loneliness or isolation. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) reports that 45 percent of Americans older than age 65 are divorced, separated or widowed. Lack of interactions in the workplace can also be a factor. (www.medicalalertcomparison.com) In addition, making personal connections can be a challenge as the pool of available partners grows smaller.

“The dating scene in Charlotte is similar to scenes in other cities—very few eligible bachelors,” says 55-year old office manager M.R. Bellard. “For professional men, their busy lifestyles restrict them to social encounters within their professional arena, or local communities. Being available to travel and set my own schedule makes the prospect of meeting someone in a similar situation very exciting. I’m M.R. Bellard

not confined to school schedules, apartment living issues, etc.”

So what’s a person to do if he or she is at a loss as to how to go about entering the dating scene again after so many years?

Enter: technology.

In February 2016, a poll by the Pew Research Center revealed that online dating among people ages 55 to 64 has increased significantly since the last Pew Research poll on the subject. Today, 12 percent of those in that age group have used online dating sites or mobile apps (as compared to six percent in 2013), debunking the myth that older generations fear technology. In fact, dating websites that cater to seniors are currently on the rise. Such sites include Senior Match, Senior People Meet, Silver Singles, Elite Singles, Over 50 Date, Zoosk and Dating for Seniors. Other general dating sites such as Match.com and eHarmony are also seeing a lot of traffic from seniors, according to mashable.com. However, as with any new encounter, experts advise exercising caution when meeting people online, and Bellard can attest to why.

“I’ve been divorced for 15 years, and our children are adults now. I’m looking for mature companionship, and it’s difficult in today’s social climate. Online sites once hailed as the cure to being alone have made way for predators and philanderers to catfish and cheat,” she says. “On several occasions, I have started conversations with prospective men, only to be contacted later by wives/girlfriends letting me know the person I was talking to is involved and unavailable. During actual dates, it was revealed that the man was looking for sex and not intimacy. I have not had any positive outcomes from dating sites.”

For those who find the idea of online dating distasteful, travel and hobby groups and community classes are also places where older Americans can mingle, says U.S. News and World Report. Bellard says she intends to utilize speed dating, meet-up groups and friend referrals to meet eligible men going forward.

A couple of dating suggestions that experts have for seniors can be useful to singles of any age---don’t tell too much on the first date and don’t rush into a new relationship.

Adds Bellard, “I would advise others to be proactive and not be shy when it comes to expressing who you are and what you’re looking for. You’ve earned the right to be yourself and meet someone who loves the self you’ve become. Pretending and superficiality, not to be confused with politeness and etiquette, ensures failure.

This is true for both men and women.” P

PrideBusiness

Beauty After the Bars

By Kayla Becoats

A

fter serving three years in a federal prison for credit card fraud, Tiawana Brown knew she had to do things differently when she returned Tiawana Brown home. Today, she uses her experiences with incarceration as the founder of Beauty After the Bars, a nonprofit dedicated to providing advocacy, education and mentorship to help end the student-to-prison pipeline for at-risk girls and women.

This interview has been edited for brevity.

Pride: What inspired your passion for advocacy and mentorship?

Brown: “I had a three-year sentence that was my first incarceration. I saw people that looked just like me, you, like a school teacher, a minister, wives, doctors, lawyers. So I said, what can I do when I come home? Starting Beauty After the Bars was going to be my way of showing our Black children, there’s another way.

Prison is made to do two things: keep the public safe and to rehabilitate. They do little of either. Taking first-time, nonviolent offenders and giving them life sentences for narcotics...Those are the things that drove me to say, hey, we need to do something to stop the student-to-prison pipeline, and we need to do something to ensure our students are educated on our justice system that is really set up for them to fail.”

Pride: What does the name Beauty After the Bars represent?

Brown: “Anything that you hear about prison, they want to call us convicts and ex-felons, so we try to change the narrative on how people see us. Beauty After the Bars...Everybody when I say that name says, “Wow, that’s amazing, where did you come up with that name?” There is beauty after every bar. You have to have

that ‘aha’ moment and dig down inside of you and say no matter what I did in the past, if I can take it and make something positive out of it, that is true beauty.”

Pride: A core principle of Beauty After the Bars is “education instead of incarceration.”

Why is that important to your organization?

Brown: I was a junior at Johnson C. Smith University, I was a honor student.

When I went to be sentenced,the judge knew this. He knew I was pursuing my education, the background that I came from and that we could not afford the most expensive attorney at that time.

So being that I was in school, I was not a threat to society, I was not a flight risk. Once I was sentenced, I begged and pleaded for the judge to not send me to jail, because I was a college student. If someone is writing checks, if someone is involved in credit cards and they are involved in fraud, let’s do alternative incarceration.

It is important to let our young people know that once you have your brush with justice they are not going to have any empathy for you. We are targeted at an early age. I was pulled out of school to be sent to prison. So when I go to federal prison, I see my case is not a special case.

They are doing this to us all over the world. This is not right. We are all victims.

Pride: What does Beauty After the Bars do to protect youth from incarceration?

Brown: The bottom line is that we have to educate. That’s where the mentoring comes in. I am a product of my environment, but I made a 365 degree turn. If you are visible, if you lend your time, if you mentor, if you get involved, you have to make sure you’re out there and that you’re visible and that you are a part of the decision-making. The school –to-prison pipeline is a disturbing national trend, with children all over the world funneled out of the public schools and

into the juvenile criminal justice system, and if we do not get involved, it’s going to continue happening. Every child should be educated, not incarcerated.That is how I get involved, and when I go into the schools, I keep it real just like that.

Pride: How does Beauty After the Bars change the lives of the women it serves?

Brown: The reentry for work support.

These women have been working so hard and so diligently for these companies that pay them pennies on the dollar, and when they come home, because they are previously convicted, they can’t get a job. So teaching them the proper interview skills, job preparation and how to address your contact with justice. We don’t say ex-felon, ex-con and we don’t say conviction. We say previously involved with justice and formerly incarcerated. That lets people know right now your mind-set has already changed. I have a thing called Tia’s Closet, Dress for Success, and I need people to donate. These women are coming home;, we need to provide them with interview attire. Of course, you know the mentoring, that is my life. Then outreach for women by partnering with community programs and getting involved in schools, so that we can actually show them that this is who we are and we are visible. We are out here and need your support.

Pride: How has Beauty After the Bars changed your life?

Brown: I stayed in the closet for a long time...Staying in the closet means I didn’t want anyone to know that I had been incarcerated. It was like an embarrassment.

This was my clouded thinking before I stepped out of the box. At the end of the day, I have to create a space that is going to be prominent, so that people know that these things exist. I won’t say I’m a voice for the voiceless; they have a voice. They just need somebody to pipe their voice for them.

To learn more about the organization: https://beautyafterthebars.com P March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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PrideBusiness

FYI News & Notes

By Arvanna Smart

Providence Day Completes Largest Capital Campaign in its History Providence Day School’s leadership is celebrating the end of a five-year campaign that raised $27.8 million. The campaign is the largest and most comprehensive capital campaign in the school’s history.

The campaign’s national chair was Cathy Bessant of Bank of America, whose family made a leadership gift in support of the initiative’s three investment priorities.

“Providence Day is a top-performing school and a valuable asset to the greater Charlotte community. We have been a family for almost 50 years,” said Bessant.

“Being a part of this is really something special, and shows what you can accomplish by working together.”

The money from the campaign was

used to create new “front doors” consisting of the 7,200-square-foot DeMayo Gateway Center, a four-story, 80,000-square-foot Academic Center and a split-level, 188space parking deck. The campaign also created the Downing/Williams Endowed Chair position, which supports the school’s mission by recognizing teaching excellence.

Among the 730 investors are, included four seven-figure gifts, including a $2 million contribution from Howard and Julie Levine.

“This was a transformational effort.

Julie and I are proud to have helped Providence Day successfully reach such a significant achievement in the school’s history,” said Howard.

Charlotte Native Serves with Navy Strike Fighter Squadron

the CIAA Basketball Tournament could be woven into the fabric of the city,” said CIAA Board Chair and Fayetteville State University President Dr. James A. Anderson.

The tournament has been held in Charlotte for the past 13 years and will remain in the city for the 2019 and 2020 tournaments.

“Charlotte is still our home; we are still headquartered here. We have built lifelong friendships with our partners and the community that goes beyond the tournament,” said McWilliams.

Leo Mclntyre is a 2014 South Mecklenburg High School graduate, Charlotte, and is serving with a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron.

The Navy Strike Fighter Squadron flies one of the world’s most advanced warplanes.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Leo McIntyre is responsible for the safe loading and downloading of ordnance, as an aviation ordnance man in the First of the fleet of VFA 25.

Being apart of VFA 25 has allowed Mclntyre to work with the F/A 18 Super Hornet, one of the most advanced aircrafts in the world. While Mclntyre has worked his way up the ranks in the military, it was his family ties that drew him to the military in the first place.

“My cousin is in the Navy, as a Navy counselor,” said McIntyre. “He helped me a lot in my recruiting process. He was recruiting out of Texas, and he was a heavy influence on me to join.”

Mclntyre knows that as a member of the U.S. Navy, he is a part of a legacy that will last beyond his years.

“The Navy is my starting point in life,” McIntyre said. “It is my way to progress in my career. Whether it is in the military or outside of the military, this is setting me up for my future.” P

CIAA Moves to Baltimore in 2021 The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) will be moving to Baltimore in 2021. This will be the first new location for the tournament since 2005.

“This is an exciting time for the CIAA, as we have an opportunity to bring the basketball tournament to a new market, moving it closer to many of our northern institutions,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams.

CIAA is the nation’s first African American athletic conference. The decision to move to Baltimore came after a thorough and comprehensive process. The finalists delivered in-person presentations during the board’s fall meeting in early December.

“The teams and cities that presented their bids to the board of directors were energetic and impressive. What stood out about Baltimore was their vision of how

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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PrideBusiness

Workplace Warrior: Local Company Provides Employment Consultation

By Angela Lindsay

I

n today’s politically correct climate, it is imperative that employers know exactly whom they are hiring and that they “source, retain and manage a productive and engaged workforce.” This is exactly what Employment Practices Counsel, Inc. (EPC) is in business to do.

EPC is a human capital management company incorporated in 2003 by two attorneys, who both had entrepreneurial spirits and had long thought of starting a business together. The organization offers sexual harassment, workplace violence and diversity training to public and private organizations. Initially a part-time, side venture, it eventually became a full-time passion and, in 2008, the focus of EPC expanded to filling the gap for small- to medium-sized organizations that may not have full-service in-house human resources.

“One of the major things we both learned from our legal careers was that most employee lawsuits and complaints could be avoided, by educating managers on how to manage their workforce and by ensuring that employers had systems in place that allow employees to raise and address issues,” says Lynn Leary, president of EPC. “We knew we preferred helping companies avoid lawsuits, as opposed to the contentiousness of defending against them. We decided to use our employment law backgrounds to start a business providing sexual harassment and other equal employment opportunity training services.”

EPC has three lines of business: employee relations consulting, preemployment background checks and drug and alcohol testing, explains

Lynn Leary, president of Employment Practices, Inc. 42

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Leary, who is now EPC’s sole principal, after her business partner stepped away from her role in the business in 2016 due to family illness. Since its inception, EPC has grown from a simple training and consulting firm to a value-added management firm working with companies of all sizes. In 2017, EPC was selected as a subcontractor for the City of Charlotte’s drug and alcohol testing program, an opportunity Leary capitalized on and expanded to include providing services for temporary and staffing firms, transportation companies and other local businesses.

“Charlotte has a growing economy and robust small business community. While many small business owners may be experts at providing their products or services, they often need assistance in handling employeerelated issues,” she says.

“Whether it’s assistance in recruiting the right employees, helping employees excel in

their roles, addressing employee misconduct or even terminating employees, they need assistance of companies like EPC to ensure that they are complying with the law, and to make sure that they are not operating in a way that is detrimental to the business.”

SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT

CAREER

There are still roadblocks to women and minorities starting and succeeding in business,” Leary says.

“Obtaining certification can assist in overcoming some of the roadblocks. It certainly helps, and in some instances is required, if you want to work with local, county, state or federal government For instance, Leary says she recently worked with a start-up company whose owners needed to hire several people, and their initial plan was that everyone would be classified as a contractor.

“That would have been disastrous for them, because there is a legal distinction between an employee and a contractor,” she says. “Their plan would have opened them up to wage employers will tell you that their employees are their most valuable resource. Understanding how to work with and manage that resource is critical to the survival and success of any business. That’s where EPC provided value.”

And being a certified woman-and minority-owned firm provides value to EPC. “There are still roadblocks to women and minorities starting and succeeding in business,” Leary says. “Obtaining certification can assist in overcoming some of the roadblocks. It certainly helps, and in some instances is required, if you want to work with local, county, state or federal government . . . Our City of Charlotte certification resulted in EPC being selected as a subcontractor and will lead to EPC being the prime contractor in the near future.”

EPC is also certified as a North Carolina Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) and as a North Carolina Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE).

In 2017, the firm was a nominee for Charlotte’s Crowns of Enterprise Award and the winner of the 2018 City of Charlotte Minority Enterprise Development Award for Outstanding Achievement in General Services, which Leary says would not have happened had they not been certified.

“Those two honors have helped raise our profile in the community and have led to an increase in business,” she says.

Leary says she wants to continue to grow the business to ensure that it is sustainable for the next generation. Having recently completed a business development course forced her to develop a growth plan for taking the business to the next level.

“Last summer, I attended a conference for women business owners. Those women were inspiring! Many were operating successful, multi-million-dollar businesses; they were contributing to their communities; and they were taking care of their families. My future plan includes EPC as one of those inspiring companies and for me to be one of those inspiring women.” P

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March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

43

The Salt Pad: Helping Charlotteans Breathe Again

By LaShawn L. Hudson

P

ercilla Blakeney smoked Salem Ultra Lights for 40 years; now the west Charlotte native is fighting for her life. She is going toeto-toe with emphysema, brought on by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a progressive lung disease. At least three times a week Blakeney removes her oxygen tank and works to clear her lungs from mucus through salt therapy at The Salt Pad, a wellness facility in the ParkTowne Village in Myers Park.

Percilla Blakeney “There might not be a cure for emphysema, but I’m making sure it doesn’t get any worse,” said Blakeney, a retired accountant. “I will go to The Salt Pad as long as I am physically able. I am certain that my lungs will be cleared of this mucus; I don’t have any doubt in my mind about it.”

The Salt Pad Owner Garrett Krause said stories like Blakeney’s inspired him to open the facility about two years ago, after he and his family had relocated to Charlotte from Boca Raton, Florida.

“Many places weren’t offering the

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service at that time,” said Krause, who holds a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s in traditional Chinese medicine from the Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine in Florida. “The idea when we moved here was to educate people in Charlotte about the benefits of salt therapy and incorporate acupuncture.”

Traditionally known as halotherapy, salt therapy is a natural and drug-free method of relief for respiratory ailments and minor skin conditions The natural healing remedy has been around for centuries, mostly in parts of central Europe and Asia, where there are naturally occurring salt caves, according to the Salt Therapy Association.

Krause said the benefits of salt therapy, which has gained popularity in recent years at American spas, are wideranging. For example, the salt is said to naturally reduce inflammation in the body and strengthen the immune system.

Inhaling and exposing skin to salt are also said to reduce bronchial inflammation, and ease symptoms of asthma and sinus infections, as well as alleviate skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

A 45-minute salt therapy session at The Salt Pad is similar to a meditation session. The client relaxes in a recliner chair and breathes in salt while listening

to calming music. A halogenerator blows dry salt aerosol throughout the pads.

The Salt Pad facility has a built-in children’s tranquility pad designed like a playroom; parents may also schedule acupuncture sessions for their teenagers.

“Right now, 70 percent of the business is salt therapy and about 30 percent is acupuncture, and that’s changing,” said Krause. “About 25 percent of that 70 percent are now coming in for both.”

Traditionally known as halotherapy, salt therapy is a natural and drug-free method of relief for respiratory ailments and minor skin conditions Regular client Danny Nolan drives 30 minutes from Gastonia to The Salt Pad for acupuncture. The disabled veteran said he’s lived with severe lower back pain and nerve damage since he was injured during an active duty tour. He said acupuncture has made his injuries more bearable.

“This is better than being pushed pills,” said the Army Reserve senior staff sergeant. “I’m always going to have pain, but this helps me to manage my pain.”

Krause said the biggest myth is that salt therapy and acupuncture are alternatives to Western medicine; the restorative healing treatments, he said, can be done in conjunction with treatment from traditional doctors.

“Wellness to me is a rounded approach,” he said. “It’s mind, body and spirit. Nutrition, prayer, meditation, all help with your wellness.” P To learn more about The Salt Pad, visit: www.thesaltpad.com

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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PrideHealth

5

Health Issues Facing Black Women

By Kayla Becoats

If you’re thinking about skipping any routine checkups this year, think again. In the age of health, where physical activities such as exercise are celebrated and embraced, it is time to bring that same energy to other arenas of wellness. Remember, being mindful of your health may just save your life. Here are some of the major health issues facing Black women in 2019.

1

Uterina Myoma: Uterina Myoma, more commonly referred to as a fibroid, is a benign tumor that develops in a woman’s reproductive system. Statistically, fibroids will affect an estimated 30-77 percent of women during their reproductive primes, but according to doctors at UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology department “only about one-third of these fibroids are large enough to be detected by a health care provider during a physical examination.” Symptoms are often painful and include prolonged menstrual periods, abnormal bleeding between menstrual cycles and pelvic pain. While 99 percent of cases of fibroids are reported noncancerous, if left undiagnosed and untreated by a health care professional, fibroids may cause other health issues.

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2

Mental Health: The Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health estimates that African Americans are 20 percent more likely than the rest of the population to experience mental health issues. Mental health disorders such as depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more prevalent than ever before. Research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Health cites the development of these disorders as the result of an increased risk of homelessness and exposure to violence over the course of a lifetime. Furthermore, in comparison to whites, only 25 percent of Blacks seek treatment, which is not entirely their fault. The lack of discussion surrounding resources available, socioeconomic status and provider bias aid in the stigmatization of mental health in the Black community, making recognizing symptoms difficult.

3

Heart Disease: In America, heart disease kills 23.1 percent of people annually. For Black women, that rate is especially alarming, because only 36 percent are aware of the biggest threat to their health, according to the American Heart Association. Defined as disorders pertaining to the blood vessels of the heart, heart disease may cause heart attacks, strokes or death. It is also estimated that nearly 49 percent of African American women older than 20 have heart disease. While surgeries and medications are available to aid the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart, any damage caused is irreversible. Preventative measures such

as eating a balanced diet, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercising on a daily basis, not smoking and limiting alcohol consumption are great places to start.

4

Breast Cancer: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in women, but did you know, Black women die from breast cancer at a higher rate than white women?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Black women breast cancer is more common, “often is aggressive and comes back after treatment.”

As the result of cancer cells located in the breast growing uncontrollably, factors such as genetics play a role, making selfexaminations and mammograms critical.

There are also more practical measures that can be taken to lower your risk. The American Cancer Society recommends staying at a healthy weight by being physically active, 75-150 minutes of activity a week, maintaining a healthy diet and limiting or avoiding alcohol consumption.

5

Lack of Access to Reproductive Health and Services: How is it possible that the United States spends twice the amount of money on health care per capita as other Western countries, but still has the widest health care disparities? According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, racial disparities such as a lack of access to maternal health care, family planning methods and sex education aimed at targeting STI’s and unintended pregnancy are ways in which Black women are systematically being mistreated. As a result, poor health outcomes are apparent in places such as the delivery room, where “African American women die at a rate of three to four times the rate of white women.” Even more troubling, this statistic has remained consistent for the past 50 years, and with prominent women, such as Serena Williams and Beyoncé sharing their own experiencess helping to bring more national attention to an ongoing epidemic. P

EventsCalendar

Mark Your Calendar Compiled by Shawn D. Allison, II

April 11 – 14 It’s lights, camera, action and soul at the Charlotte Convention Center, because it’s time for the 8th Annual Charlotte Black Film Festival. Artists, filmmakers and film enthusiasts congregate to edify the power of chocolate cinema in a series of screenings, workshops and seminars.

Charlotteblackfilmfestival.com

March 5 Black Violin returns to the QC for a special one-nightonly performance. Classical deets meets hip hop streets in this wondrous spectacle of sound for the entire family at the Belk Theatre at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. This performance is rated “D” for dope. 7:30 p.m.

Blumenthalarts.org March 9 The JETA Team kicks off March with one of its most anticipated jam sessions “HYPNOTIZE: The 8th Annual Notorious B.I.G. Tribute.” Come “spread love the Brooklyn way” as one hip hop’s biggest icons is honored with a super mix of all his hits, remixes, collaborations and more flavor from Bad Boy Records. Eventbrite.com March 10 Innovative and multi-Grammy Award-winning jazz dignitary Robert Glasper brings his creative flavor to the QC for a one-night-only performance.

Glasper’s music carries a strong message of Black pride within his colorful arrangements, and it’s sure to inspire change within your soul. 7:30 p.m. The Fillmore. 820 Hamilton St. Livenation. com March 16 Come celebrate life and the power of good health at the 2019 Healthy Living Expo.

This family-friendly festival will feature workshops, health screenings, culinary demos, physical activities, guest speakers, vendors and much more. Free admission. 11 a.m.

Carole A. Hoefener Center. 615 E. 6th St.

March 23 Come and witness timeless music and beauty at The Queens of Soul Jazz concert. The “scintillating saxtress of smooth jazz,” Jeanette Harris, and acclaimed flautist Althea Rene have teamed up to give you an evening of sultry melodies that’ll definitely leave you begging for more. Tickets start at $47.75. 7:30 p.m.

Spirit Square. 345 N. College St. 704-372-1000 April 4 – 6 It’s time to get environmentally engaged at the first-ever Sol Summit 2019. Presented by Sol Nation, this event aims to amplify and provide direct revolutionary pathways to a greener, more sustainable economy. Various workshops and a 5k race will round out this event. For details.

Solnation.org

April 19 One of jazz’s most known and unsung bands has been making music and memories for four decades, and now here’s your chance to experience the sound known as Hiroshima. As part of its 40th anniversary tour, this brilliant and ever-evolving collective will be performing a number of its greatest sonic creations in a totally interactive one-night-only show. Carolinatix.org

April 13 Take the entire tribe on a short ride down to nearby Columbia and come experience World Famous Hip-Hop Family Day 2019.

This unforgettable day of cultural fun will feature the best and brightest live performers, DJs, dance crews, visual artists, arts and crafts and food vendors. Free admission. 11 a.m. 1700 Main St., Columbia, SC

April 26 – 28 Get ready for the third annual art explosion in Plaza-Midwood known as BOOM Charlotte.

This three-day, interactive and multisensory art exhibition features everything from avant garde performances, showcases, rousing dance numbers, instrumentalist jam sessions, spoken word and lots more. Tickets start at $10. boomcharlotte.org

April 15 – 19 Black Business Owners of Charlotte invites you and your family to get engaged and explore the city’s melting pot of cultures at Culture Quest Charlotte 2019. This festival will feature a myriad of the QC’s neighborhoods, with an opportunity to experience various cuisines, music, dances and traditions.

Bboclt.com

April 27 Come celebrate the QC’s supermen at the 3rd Annual Black Men ROCK Awards.

This festive night honors Black men in the area that are taking great strides to ensure community growth, economic stability and that our youth and elders are taken care of.

7 p.m. Biddle Hall Auditorium.

100 Beatties Ford Rd. Blackownedclt.com

April 24 - 27 Get your palates ready for CLT Wine & Food Weekend 2019. This event fuses leading winemakers and chefs from around the world to celebrate and advance public knowledge of and appreciation for great delicacies, while making significant contributions to charitable organizations in the QC community.

Charlottewineandfood.org

March-April 2019 | Pride Magazine

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