Pride Magazine - 2020 November/December "Living" Issue

Living with

Moving Forward

Stories of courage, innovation and survival

Facing Homelessness A New Look For An Old Problem

Bianca Cassidy Shares Her Story

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Table of contents For these stories and more, visit us on the web! www.pridemagazineonline.com

From The Publisher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Features Facing Homelessness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

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Hidden in Plain Sight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Historic Home Reimagined. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Wells Fargo Powerful Conversations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Special Section Stories of Courage, Innovation and Survival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-28 Man on the Street. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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The Ripple Effect of Redlining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Bank of America -Simple Strategies for Owning a Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Learning Curve Ball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 COVID-19 Stats and Facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Arts and Culture Pride’s Gift Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

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Higher Learning During Changing Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Lowe’s Splashes of Hope and Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

On the Cover

Charlotte native Bianca Cassidy shares her personal story of homelessness.

Photo by Tye Feimster.

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Charlotte’s African-American Magazine

CEO/Publisher Dee Dixon

Editor-in-Chief

Lashawnda Becoats

Copy Editor

Sonja Whitemon

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

Letters to the Editor

Please send an e-mail to info@pridemagazine.net fax to 704-375-9550 or mail to Pride Magazine 8401 University Executive Park Drive, Ste. 122, Charlotte, NC 28262 www.pridemagazineonline.com

Copyright© 2020 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. 28 No. 6 November-December 2020 All rights reserved for PRIDE Communications Inc. Find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/PrideMagazineNC

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

Bye-Bye, 2020

By Dee Dixon

H

ello everyone! If you’re like me, you’re about ready to say goodbye to 2020. I know it’s just November, but no harm in looking ahead, right? At this point, we can look forward to 2021, even with reservations, because the year 2020 has been like none other!

and there is no cost to park. (Parking is a bear uptown, for sure.) In addition, the move has provided us with the opportunity to get rid of tons of junk. We now feel more organized and peaceful.

Our new address is 8401 University Executive Park Drive, Ste.122, 28262.

Drop by if you are in the area.

Fourth, this may seem minor to you, but I love the one-way aisles some of the stores have implemented since COVID. It makes it easier to find what you are looking for and you spend less time in the store. I hope this will be a permanent change.

PRIDE AWARDS 2021

With this said, I would like to share a few personal “positives” during these trying times.

First, I had the honor and privilege of meeting Bianca Cassidy during this pandemic. Bianca grew up in Charlotte, finished West Charlotte high school and has a degree from North Carolina Central University. All of this, and yet she became homeless and even lived at some point in a tent city. After conversing with Bianca, I was struck by the diversity of people who are living without permanent shelter and struggling to eat and to find somewhere to sleep. It’s not just drug addicts, derelicts or those with mental illnesses. The homeless population includes men, women, children and the elderly of many persuasions and

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educational backgrounds. It’s very likely that many more will have “homeless experiences” as a result of this pandemic.

Please enjoy our feature on Bianca.

Second, my bicycle. I decided to vary my exercise routine by doing some outdoor cycling. After many months of waiting after ordering online, my 21-speed roadster arrived and my nextdoor neighbor put it together for me. I love riding through my neighborhood and derive much exhilaration doing so. I plan to tackle the greenways next.

Third, we needed to downsize, so we moved the Pride office from our uptown location on Trade Street to the University area. This has turned out to be a “good thing,” because our rent is more affordable, there is less congestion

Planning this year’s event has been beyond challenging, to say the least.

Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to move forward with a virtual evening affair on Saturday, February 20. We love being in Black History Month and promise an extraordinary evening centered on “Bridging the Racial Wealth Gap.” Log on to www.prideawards.net for sponsorship or ticket information or call us at 704-375-9553.

THIS ISSUE

I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we do. It is so powerfully rewarding to see the faces of people in our community and learn how they are coping with the pandemic and all of its fallout. Drop us note at info@pridemagazine.net and let us know your thoughts.

Let’s keep pressing on.

Our mission to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing

is rooted in diversity and inclusion

At Atrium Health, we remain committed to creating a world where all people are treated fairly, regardless of their background or the color of their skin.

The Office of Diversity & Inclusion at Atrium Health has resources to help individuals who are looking to take action to stop and prevent racial injustices.

Atrium Health’s Racial Justice Toolkit offers a curated compilation of resources for teammates and community members to advance their journey toward cultural competence. In it, you will find resources for you to become a better friend, a better supporter and a better ally.

To find it, Google search: Atrium Health Racial Justice Toolkit

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Facing Homelessness A New Look For An Old Problem

By Angela Lindsay

W

hat does homelessness look like to you?

A drug addict? A disabled veteran? Someone with a mental illness? Perhaps a person with no family or friends? What about a young, black woman with a college education, girlfriends and family, and a good upbringing? If that is not the image you had in your head, you are probably not alone and you could be wrong.

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Photo by Alvin C. Jacobs

Top: The area in Charlotte known as "Tent City". Right: Bianca Cassidy

Charlotte native Bianca Cassidy is a 1988 West Charlotte High School graduate. She had a normal childhood with no abusive or traumatizing experiences. She has a history degree from North Carolina Central University and experience working in business management; yet, in May of 2019, she found herself among the nameless, faceless Charlotte residents living on the street. With a lot of prayer, perseverance and patience, she rebounded after a year and is now sharing her story of redemption.

Cassidy’s homelessness began with an eviction. Unemployed at the time and unwilling to accept help from acquaintances, she resolved to try and figure things out on her own. Her survival skills kicked in.

Without adequate resources of clothes and money, her first step was to find a church and “pray for a while and seek direction.” While there, she asked for a Bible. A young man directed her to a Bible laying on a podium. As it turns out, it was his Bible and he was the pastor. She began reading different scriptures to try and get “centered and grounded.”

Upon leaving the church that evening, she bought her own Bible at a nearby store.

“That was going to be something for me to hang onto in the moment in time that I was in,” she says.

On her first homeless night, Cassidy sat in a convenience store and read her Bible most of the night before taking the LYNX Blue Line to a parking lot. Although she had a sense

of fear, her main focus, she contends, was figuring out next steps. With the little money she had, she was able to spend a couple of nights in a hotel; however, reality set in, and she found herself again wandering the streets and looking for a sign from God. Days turned into months and, while she still had enough money to feed herself, she often had to sleep in parking lots and on chairs and benches in the University area. She spent her days reading in libraries before leaving to find food. Hotels and convenience stores became her bathrooms. Then came winter.

“It wasn’t until the cold weather came that [I] said, ‘You need a roof now.’”

On Christmas Day of 2019, Cassidy began seeking options for shelter.

She was given a ride Uptown by a policeman who directed her to a breakfast being served under the bridge near The Urban Ministry. Later that day, she got a heavier coat and other items from a nearby church.

She still had food left over from The Urban Ministry’s breakfast and some money from the kindness of strangers, including the policeman, but Cassidy had grown weary of her circumstance.

“There are times where, as a homeless person, you would go into a building and people could tell you’re homeless maybe by your dress, maybe because you’re there for hours and they’ll be like, ‘You have to leave.’

So, that feeling of being constantly dismissed had sunk in.”

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Fortunately, she decided to return to The Urban Ministry for lunch one day and was offered lodging assistance through its Room in The Inn program.

The program ended in the spring when the pandemic hit. Then, she was back on the street, sitting up all night in the park and spending all day in the library.

“I almost didn’t have time to be scared,” she said. Her mind was so focused on figuring a way out.

Eventually Cassidy stumbled across a “tent city” in Uptown and after receiving a tent of her own plus a sleeping bag and blanket from The Urban Ministry, she set up a place at the encampment where she stayed until July. She felt safe there and believed that her prayers for shelter, although not perfect, were being answered. She was able to shower at The Urban Ministry daily and would use nearby Porta Pottys. It was not ideal, but she was no longer being told “no” by businesses. Cassidy realized that no one was going to help her unless she had a job and was showing that she was trying to move forward with her life.

“At the end of the day, it was time for me to enter the workforce again,” she concluded.

The opportunity arose through an outreach team from the Hearts Beat As One Foundation that would bring ice to tent city residents daily. One of the team members assisted Cassidy with updating her LinkedIn profile and took note of her skills and experience. That same individual then referred her to the hiring manager of her current job. One phone interview later, she began the entry-level outreach position she now holds with Ready CLT, which supports small business owners with reopening and continuing to sustain their businesses. Her living arrangements improved as well. She is currently renting a guest room in the home of a retiree.

“One thing I want people to understand is recognizing when God is getting ready to answer you,” she says.

“It may not come in the form of the apartment [or] the house. It may come in another way, but he’s saying I’m getting ready to break you out of this slowly but surely. Here’s the first phase of it.”

While her station in life is beginning to flourish, she is concerned about what she predicts will be a “fresh crop” of homeless people who may have lost their jobs due to the Coronavirus.

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Charlotte Statistics • As of July 2020, there were 2,782 people experiencing homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. (www.mecklenburghousingdata.org) • According to a study conducted by the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, children affected by homelessness are much more likely to have lower reading proficiency. (www.cltdc.org) • Children who are black and classified as homeless are 50% less likely to be proficient in reading than non-black children experiencing homelessness. (www.cltdc.org) • The total number of children and youth experiencing housing instability and/ or homelessness during the 2016—2017 academic year was 6,588 students.

(UNC Charlotte Urban Institute) • For women who are experiencing homelessness, sexual and physical violence are a much higher possibility than for non-homeless women. (www.cltdc.org) • More than half of African American and Latinx renter households are costburdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing related expenses. (www.mecknc.gov)

“That group is getting ready to grow in my opinion because whether they’re a family, a single person, college degree, no college degree, business owner--large or small, as things remain locked down and people are running into limited means financially, I’m worried because I almost think some of them will begin a homeless experience,” she says.

Cassidy prefers the phrase “having a homeless experience” over the blanket term “homeless” because she says people in that group are not all the same and can range from those who have been evicted, victims of domestic violence, those with weakened ties to family and friends, and those who have lost their jobs to the “typical chronically homeless person” on the streets due to drugs or mental issues.

She contends the groups shouldn’t be classified together because, besides lack of security and stability, one of the worst things about her experience was being around others who were similarly situated but whose behavior didn’t mirror her own efforts to make a change.

“I see in my future, and hopefully it’s not wishful thinking, being back in my [own] home and beginning to research and find my ancestors. I see myself as a writer.

I see myself doing community outreach in some way,” she says.

A bigger change Cassidy hopes to see is an increase in the number of shelters,

particularly for women. She speculates that the “powers that be” may not want to create a crutch for people to maintain a homeless experience as a possible explanation for the lack of facilities.

Whatever the reason, one thing she is sure of is that “at the end of the day, you have to provide somewhere for these people to go.”

Cassidy feels that with work-fromhome arrangements likely remaining until at least January, there should be unspent government funds available that could be used to provide facilities and supplies for the homeless.

For anyone who may find themselves in her situation, she advises that they be willing to accept help wherever they can get it because homelessness is not something to take lightly, as she first did.

While it was not mentally difficult for her, she had to learn to accept humility.

Fortunately, Charlotte is a city full of people who care about and respond to people experiencing homelessness, she believes. And as a person of faith who clung to that Bible from her first night on the street, there was always belief in one caretaker looking out for her above all.

“You have to know that God is in charge. He has not left you. Pray that God increases your faith and recognize His hand in everything.” P

Charlotte Latin School Young Alumni Spotlight

Morgan Montgomery '17 Boston College '21 Morgan embodies Latin’s vision to educate students in the importance of learning, citizenship, service to others, hard work, and Honor Above All. She is pursuing a double major in Economics and International Studies for Management and a minor in Spanish.

Morgan’s noteworthy accomplishments at Boston College include: • Earning prestigious summer internships as an Investment Banking Analyst (UBS, New York City) and a Risk Analyst (Goldman Sachs, Dallas) • Developing a photography business and partnership (MT Photography (@mtphotography_2); Fatou Fatography (@bc_fatography) • Serving as an active member of Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step (FISTS), BC’s only all-female step team • Studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador While at Charlotte Latin School, Morgan was an outstanding and engaged student. She earned the Wickham Award, a postgraduate travel grant, and co-founded the Black Student Alliance (BSA). She competed at the varsity level in basketball and softball and served as a Stage Tech for Upper School plays and musicals.

We are Hawk Proud and celebrate Morgan’s continued personal and professional success.

Call today to learn more about the benefits of a Latin education: 704.846.7207

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Photo courtesy of Hope Vibes

Photo Cour

tesy of Earth

a Wade.

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT Hope and Help for the Homeless

By Angela Lindsay Photos courtesy of Hope Vibes and Block Love CLT.

B

eneath the shiny façade of office buildings and booming residential construction in Charlotte exists a sub-community often overlooked and underrepresented. As of January, there were 3,569 people experiencing homelessness in Mecklenburg, according to county data—and this was before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Now that eviction proceedings have resumed following the expiration of Governor Roy Cooper’s eviction filing ban in July, the numbers of people experiencing homelessness has undoubtedly increased.

Fortunately, there are grassroots organizations answering the call to help deal with this reality that is affecting so many. Here’s a look at a few that are making a difference.

HOPE VIBES began organically in

Above: Block Love Charlotte giving back to the community which takes teamwork. Below: Sunday dinner on the Block.

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July 2016 when co-founder/director Adrienne Threatt shared a video on social media about the challenges women living on the streets face with their menstrual cycles. She and her husband and co-founder, Emmanuel, and a handful of their

friends collected hygiene products to meet the need. Now, the organization serves at least 100 homeless men, women and children with personal hygiene products each month. They also provide winter wear, shoes and blankets in the cold months. Every 2nd Saturday, volunteers meet at

THE INVISIBLE CHARLOTTE COALITION (HFTIC) seeks to

Photos courtesy of Block Love CLT

Part of BLOCK LOVE CLT’S mission is “to provide restoration, resources, education and essential tools to individuals experiencing hardship in our community.”

The organization takes donations of clothing, food, tents, sleeping bags, toiletries, socks, shoes and other items to “the block” on the corner of North Tryon and Phifer Avenue every Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. They also help connect the needy to resources while encouraging them to trust the organizations that are designed to help.

Block Love CLT is also now taking supplies to blocks in areas near Northlake, Brookshire, North Tryon and Sugar Creek. In August, The Phills Foundation (started in honor of NBA player Bobby Phills who died in an automobile accident in 2000) hosted its first overnight Sleep Out CLT event. The goal was to continue serving neighbors in need while raising awareness about homelessness and funds for transitional housing and food.

In August, people living in a “tent city,” a homeless camp near West 12th and Poplar Streets, were forced to vacate the area over the property owner’s concern that it was interfering with business operations. They are the residents of these types of tent communities for which HEARTS FOR advocate and support. The group, comprised of front-line nonprofit organizations, was formed to directly respond to the homelessness crisis, lack of affordable housing, and the Uptown Charlotte encampment, whose population grew to an estimated 150200 adults and children following the onset of COVID-19, according to HFTIC. Members of the coalition were already sponsoring and assisting this population through housing provisions where possible and providing basic needs during the pandemic. They continue to provide food, personal care and first aid supplies, community cleanup and sanitation, showers, and survival supplies that include tents, sleeping bags and clothing.

HFTIC has petitioned Charlotte city officials to create emergency sheltering for tent city residents. The group also has requested that the city of Charlotte and the county of Mecklenburg fund the organizations that are providing services and fighting the spread of COVID-19 within the homeless community on a daily basis. P

Photo courtesy of Hope Vibes

616 North Tryon Street to hand out hygiene packs to those in need before heading over to the women's shelter on Spratt Street.

A $50,000 grant from Foundation for the Carolinas and United Way supports The Hope Tank, a mobile shower and laundry unit with two private bathrooms.

Hope Vibes has also set up two solarpowered sinks in tent camps in Charlotte.

The sinks have a water tank, touch- free faucets and touch- free soap dispensers. A $5,000 grant from Wells Fargo is assisting them with building six more.

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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A healing life

The Novant Health Equity Fund honoring Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown aims to help close the health access gaps for Charlotte’s most vulnerable communities Ophelia Garmon-Brown, MD, lives her life as a healer.

As a physician and community leader, Dr. Garmon-Brown believes that good health shouldn’t depend on your ethnicity, address or the size of your bank account. Now her mission to bring health equity to all in Charlotte will take on new strength, with the creation of the Novant Health Equity Fund honoring Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown.

The Novant Health Foundation is launching the new fund to widen access to healthcare, develop the Charlotte workforce and erase food insecurity. They’re goals Dr. GarmonBrown has long championed, especially after she co-chaired a two-year study that found Charlotte ranked last among 50 cities for residents’ ability to climb up out of poverty.

“If we don’t recognize that we have two Charlottes, we won’t ever become the city we could become,” Dr. Garmon-Brown said about the findings. “There’s so much to be done in every arena — and all of us can take a part.”

Novant Health has a long tradition of extending holistic care to the community. “We wanted to take that care to new levels,” said Ann Caulkins, Novant Health Foundation president, “and at the same time honor the courageous, generous spirit of Dr. GarmonBrown. Our belief is that through this new fund, we will change lives — and destinies.”

Novant Health Foundation aims to raise $10 million for the new fund’s first phase.

The fund will pay for a wide range of work — COVID-19 testing sites, mammograms for uninsured women, scholarships for nursing students and much more (see sidebar).

Dr. Garmon-Brown lost her father when she was just 2 years old, and from childhood, she knew she wanted to be a doctor so she could, as she put it, “save all the daddies.”

She was the first African American female resident in family medicine in Charlotte, and rose in Novant Health to become chief community health and wellness executive.

Dr. Garmon-Brown has also served as the medical director of the Charlotte Community Health Clinic, a free clinic for the uninsured and underinsured. She led Novant Health’s Remarkable You initiative that brought thousands of people lifesaving health screenings.

Novant Health Equity Fund honoring Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown The Novant Health Equity Fund honoring Dr. Ophelia GarmonBrown will support health clinics, a mobile health cruiser, COVID-19 testing sites, mammography, workforce development, community health screenings and connecting patients with primary care and social services.

By connecting services within existing community assets, and focusing on the universal needs that most adversely affect health– access to care, food, housing, and workforce development — we will create community health hubs that will improve chronic disease management, health outcomes and quality of life, lower unnecessary costs for our healthcare system, and decrease the burden of government to provide public services.

As an ordained minister, Dr. Garmon-Brown has preached that God has given each person important work to do. Her belief gained new resonance when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. With time, Dr. Garmon-Brown said, she began to see cancer as a gift — one that inspired her to even greater service.

“As long as I’m here,” she said, “I’ve got to live this life prayerfully, present and purposefully.”

That spirit of resiliency and purpose inspired the creation of the Novant Health Equity Fund honoring Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown.

We at Novant Health look forward to extending her gifts of healing to even more people — today, and for all the tomorrows to come.

To make a gift today honoring Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown, and to include a special note for her, visit donate.NovantHealth.org/health_equity

Modern History— A Historic Home Reimagined

By Lashawnda Becoats HOME DEETS Original Sq. Ft.: 1,735 Redesigned Sq. Ft.: 2,596 Design start to completion: December 2019-June 2020

S

tep inside Gregory Ogunsanya’s home and there is an energetic vibe. From the outside it looks like a familiar brick home on Charlotte’s Westside with a skyline view of the city, tree-lined streets and deep porches, but walk inside and it’s as if you had stepped through a portal welcoming you from the old into a new and unexpected space.

AFTER BEFORE

BEFORE AFTER

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The light-colored walls, beautiful hardwood floors, curtainless windows, mix of eclectic furniture and wellcurated art from his world travels show his eye for style and vision for this wellplanned space that took six months to transform.

When Ogunsanya, 46, moved from Phoenix to Charlotte a couple of years ago, he knew he wanted to buy a house with character in a diverse neighborhood that he could renovate. After searching for months and not finding what he wanted, he met Helen Honeycutt, a seasoned realtor who understood his desire to transform a home to live in—not to just “flip it” to sell for a profit, a common trend in areas being gentrified thoughout Charlotte.

“Helen understood how to make connections with people who are selling their homes. She understood what I wanted to do and that’s why I wanted to work with her,” said Ogunsanya, who works as a corporate attorney.

When he spotted the house in the Wesley Heights neighborhood, it had

been on the market for a while, but the price was not ideal. Honeycutt wrote a letter to the Scott family, the four sisters who owned the property that had been in their family for 46 years. She explained Ogunsanya’s background and that he wanted to preserve the character of the house and create a family home that would pay homage to the heritage of the historic house.

“It was important to me to honor this house and not just tear it down. It’s a beautiful house,” he said.

Built in 1930, the house is registered with the Charlotte Historic District Commission, which means that an owner can make structural changes on the inside but cannot make changes on the outside without approval. It is also registered on the National Register of Historic Places.

To help him bring his vision of a modern home to life, Ogunsanya hired general contractor and architect David Wales of Salt + Light Builders. Wales, a commercial architect who has worked with historic properties in the past, understood not only how to deal with the fragility of these structures but also understood the rules and regulations of HDC. As a full architect and general contractor, Wales’ company specializes in helping homeowners start their home design from concept to build completion, a process he calls seamless since they can handle it all for their clients.

Wales says that Ogunsanya’s vision was to create an open floor plan which meant taking down a lot of walls and designing a master suite in the attic, which was originally not a livable space.

Luckily, the house had “good bones” according to Wales, meaning it was structurally sound. His team was able to work through the pandemic to complete the project.

The master suite with its high ceilings and state-of-the-art bathroom featuring a see-through shower with sinks on both sides has become Ogunsanya’s favorite part of the house. The space also boasts a sitting area, walk-in closet and laundry area.” This feels like there is no compromise whatsoever in terms of how to live upstairs and it’s quite unique for an attic,” he said.

Gregory Ogunsanya created his own modern oasis in historic Wesley Heights. P

Open concept dining room.

Gregory Ogunsanya (far right) with members of the Scott family.

Living room.

Master suite sitting area.

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Powerful Conversations Are the First Step to Ending Racism Moving the needle forward on a difficult issue to tackle

By David Miree

I

have firsthand experience with the racism that exists in our country as I have dealt with it throughout my life. I have also engaged in many conversations that may have started as uncomfortable, but over the course of the dialogue, changed attitudes and promoted understanding between individuals and groups.

Here are some telling statistics from Kennedy Ihezie, previously the Vice President at New York-based global think tank Coqual (formerly Center for Talent Innovation) – 83% of Black and African Americans do not regularly associate with different ethnic groups outside of work.

For Hispanics, the figure is 64%. For Caucasians, it is 91%.

Imagine how people’s opinions of one another would be different if we truly knew each other better. When you don’t take time to get to know people outside of your culture, it can be nearly impossible for some to develop insight and compassion for them.

Additionally, without that level of empathy, it’s difficult to understand the realities that other people live with every day.

About 15 years ago, a work colleague from Afghanistan, whom I had just recently met, invited my wife and I to dinner. What I previously knew about that country was what most of us gathered from seeing images of war in the media. I did not know much about the people or their culture. In the hours-long conversation with my colleague and his wife, I became enlightened in ways I could have never imagined.

For the first time, I gained insight on the challenges, the history and the nuances of the country and its citizens – and I gained a real appreciation for the people that we had dinner with. That evening was extremely impactful in that it helped me comprehend what was occurring in Afghanistan from a perspective I might have never received without spending time at their home for dinner.

Similarly, in the workplace, we need corporate leaders who embrace and understand the impact of courageous conversations on race and the positive outcomes of building diverse relationships inside and outside of work.

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Pride Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

David Miree is the Northeast and Texas Branch Banking Lead Region President for Wells Fargo

As a leader, when you take the initiative to understand someone who does not look like you, worship like you or dress like you, or whatever the difference might be, you open yourself up to an entirely new level of growth and understanding. And when you establish those kinds of relationships, inside and outside the workplace, your personal growth will inherently help to advance the diversity and inclusion goals of your company.

People in power have a responsibility to make this happen.

Corporate leaders have a unique opportunity to model what inclusiveness should truly look like. By being intentional about growing relationships with diverse individuals in both their personal and professional lives, they will not only expand their own understanding of diversity, but they will also inspire other leaders to

broaden their own relationships. An output of this will be an increase in the hiring of diverse candidates, creating a more diversified workforce.

While racism is a deeply complex and difficult issue to tackle, I personally do not want to continue having the same conversations about race relations three years from now because that would mean we have not made enough progress.

Our goal should be to move the needle forward. Leaders across all companies should hold themselves and their teams accountable for creating a more inclusive and diverse organization.

And what does accountability look like?

Employees should have meaningful “get-to-know-you” conversations with people of different backgrounds and perspectives. That way we can all better relate to one another, personally and professionally. Companies need to have tangible metrics and accountability around those metrics in their hiring and promoting practices. If six months or one year passes by and our companies do not witness meaningful progress toward hiring and creating a more diverse workforce, then you would know that this call to action was not taken seriously.

We have to hold each other accountable, otherwise this moment and movement will be lost. We cannot let this opportunity pass us by. Nor can we dwell on why things are the way they are. We must start making progress today and that momentum cannot dissipate in the coming months and years.

Diversity and inclusion must be at the core of a company’s mission. It has to be foundational to the corporate philosophy.

Getting to know people who are from different ethnic and racial backgrounds creates an appreciation for their differences and their similarities. This, in turn, can be an important component toward building and creating more successful, diverse and inclusive companies. P David Miree is the Northeast & Texas Branch Banking Lead Region President for Wells Fargo.

SPECIAL SECTION

Courage, Innovation and Survival DURING COVID-19 gualtiero boffi / tomertu / Shutterstock.com

By Sonja Whitemon and John Burton Jr

C

OVID-19 has thrust us into a shutdown, isolated, restricted existence yet, the world keeps on turning.

People are finding ways to cope with the isolation, to help others, to be better— to rise above. Here are a some of their stories.

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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We Are All Super Heroes When We Recycle Right!

Faith Through A Pandemic: Rockwell AME Zion Church

By John Burton Jr RESILIENCE is one word that

describes Rockwell AME Zion Church.

Established in 1865, the same year of the Emancipation Proclamation, it is the second oldest Black church in Charlotte. Throughout its 155year history, Rockwell has endured its share of triumphs and tragedies: fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Still, nothing could prepare Reverend Jordan Boyd for a pandemic. Boyd, who has led the Derita community church since 2013, has had almost a dozen congregates to test positive for the virus— three in one family.

Four of those diagnoses sadly resulted in death. “I would get word that a member was on a ventilator.

At one point, they were doing better then they’d get worse,” he said. “I was doing a funeral a week at one point.”

The crisis became personal when his sister and her husband both died from the novel virus resulting in him and his wife becoming caretakers to their nephew. With so much tragedy, professional and personal, he had to figure out not only how to minister to his grieving congregation but also to himself. Boyd, 58, has had copious amounts of experience leading congregations. However, presiding during a pandemic, he did not.

Churches, notably Black churches, have a great proclivity for coming together in a church building to worship God. When those gatherings were eliminated via government mandate, alternatives had to be made.

Instead of focusing on the fear of the virus, Boyd shifted his focus to faith. Somehow, he had to reawaken his congregation to the fact that God had protected them before and he would do so again, even during a pandemic. “The gospel is all about sharing the good news, whether good or bad times,” Boyd said.

Like many churches prior to the pandemic, many were ill-equipped and had to discover new ways of ministering to their congregations.

“We (church) had to learn how to be more creative,” Boyd said. “We are now digital.”

Each week current members or web visitors have a chance to tune into their Sunday worship experience via the World Wide Web. Their worship isn’t the only thing that has gone digital, so has the church’s Bible study.

Getting the largely senior members acclimated to the new technology was effortless after tapping into their children and grandchildren for technical support. “Now they’re in noonday and Wednesday evening studies.” Even Boyd’s usual pastoral care routine of making home and hospital visits has been substituted with Zoom and telephone calls.

Besides spiritual encouragement, people also need social support.

Unemployment, food shortages and child care are all real social concerns.

When people have a need, they need to know that help is available. “The pandemic has taught us how to live together and take care of each other.

If we know of someone in need, now we’re all willing to help out in whatever way we can.”

When in-person corporate worship resumes, Boyd is keenly aware it will look much different than before. Pew Bibles, bulletins, and hymnals will likely be exchanged for masks and temperature readers. Still reopening will serve as yet another testament to Rockwell’s ongoing resiliency.

Oftentimes a believer’s faith is tested when storms arise. “We’ll (Rockwell) have an experiential testimony of how God can still provide, protect, and direct His people,” said Boyd.

Making Masks to Save Lives

By Sonja Whitemon IN THE EARLY DAYS of the

pandemic, personal protective equipment for first responders and medical professionals were in short supply. Government officials advised the public not to buy face masks. By the time officials put out recommendations urging the public to wear face coverings, masks could not be found. Cecilia Williams and the Sewing Ministry at The Park Church in Charlotte went into action, turning their focus away from the pillow cases, dresses, shopping bags and other goods they usually made for people in less advantaged countries to making masks for local citizens.

“We have a lot of fabric in our stash at church that people donated to the ministry, so we all grabbed some fabric and went home and got to work. We first started making masks for first responders,” she said. “Later we were asked to make them for a nursing home in South Carolina. God has blessed us, so we have been blessing others by making them.”

The retired educator encourages the community to wear face masks.

“Please wear your masks; they save lives. My daughter is in the medical field on the front lines.

People don’t realize they are putting their lives and other people’s lives at risk when they don’t wear masks.”

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

23

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I’m A Survivor – Teddy Andrews

By John Burton Jr “OH MY GOD, I got it!” was

Let ‘Em Play!

By Sonja Whitemon IN ONE FELL SWOOP, Deitrick Brockett

saw the business he founded hit a wall.

The “virus” had struck again. Let ‘Em Play Sports Officiating Services, Inc., is a sports officiating business that was on fire. In 2007, the business began in Charlotte providing sports officials in football, basketball, baseball, soccer and volleyball to public, charter and private schools, including independent organizations throughout the Charlotte area. By 2020, Let ‘Em Play Sports had grown to more than 250 officials and expanded to South Carolina and Georgia. In the spring of 2020 business was booming— 365 days a year. The company was in the midst of beginning operations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania when states began shutting down due to COVID-19.

“It was a hard stop, and it was the first time the sports world had come to a halt. It was very tough because it was something nobody could prepare for and nobody knew how to respond to it, “Brockett said.

The company saw an 80 percent reduction in revenue in North Carolina alone. They were able to get a grant from Foundation For the Carolinas.

In time, South Carolina was the first to begin lifting restrictions. Now, North Carolina and other states are beginning to open. Brockett is confident the sports industry and his business will be fine.

“COVID-19 has given us another outlook.

You have to prepare in the event of a shutdown. You gotta be ready to go. It’s better to be ready and not to get ready.

Sports will recover.”

the initial reaction of Theodore “Teddy” Andrews, 56, after receiving the call from Health and Human Services (HHS) saying he tested positive for coronavirus.

In March, his medical quandary began after returning home from work travel with common cold symptoms.

Believing all he needed was juice, soup and rest, he knew he would easily recover— until the next day, when fever, body aches and profuse sweating ensued.

After taking his temperature, it registered 103.5. Andrews knew something was amiss. Vowing that if it didn’t get better, “I’m going to the urgent care on Monday,” he said.

Growing more ill overnight, he drove to the nearest urgent care facility. First, they tested him for the flu. The results returned negative. Delving deeper, they inquired about his line of business and travel history. He responded he was in the airline industry and added he recently returned from Chile. Another battery of questions commenced, ultimately resulting in a COVID-19 test. Tests, at that time, were reserved for those who had traveled to China or had come in contact with someone believed to have had the virus. The following day, he was informed he tested positive for coronavirus.

As the HHS representative spoke, all Andrews thought was, “Am I going to die?” With almost 200,000 deaths thus far in the U.S., that was a reasonable question. He phoned his sister in New York, close friends, and last

his daughter. “She cried because she was scared, but so was I.” The next day his symptoms worsened. “I simply couldn’t breathe and my temperature was 104.5,” he said. Frightened, he contacted his HHS nurse. She advised him to go directly to the hospital and she would alert them. Although in a fragile state, he drove himself to the hospital, fearing he might risk exposure to his loved ones. Upon arrival, security and nurses donned in full P.P.E. greeted him. They barreled past registration straight to the awaiting doctors. Although in the hospital, his condition continued to decline so aggressively that he was taken to I.C.U. Fluctuating oxygen levels and breathing falling below 90 meant possible respiratory danger. The medical team advised it would be wise to contact his family. The nurse also provided two forms: DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) and Intubate, inserting a tube for ventilation. The severity of it all flooded in. “I refused to sign them,” he said. “Signing those papers meant accepting their

“I couldn’t die on that day because it was my daughter’s birthday and she would remember this for the rest of her life, so I fought.”

—TEDDY ANDREWS

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

25

fate. I’m not going to die in this ICU, he said.

“I couldn’t die on that day because it was my daughter’s birthday and she would remember this for the rest of her life, so I fought.” He labored all evening solely to stabilize his breathing. Despite the machine intermittently sounding, he awoke to, “Wow, you made it through the night!”

After nearly a two-week hospital stint, he was finally discharged but astonishingly without medications since there is still no vaccine. Adding to his frustration, the joyless news reports and continued isolation spiraled him into a depression. “I had PTSD, which was associated with survivors’ remorse.” Thoughts of, “I made it? Why me?” Luckily with remote therapy through his church, he was able to grasp the blessing of being a survivor. “Therapy helped a lot. It taught me how to see how grateful to be for life.” He began regaining his strength—emotionally and physically.

Months later, he still describes his ordeal as traumatic. The forever optimist, he encourages COVID19 is not always a death sentence.

“You can make it through. You can survive,” he said.

“Therapy helped a lot. It taught me how to see how grateful to be for life.”

—TEDDY ANDREWS 26

Pride Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

Time to Make a Change

By Sonja Whitemon MELVIN AND SYLVIA Williams live a good life. Married

for 16 years, they work, worship and travel together. On a recent trip, the couple attended a taping of “The Price is Right.” Who knew Melvin would be selected as a contestant?

He came home a winner, and in more ways than one. After seeing themselves on the show that aired in February, the couple made the decision to lose weight together during the pandemic.

“What motivated me was having to take all that medicine and the side effects. I didn’t want to continue to take all that medicine.”

—SYLVIA WILLIAMS Melvin was nearly 400 lbs. Sylvia weighed 185 and was on high blood pressure and cholesterol medicine. “It was getting serious,” she said. “What motivated me was having to take all that medicine and the side effects. I didn’t want to continue to take all that medicine.”

Melvin is now down to 265 pounds and Sylvia is 159 and no longer on any medications. They used no special diet.

They just eat right, eat smaller portions and drink at least a gallon of water a day.

Understanding that many people are affected by the virus, Melvin calls it a blessing and a curse. “It gives you a chance to really focus on the future and what your life is really meant to be. It gives you a chance to take control, and the only excuse is you. You are responsible for things to happen. Nobody else but you.”

Serving Up Success in a Pandemic - Cuzzo’s Cuisine

By John Burton Jr RED VELVET WAFFLE. Lobster

Lula Jones Puts Mind Over Matter

By Sonja Whitemon LULA JONES has devoted her life to helping others. The longtime certified nursing assistant cares for people who suffer from asthma, COPD and other chronic illnesses. Their conditions put them at high risk for contracting COVID-19. As their caregiver she cares for their physical and mental wellbeing. While the job is the same, the stakes are higher now. As a medical professional, Jones must care for her patients as well as herself.

“My patients are mobile, so I monitor them for the virus and keep track of where they are going. They know they must wear masks and keep their distance.”

Jones says COVID-19 makes the job more hectic. She says that to take care of her patients she knows she must first take care of herself.

She makes sure she stays safe and mentally fit.

“At night, I have to sit back in my comfort zone and take a deep breath and lift myself up so my patients don’t pick up any negative vibes. You have to keep yourself lifted up.”

She encourages people to put mind over matter and do different things and be deliberate about staying positive. Her advice during these times is, “try to be energetic so you can pass that energy on to others.”

mac and cheese. Shrimp and grits.

If you could taste words, you could easily become a glutton. Those are the frequently requested orders on the tiny white slips from the POS machine at Cuzzo’s Cuisine on Tuckaseegee Road. Luckily earlier this year when COVID-19 forced many restaurants to close, Cuzzo’s did not become another casualty. “I thank God for that,” said chef/owner Andarrio Johnson.

Overcoming hard times, has been the narrative for Chef Andarrio’s life growing up in Hilton Head, South Carolina. He began his culinary career as a teenager making pizzas at the local Little Caesar’s restaurant. Later this progressed to a job as a dishwasher at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. A self-professed lifelong learner, Johnson enrolled in Johnson & WalesCharleston campus to hone his culinary ingenuity. It would be the artistry gleaned from this formal education that inspired him to open AMJ Catering in 2004 in Columbia, South Carolina.

Through AMJ, Johnson was able to sample the sweet flavor of success. “It was hard, but I loved it,” he said.

Ready to tackle his next challenge, Johnson set his sights on bringing his take on soul food cuisine to the masses. It would be his participation in a Charlotte food festival that would spur a novel idea. What better way to increase his footprint than with a food truck? Still, that too would be a bit problematic. “We bought this raggedy old 1975 mail truck that needed a lot of work,” Johnson joked. “People talked trash about our truck but never about our food,” he added.

Reeling successful runs of his catering company and food truck businesses, a restaurant seemed a logical step. When the owners of the commissary kitchen Cuzzo’s utilized for their food truck prep raised their rates, a restaurant became an intelligent solution. “The money I would pay them could be money I could put into a restaurant,” he said. In 2016, Cuzzo’s Cuisine was birthed with the assistance of his cousin Anglee Brown; hence

the name, Cuzzo, a nickname they affectionately used. “When the doors opened it felt like a dream come true.

It was something I dreamed about my whole life” he added. As the west Charlotte eatery’s business boomed, COVID occurred.

“It (COVID-19) was a gift and a curse,” Johnson said. “It’s been really sad because people have died and many businesses have closed. We’re blessed because, since COVID, we’ve been busier than ever.” Already a to-go and delivery format restaurant, Cuzzo’s had to make little adjustment. “Now people just order from home and pick up or we’ll deliver.” One unexpected gift the restauranteur received was the Innovation Fund grant distributed

by Center City Partners. The grant was designed to assist storefront businesses with 50 employees or less who experienced adverse impacts due to the pandemic. “We couldn’t believe we received it. We applied for multiple grants in the past and have always been denied, so I was shocked when we received this one,” said Johnson.

The grant allows them to continue to provide for its patrons and also the community.

Community is what Cuzzo’s is about. “During COVID, we’ve been and will continue to feed kids lunches for free.” Feeding the needy, Thanksgiving turkey giveaways and hosting back-toschool events are things Cuzzo’s has done in the past. “We always give back.

Why? When you give, you’ll receive,” Johnson said.

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Healthcare COVID Style

By Sonja Whitemon 2020 BROUGHT the big COVID-19

surprise for everyone. Marcia Black got yet another surprise when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

If there is such a thing as good news in such a diagnosis, that the cancer was Stage 0 would be it, meaning that it was contained and had not spread. Black opted to have a lumpectomy over a mastectomy.

Although she believes the hospital did the best it could given the circumstances, the healthcare experience was quite different because of the adjustments that had to be made due to the pandemic.

“It was so distant and cold because you couldn’t see who was handling you. Everybody was behind a mask. They were friendly, but this is not how you want to go through something like this. During doctor visits, the doctor was in a room next door doing a virtual visit over video. It was bizarre.”

One day they took a headshot of the technician caring for her. A 4”x6” hung from his chest, so she could now see who was handling her.

“It added so much comfort,” she said. “You don’t have robots handling you. These are people and you get to see this is the person behind the mask. [Healthcare during the pandemic] is just really something. It was quite an experience for me.” P

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November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Man on the Street Coping with COVID

I

By Lashawnda Becoats

n the nine months since the global pandemic hit, most people’s lives have been affected.

While many have experienced everything from grief to gratitude, many have been impacted in ways that have helped them shift their perspectives. We talked to people throughout the community and asked them the question: What has been the most challenging thing for you to deal with during the pandemic?

“My wife and I are notorious homebodies and our home is filled with space and things that spark us creatively, so quarantine started out a breeze.

About a month ago, though, I hit a wall. In an instant I realized how much I missed travel and the true ‘unplug’ of exploring a new destination outside of our home base here in Charlotte.

Ultimately the most challenging part of the pandemic has been the overwhelming anxiety that comes with never really getting that opportunity to ‘check out’ and get away from it all both mentally and physically. These days even reading doesn’t gift the same spiritual freedom it did pre-pandemic.”

— Will, 34, Habilitative Care Worker/ Designer + Creative

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Pride Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

“Staying inspired, busy and motivated.

What do you do when all of your home projects are complete, you finally launched your website, there's newly purchased patio furniture, you've purged your closets, downloaded the running app, your cookbooks no longer excite you, you now have a house full of new plants, your pictures have been hung and flowers have been planted? All of these tasks completed, there's still nowhere to go and indifference is settling in.”

— Kesh, 47, IOR Destination Services Consultant and Manager of CharlottesBestCamps.com.

“I am a traveling Reiki Photographer. It has been challenging to have to stay put. I am used to traveling a few times monthly and the pandemic put a halt to that. I had to cancel some jobs out of state due to not wanting to catch the ‘Rona’ while traveling.”

— Michelle, 36, Reiki Photographer

“The most challenging thing for me to deal with during this pandemic has been witnessing increased suffering of families in America. This pandemic has created and exacerbated crippling life circumstances that a great majority of our fellow citizens will continue to suffer long after the passing of COVID-19.

Our recovery will depend on communities of compassion and villages of love.”

— Robin, 57, Writer

“Preparing my business for this new normal was the most challenging. We get so used to our "normal' that even slight changes can be challenging. After month two, the shift became easier.”

— Darryl, 30, Fear Researcher, Speaker

“The most challenging aspect of the pandemic is the sense of uncertainty. Optimism has been critical without a foreseeable timeline for this to end. Constant changes in guidelines have made me stay adaptive and keep clear communication to stay on top of new updates.”

— Drew, 24, Accounting Coordinator, Social Pet Hotel & Daycare

“As an extrovert, the biggest adjustment was dealing with not having in-person community. My volunteering, hospitality and travel life came to a complete stop. I’ve since found ways to find connection virtually and via social distancing.”

— Debi, 46, Digital Marketing Analyst November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Pride’s 2020

Holiday Gift Guide

Support Black-Owned Businesses for the Holidays!

by Lashawnda Becoats

It’s time to get ready for the holiday season and we’ve taken the guesswork out of what to buy for the people on your list. Here are a few items we love.

Bold and Beautiful Jewelry C. ROSS MADE are light-weight, oneof-a-kind earrings handcrafted to weigh no more than .3 ounces a pair. Owner Cierra Ross launched her jewelry line in April 2020 because she wanted women to feel confident and beautiful. Made from polymer clay these colorful creations are a great accent to any stylish wardrobe.

Prices range from $15-$26.50 crossmadeshop.com

For Dog Lovers Know a dog lover? Help them dress their canine companion in style with accessories by Dog Envie. Inspired by the beauty of African Wax Print Cotton, these limited-edition collars will make any hound happy. Collars come in three sizes and feature easy side-release buckle for quick removal. Other accessories and gift cards are available. Collars start at $34.99 dogenvie.com

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Pride Magazine | www.pridemagazineonline.com

For the Stylish Woman EYEc'd Out is a made-to-order line of chunky eyewear chains perfect for the woman you know who loves eyewear and wants to stand out in any crowd. These versatile and chic statement pieces are designed to wear with your favorite pair of specs, sunglasses or face mask. Costs vary depending on link size, chain length and embellishments. Prices range from $20-$60. eyecdout.com

For Young Bookworms Engage your favorite young reader with a monthly box of books from Just Like Me Box curated just for them. Each themed box features 2-3 fun books that promote self-love, and self-discovery and can be used as educational tools to inspire each reader. Choose the age ranges from 0 to 12 years old and the books are delivered monthly to your front door. Month-tomonth subscriptions start at $28.$21 for one dozen. justlikemebox.com

Downtime to Relax Step away from your daily routine and treat yourself or someone special to relaxing and healing spa services at The Lotus Journey Spa. Spa owner Janelle Simmons is a licensed massage and esthetician who has been in the game for more than 20 years. Known for her magical hands, book nextlevel services such as a cupping massages (it removes toxins from the body) or a Hydro Jelly Facial great for hydration and smoothing wrinkles. Gift certificates and hand-crafted products are also available. thelotusjourney.net

Stay Lit Now that we’re all staying home more often, why not elevate your home experience with candles and home fragrances by Sophie Rose Candle Co. Each hand poured pleasantly scented soy candle will bring a unique vibe to any room. Made with phthalate-free fragrance oils, all-natural lead and zinc free cotton wicks to ensure a clean burn these nontoxic candles are free from dyes, carcinogens and pollutants which make them Eco- and vegan-friendly. We love Pineapple Sage with notes of pineapple, citrus, apple, cedar leaf and eucalyptus and Purple Hibiscus. Boost a matching candle fragrance with an aromatic room and linen spray or fragrance Oil Reed Diffuser. Prices start at $10 – 18 for candles, Room Sprays $12 and Reed Diffusers $20. srcandleco.com

For Anyone You Love In 2017, Vanessa Kenon-Hunt created her all-natural line of olive oil and aloe-based moisturizers out of necessity – her sons have dry skin and her husband has sensitive skin.

O+A|EVERYDAY® is made with ingredients such as organic extra olive oil, organic aloe vera gel, shea butter, vitamin E and essential oils known to soothe dry skin and minor skin irritations. Try the popular Lavenderbased “SOOTHE.” Prices range from $10 for 2 ounces -$25 for 6 ounces. oandaeveryday.com November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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The Ripple Effect of

Redlining

By Fannie Flono

L

ike the rest of the country, Charlotte was built on a social order that consigned Black residents to the lowest rungs of the ladder.

White residents even exacted violence and thievery to keep them there. Yet the most effective weapons to achieve that goal were laws and policies.

One that had huge impact was redlining.

As the name implies, redlining literally refers to drawing red lines – lines that encircled neighborhoods to spotlight them as undesirable and high-credit risks.

Starting in the late 1930s, federal regulators drew such lines to aid in the country’s recovery after the Great Depression. The idea was to boost housing and other development by giving lenders guidance on the best areas to loan money.

The areas were also given grades ranging from A to D. The detrimental impact on communities of color in Charlotte is clear even today. Drive down Beatties Ford Road on the city’s westside or other predominantly Black or Latinx areas.

Large pockets of financially struggling, even deeply impoverished residents reside there. Industrial facilities and rental properties dominate the area.

This is the ripple effect of redlining.

Residents living in high-credit risk areas couldn’t get loans to buy or repair homes.

Developers wouldn’t build or invest in high-quality businesses there.

In his book, “Sorting Out the New South City,” Charlotte historian Tom Hanchett said that federal appraisers who mapped Charlotte’s urban neighborhoods in 1937 according to credit risk built

Brooklyn (Second Ward) became a draw for Black citizens after the Civil War. It was almost entirely Black by the early 1900s. It was a thriving Black business, political and religious center. in bias against ethnic neighborhoods.

“Just four areas won the coveted A rating: Myers Park, Eastover, a portion of Dilworth, all in the Southeast, and a small tract adjoining the Charlotte Country Club. Black neighborhoods got Ds regardless of income level. The appraisers acknowledged that black citizens owned quite handsome residences in some areas, particularly along Beatties Ford Road near Johnson C. Smith University, but emphasized that no exceptions to the racial D ranking be made.”

This kind of social engineering is rarely discussed, but Black Americans always faced disadvantages. After slavery, they worked hard to achieve but progress was

tenuous. White citizens could seize or destroy Black homes or businesses with few repercussions. Even sharecroppers and domestics were powerless to demand fair pay or treatment from white employers.

Charlotte leaders neglected Black communities, failing to pave roads or provide adequate sewage and water services. Using these conditions as ammunition, by the end of the 1930s, lenders only offered home loans to Charlotte residents in white areas.

Charlotte officials facilitated its redlining practices by concentrating many of its Black residents in one area of the city. In the early 1900s, leaders November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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In his book, “Sorting Out the New South City,” Charlotte historian Tom Hanchett said that federal appraisers who mapped Charlotte’s urban neighborhoods in 1937 according to credit risk built in bias against ethnic neighborhoods.

identified Charlotte’s west side as the city’s “future home for Negroes,” Hanchett said. By 1930, using FHA and VA loans that had become available, developers had begun establishing new affordable Black west side neighborhoods; yet many Blacks remained in a historic neighborhood known as Brooklyn until the city destroyed it in the 1960s. Its demise illustrates how devastating redlining and other policy decisions were.

Brooklyn (Second Ward) became a draw for Black citizens after the Civil War. It was almost entirely Black by the early 1900s. It was a thriving Black business, political and religious center.

Charlotte’s first Black grade school, first Black high school, first Black library and first Black YMCA were all in Brooklyn.

Handsome two-story homes lined the streets, just down the block from modest cottages and dilapidated shanties.

“Ministers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, railroad men, teachers, artisan, servants and common laborers all lived together in one community,” wrote resident Rose Leary Love in her memoir, ‘Plum Thickets and Field Daisies.’ ” But white citizens had long coveted Brooklyn. One leader said in 1912 that “eventually this section, because of its proximity to the center of the city, must sooner or later be utilized by the white population.” The federal government provided means to do that with the 1949 Housing Act which provided Charlotte federal funds to buy, demolish and replace substandard housing.

The process was called urban renewal.

By 1950, the city had already zoned all of Brooklyn industrial, and the area had been designated “high risk” like all other Black neighborhoods. Urban renewal got under way in 1961. By 1967, Brooklyn was completely gone. No replacement housing was built. Residents relocated to other black neighborhoods. Many Black businesses closed and never reopened.

In their 2019 report, “The Racial Wealth Gap: CharlotteMecklenburg,” researchers for the UNCC Urban Institute said redlining “dismantled wealth and wealth-growing potential” in Charlotte’s Black communities. They pointed to homeownership rates in particular. Areas designated as high-risk in 1937 still had the lowest home-ownership rates in 2017.

Home equity is a key part of wealth building. “The legacy of redlining,” the researchers concluded, “in which entire neighborhoods were designated undesirable and choked off from financing and investment, has locked many Black and Latinx families out of this key wealth accumulation pathway.” P

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Little things are a big deal Now more than ever.

Peace of mind has taken on added importance. Dining, shopping, medical needs and access to people who can lend a helping hand are paramount. For those living at Sharon Towers, it’s all part of being a resident.

It’s where the little things matter a lot.

To learn more, go to SharonTowers.org or contact our Marketing Department at 704.556.3231.

5100 SHARON ROAD | CHARLOTTE, NC | 28210

Fewer Hours. More Responsibilities. Same Rent.

Not only are many working mothers losing their hours or even jobs, they also have to take on remote learning responsibilities for their children.

But the rent stays the same and is due every month. Please help us help them.

Community Link

Support or learn more at CommunityLinkNC.org Fifth Third Bank is a proud sponsor of Community Link

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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NOW AND ALWAYS, COMMUNITY IS WHO WE ARE. No matter the challenge, together we’ll conquer possibility. At Central Piedmont, our community is built to help you navigate what’s next. Our affordable tuition, online classes, and guaranteed placement in the UNC System ensure you get the most out of your college experience.

Learn more at ConquerPossibility.com.

Higher Learning During

Changing Times

By Ryan Kouame

2

020 has been full of surprises. Businesses, transportation services, schools, and many other essential establishments have had to completely change their way of operating.

Health and Housing

Most institutions canceled on-campus classes when COVID-19 began to spread, causing frustration and uncertainty for many who were losing their housing, meal plans, mental health support, and other resources usually provided by colleges. This means unplanned expenses for travel, housing, internet connectivity, and other basic resources necessary for a proper learning environment.

For many students, especially international and economically vulnerable

students, going back home may not be an option. Considering that the pandemic has affected certain parts of the world more than others, traveling overseas may be more difficult or impossible if the borders are closed. Students who found themselves in situations where they could not stay on campus or go home, had the option to appeal or apply for alternative housing.

North Carolina State University, for example, closed their residence halls on August 26 when the number of students testing positive rose by 126 cases, from 781 to 907 that same day. Students who applied for an exemption were allowed to stay as long as they weren’t in a cluster, which is defined as five or more cases at the same location.

Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock.com

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, communities with college campuses have been hot spots for coronavirus outbreaks and health experts are worried about the ramifications of students spreading the virus by returning home versus staying in residence halls.

Due to these circumstances, many institutions have closed their doors and

implemented digital, hybrid or socially distanced classes to avoid spreading the virus. Any students currently in college or thinking about going to college should take these factors into account.

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Freeograph / Shutterstock.com

“Over the past few days, our campus community has experienced a quickly rising number of positive cases of COVID19 in both on and off-campus housing,” said Chancellor, Randy Woodson, in an address to the campus. “We hoped and strived to keep residence halls open and safe to best serve our students. However, the rapid spread and increasing rate of positive cases have made our current situation untenable.”

Much like North Carolina State University, UNC-Chapel Hill students were told on August 17 to move out by August 30, unless they are quarantining or were granted waivers.

New Learning Environments

Having classes held off campus and online means that students will have to get accustomed to online learning. According

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to federal education data, more than onethird of students in the United States took at least one online course in 2018. For most students, the problem isn’t online classes –– it’s getting proper access to high-speed internet, software, and a laptop or desktop.

Some universities are even offering hybrid classes where students alternate class days or weeks so there is less traffic on campus.

Financial Aid and The CARES Act

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, better known as the CARES Act, was passed to help federal student loan borrowers by temporarily pausing payments on federal student loans from March 27 through September 30, 2020. This means that borrowers will not have to pay interest on their loans so their balances will remain the same.

The CARES Act also suspended involuntary collections, wage garnishments, and the reduction of tax benefits or other benefits for borrowers who have defaulted on their loans.

Roughly half of the $12 billion in federal funding was also granted to higher education institutions for emergency grants. To qualify, students must have eligible expenses to receive federal funds, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care.

Due to COVID-19, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte has implemented flexible accommodations such as virtual undergraduate summer orientation, flexible deadlines for enrollment, online degree opportunities, online GRE opportunities, and waived GRE requirements to help students begin or continue their education.

Dealing With Mental Health

The pandemic has resulted in increased loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depression for many Americans.

Battling with mental health issues during a time like this is understandable. Due to the socio-economic challenges that many students are facing as the country continues to fight the pandemic, many are battling feelings of depression and anxiety regarding their education and careers. A report released by Chegg found that 58 percent of college students were “moderately,” “very” or “extremely” worried about their mental health and 46 percent were anxious about returning to campus in the fall.

Most campus mental health professionals are now relying on teletherapy which requires lots of flexibility from the clinician and the student. Some students may be returning to abusive households, no homes at all, or maybe stuck on campus learning virtually, so it is important that they limit social media use, meditate, go out in nature, connect with others, and prioritize self-care at all costs. Maintaining a routine and getting adequate sleep is also necessary to preserve mental faculties. No matter what students may be going through, they should remember that their feelings are valid, and it is normal to be experiencing sadness, grief, anxiety, frustration, or all of the above. P

75 BAC HE L OR’S , 65 M A S T E R’S A ND 24 DOC T OR A L P R OGR A M S

in the U.S. Money Magazine, 2019-20

UNCC.EDU November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

41

The future of healthcare, in your hands.

Tryon Medical Partners and Javara offer clinical trials for a range of health issues and conditions, including COVID-19. Join us in these important studies.

Together, we will find solutions to our most pressing medical challenges, and ensure that healthcare is working effectively and equitably for all.

We are currently enrolling patients for the following trials: Atrial Fibrillation COPD COVID-19 Vaccine Crohn’s Disease Eosinophilic Esophagitis Eosinophilic Gastritis and/or Eosinophilic Duodenitis Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) Gastroparesis Gout Heart Disease Hereditary Hemochromatosis Type II Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis Learn more at: tryonmed.com/research and javararesearch.com

CALL TO ENROLL: 704 586 9386

“ It is because of a clinical trial that I am alive today.”

By Kevonna Hayes-Kennedy

A

t the age of 23, Javon Parker never imagined having bone cancer. After a funfilled week on a cruise, Javon woke up to a day that would change his life forever.

Q: What led you to a clinical trial?

A: In 2009 I was diagnosed with bone cancer. The day after my cruise I woke up paralyzed on my right side. For the next five years, I was unable to do anything for myself. I took for granted the simple things in life like driving a car or getting dressed. I’m thankful for my family and friends who were my caretakers and support system throughout this journey.

When my doctor presented the clinical trial to me, I was apprehensive and fearful of the unknown. I’m thankful for my doctor taking the time to explain all the details of the trial, what was expected of me and how I would be cared for throughout the process. The clinical trial meant hope and life to me, and I chose to pursue that for a chance to be fully functional again.

Q: What was your experience like as a clinical trial participant?

A: The hardest part of the clinical trial was being away from my family because I had to live in Denver, Colorado for 7 months.

Having to live in another state for a clinical trial isn’t always the case.

The best part of my clinical trial was the research team. They became my family and made being away from home easier. I really knew I would be cared for in the trial because of the research team and because of the parameters that are in place to minimize risk to participants. I know there have been historical events, like the Tuskegee experiment, that have tainted the way Black people view clinical research, but since then they have implemented laws and regulations to protect study participants.

Q: What, if anything, do you wish had been done differently in your clinical trial?

A: Hands down, it was one of the best experiences of my life. The only thing that I wished was different about the experience was that more people participated, especially people of color. This was an opportunity that was presented to me through my doctor and I know others who were presented with the same opportunity that chose not to participate. That’s okay, but not only did participating in research change my life, I know it provides hope for those in the future, so we can treat diseases like bone cancer and the everpresent coronavirus.

participate in clinical trials. I encourage my family, even my mom who is battling cancer, to volunteer in research. It’s not only an opportunity to try a new care option for her, but even more of a bigger opportunity for people in the future, both those who look like us and those who don’t.

Q: What’s the status of your health now?

A: I am fully healed of the cancer. I am walking, driving, preaching and spending time with my family. I am grateful for clinical trials because without them I would probably not be able to tell my story and encourage others to get involved. P If you are interested learning about clinical trials available in Charlotte, NC contact: infocharlotte@javararesearch.com 704-586-9386

Q: What do you want to tell people who are considering volunteering in a trial?

A: I learned many things during my experience in research but one thing that stood out to me was that in order for more medications to be effective in all people, we need a diverse group of people to November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Working together for our community Novant Health salutes the veterans in our community and within our organization.

We are proud to partner with M&F Bank through the Diverse Supplier Community Reinvestment program, which is committed to growing the capacity of diverse business contractors and suppliers to Novant Health. Thank you, veterans, for your sacrifices.

Your talents make all of the communities we serve vibrant, healthy and strong.

NovantHealth.org © Novant Health, Inc. 2018 10/18 • GCM-356614

#PDTogether

1215

zine

Home

.75” 4c

PD is Home At Providence Day, our school is a family — we support our students on their journeys of curiosity and growth from grades TK through 12.

www.ProvidenceDay.org/Admissions 44

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Simple strategies for becoming a homeowner – affordably!

By Kathy Cummings, Homeownership Solutions and Strategic Relationships

H

as more time at home got you thinking about moving to a new space? Today’s low interest rates, coupled with a greater need for space to roam and privacy, may be motivating you to buy a home. Perhaps you’ve seriously considered becoming a homeowner now more than ever, and you've probably made a mental list of the features you want in a home. Additional space – inside and outdoors – and a greener location may be features that suit your evolving lifestyle.

The latest Homebuyer Insights from Bank of America found that the majority of buyers (89%) are motivated to purchase their first home, and most (85%) say saving for a home is a priority. In fact, homebuying demand continues to rise and even defies expectations with some expecting to buy their homes sooner than planned (14%) and many sticking to their original timing (42%).

Some homebuyers may feel closer to reaching homeownership, while others are still collecting info on smart ways to prepare. But even the most informed

and prepared homebuyers can feel overwhelmed. So, how do you determine if you’re ready to buy a home or need more time to prepare? And which resources can help you overcome the challenges of affording a home?

Answer a few questions on our interactive Homebuyer Readiness quiz as a first step. The answers you share will help assess the type of home buying tools and resources you’ll need for your next steps to homeownership.

Check out www.bankofamerica.com/ journeytohomebuyer.

Whether you’re actively home shopping and ready to apply for a mortgage today or simply browsing homes virtually to keep your homebuying spirit alive, buying a home with confidence requires a combination of approaches.

If you are ready to buy a home in the near term but need help saving for a down payment and closing costs, consider a low down payment loan, often requiring as little as 3% down and no mortgage insurance. Down payment grants up to $10,000 and grants up to $7,500 for closing costs are also available to give your down payment a serious boost. Visit www.bankofamerica.com/homeowner to learn more.

• Bank of America Down Payment Grant offers up to 3% of the purchase price or $10,000, whichever is less, to assist with down payments • America’s Home Grant® is a lender credit that provides up to $7,500 for used for non-recurring closing costs, or to permanently buy down the interest rate.

If you are not yet ready to buy a home but want to take some simple, immediate action steps, start learning about buying a home through the FirstTime Homebuyer Online Edu-Series™.

Visit www.bankofamerica.com/homebuyer to watch these easy-to-understand videos (also available in Spanish) showing useful resources and tools that make the homebuying process smoother -- from preparing your finances and getting prequalified, to applying for a mortgage.

Becoming a homeowner often brings a mix of excitement and nervous energy in anticipation of this significant milestone.

With these relevant resources and the expertise from Bank of America lending specialists, you’ll feel empowered and confident in knowing you’re making the right decisions based on your situation. P November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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Giving Through the Seasons of Life From giving today to support the causes you value – to ensuring a better tomorrow for future generations – your local community foundation can help you and your family make a lasting charitable impact.

Last year, our family of fundholders gave $336 million to support the nonprofits, causes and communities they hold dear. By partnering with Foundation For The Carolinas and our affiliate, the African American Community Foundation, you can focus on the joy of giving while making a lasting collective impact.

www.fftc.org | 704.998.6412 | philanthropy@fftc.org

Learning Curve Ball: How Families Are Tackling Teaching at Home

By Angela Lindsay

W

ith most Charlotte-area students unable to enter a classroom this school year, families find themselves introducing creative ways to balance workdays with schoolwork. Since the family unit can take on a variety of forms, it can necessitate different strategies to approaching remote learning.

We spoke with members of three very different family structures. Their methods of handling this new challenge may inspire your own.

The Nuclear Family

L.DEP / Shutterstock.com

Kendric and Nepherterra Best As the parents of two children, Kendric and Nepherterra Best’s approach to remote learning for their sons is to “divide and conquer.” Kendric handles the morning shift with the kids and Nepherterra is on afternoon duty.

“That [schedule] provides us with some sense of balance. Of course, there is the constant struggle of managing numerous Zoom calls while keeping Bryson, an 8-year-old third grader, on Nepherterra and Kendric Best and task and Brayden, a 3-year-old their children Bryson and Brayden. preschooler, entertained. We have certainly mastered using the mute button!”

Kendric, a licensed realtor, and Nepherterra, co-founder of Pride Public Relations, have both been working from home since the coronavirus hit in March. Transitioning to remote learning while also working from home has completely changed their daily routine, and they have tried their best to create a new routine that works.

“It’s a daily challenge,” says Nepherterra. “But it’s also an opportunity for us to truly work together as a team to make sure

everyone is successful. The biggest challenge is finding enough time in the day to accomplish everything. It truly feels like we are all busier now than we were before the pandemic, so the biggest challenge is time management.”

As for their children, Nepherterra says they are resilient and have been adapting fairly well. Thankfully, the siblings have each other, she says, and Bryson is able to FaceTime his closest buddies.

In addition, they enjoy play dates with family and close friends.

One lesson the Bests have learned is that they are not cut out to be teachers. They believe teachers deserve better pay.

“We have also learned to get back to the basics; to slow down and enjoy this time together as a family. Eating together, praying together and just being present with each other—these are the things that matter most.”

The Single Father Ivan Williams

Ivan Williams and his children Jayden and Samia.

As senior vice president and head of corporate due diligence investigations at Wells Fargo, Ivan Williams’ career is very demanding. Add in the job of supervising the remote learning of his children 14-year-old Jayden and 10-year-old Samia, and some may wonder if Williams wears a cape and an “S” on his chest.

Fortunately, Williams works for a company that allows him to work November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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remotely. With a position that usually consists of six or more hours of conference calls and meetings each day, he has learned the power of the mute button, which allows him to remain engaged on a conference call while answering the occasional school-related question from his children.

“It is a delicate balance–one that I believe I will perfect over the next few weeks,” he says. “Having a schedule, being organized and exercising discipline is key. Repetition will establish good habits for all of us. I have several alarms on my cell phone that prompt me to wake-up, prepare meals, check their work, do check-ins, and initiate their preparation for bed activities. When I was in the office, I lived by my calendar. The same is true today but with more responsibilities.”

One of those additional responsibilities is meal preparation. Prior to COVID-19, Williams says he ate breakfast and lunch whenever he found the time in his day; however, that approach, does not work for children.

“I have developed a more rigorous meal schedule that fits between my meetings and accommodates their set lunch times, which are slightly different because my son is an 8th grader and my daughter is a 5th grader.”

Typically, Williams wakes up 30 minutes before the kids to get ready and cook a healthy breakfast. After eating, the children check in with their homeroom class for attendance and prepare their workstations for Zoom calls or self-paced assignments. Once they are set, he heads to his home office located just several feet from their bedrooms.

“I launch into my day with meetings, tackling emails, working on deliverables, and a host of other responsibilities. I head downstairs to prepare lunch during the time I carved into my schedule.

Occasionally, I find myself in an impromptu meeting during lunch, so I apologize in advance for the background noise.”

After lunch, it’s everyone back to work. Williams checks the status of their assignments, and if they are not on track to have them completed by 3 p.m. (the end of the school day), then they will spend additional time after school hours completing their work.

“Once their school day is over, I am usually working for an additional three hours. Once my workday is over, I give them my undivided attention for the evening. I address anything workrelated that needs my attention after they are in bed. Children need attention, so as a single father during my ‘on weeks’ in a 50/50 schedule with their mother, they expect me to provide that attention.”

For other single parents similarly situated this school year, he advises that “stress has never solved a problem” and to approach this additional responsibility as a new challenge. Instead of spending time struggling with accepting your new reality, he suggests using that energy to develop a schedule that maximizes your time, including alarms and calendars to help stay on track. Finally, use this circumstance as an opportunity to help your children become more independent, he says.

The Single Mother & The Grandmother Christina Murdock and Bernice Murdock

Being a business owner is hard enough during COVID-19. Couple that with remote learning, and single mother Dr. Christina Murdock’s schedule just got more complicated. As owner of Skin Strategie skincare spa, she now services her clients, for the most part, after school hours and on weekend days. The rest of her time centers around her 11-year-old son Amir’s school schedule.

It was a seismic shift to her daily life. Fortunately, she has help.

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“Having my mom here is a blessing,” Murdock says. “She helps with preparing lunches and with Amir’s physical education requirements. She can also run errands for me while I am assisting him when he has questions. Sometimes when I am unable to reschedule appointments, I can go and she takes over and assists Amir with his schoolwork while I am out doing things.”

In addition, her mother, Christina Murdock and her son, Amir.

Bernice Murdock, assists with Amir’s physical education during the last hour of his school day. His exercise involves walking, running, YouTube videos–such as Zumba, basketball, soccer, and meeting with an athletic trainer on Mondays and Wednesdays.

The school day begins with a 7 a.m. start with breakfast.

Next, Amir logs on to Connexus at 8:30 a.m. to see what lessons his teachers have assigned in English, Spanish, math, and science for the day and proceeds to complete his assignments until 11 a.m. Next is an hour of live lessons where he gets to see his classmates and ask his teachers questions. After a midday lunch, Amir performs exercises with his guidance counselor or Spanish teacher followed by a live lesson with his math or science teacher. The schedule may be strict, but it’s nothing Amir isn’t already used to. “[Amir] has adapted well because he is accustomed to online learning. He did online learning for kindergarten and for 5th grade,” Murdock says. “Amir says that it is easy for him because he can easily get in contact with his teachers or technical support if he needs help. He says that he likes online school but not better than in person learning. He misses hanging out with friends even though they have Zoom meetings and play video games together daily.”

The biggest challenge, Murdock says, has been keeping Amir focused and on task, but as a parent, she is benefitting from the opportunity to “slow life down and focus more on spending quality time with my child.”

One benefit he enjoys, however, is spending more time with his grandmother, listening to stories about how things were when she was growing up. He also gets to go in the kitchen and cook anything he wants for lunch, she says.

For single parents, Murdock suggests finding time to decompress, relax, or get some alone time.

“I do this by pampering myself on Tuesday and Thursday evenings by escaping to take a bubble bath with aromatherapy, soft music, and candles. I also engage in online Zoom parties, drink wine, and laugh with my girlfriends over the phone. Doing all these things have kept me from losing my mind or becoming too stressed out.”

Bernice suggests that grandparents “just enjoy the ride and help wherever they can.”

“We love spoiling our grandbabies while laughing and watching as our kids go insane over-stressing the small things,” she says. “Life is short and grandchildren are special, so just take one day at a time and do what you can.” P

Life isn’t always easy.

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Resilience and Rising Even When the World is on Fire How A Graduate Program Is Inspiring Social Justice

By Roxanne Ward

S

he said, “I have to do something.” Maybe she was haunted by the portrait of Breonna in the aquamarine dress. Perhaps it was the image of rose petals strewn across that bridge in Selma rousing her to get into “good trouble,” or maybe it was Chadwick’s silent suffering that deeply confounded her.

She is not one individual, but a collective vibe. Her restlessness can be felt in any 2020 moment—a health pandemic, racial injustice, voter suppression, school disruption.

These events have exposed disparities and compounded challenges throughout the U.S., but they resound even louder in the Black community.

Something can be done. At Northeastern University– Charlotte, the Doctor of Education (EdD) program creates a unique opportunity to promote equity and social justice. Here, two leaders of the program, Corliss Brown Thompson, Ph.D., associate teaching professor; and Cherese Childers-McKee, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor; reflect on overcoming challenges and how diversity in the program inspires real change.

Social justice is a guiding principle of the EdD program, but generating change requires action.

How does the program address that?

Thompson: One of the most powerful things about the EdD is that it teaches you a new way of thinking, of problem solving. You gain a different approach in the program because it’s founded on action research. Many of us think of the term “research” in a disengaged way, but the EdD program equips our students with a more targeted skill set in the research arena. It allows them to name a problem—an actual issue that we're dealing with—articulate it in a way that builds more knowledge around it, and then do something about it. Throughout the program, students are actively finding solutions and applying them to problems big and small.

We are all dealing with a big problem right now—the challenges stemming from COVID-19. How are students in the program able to endure?

Childers-McKee: Like all of us, many students were in shock when everything shut down in the spring. Some of our students are parents who had to juggle a disrupted family schedule. Others lost jobs or even had elderly family members pass away. Then, when George Floyd was killed, many felt as if they were experiencing a second pandemic. The world seemed to be on fire.

Understandably, a couple of students took a short break, but most kept pushing through, showing remarkable creativity and strength. As our institutions have pivoted to create new ways of supporting the populations they serve, our students’ research projects have mirrored this, adjusting to match the current and future needs of their organization, school, or community.

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“We’ve seen throughout 2020 that representation is important. Not just physical representation, but the representation of diverse ideas.”

—Corliss Brown Thompson, Ph.D How is Northeastern addressing the concerns of prospective students who are considering this program?

Childers-McKee: I’ve spoken with some who are concerned, particularly about conducting research and having access to faculty; however, they are still excited about starting doctoral work. We assure them that the initial courses are focused on skill building and planning. So even if they are planning to do school research but buildings aren’t open, there’s time built into the program for them to develop their ideas and topic before having to begin research.

Thompson: It's also important to note that we've offered this program fully online for many years. In fact, the intent for creating online delivery was to allow flexibility for working professionals. As a result, our classes were not significantly impacted by the pandemic, since we already established a strong presence on a virtual platform.

At the same time, it’s been necessary to help students pivot because even though our classes are online, people's lives are not online. The research that our students conduct is very much grounded in their everyday work. So they’ve modified their study design to fit the current times, and faculty are there to help them along the way.

In what ways have faculty members provided support during this time?

Childers-McKee: Our faculty, many of whom were dealing with some of the same personal challenges as our students, immediately began to institute additional support. We’ve modified assignments, given extra time to submit work,

advocated for adjustments to department policies, and offered more one-on-one meetings. And because we’ve grown accustomed to working in a virtual environment over the years, we’ve been able to support our students more fully in taking their research online. In many cases, collaborating online has produced a positive effect, since recruitment for focus groups and interviews has been easier to conduct.

applicable to human development and learning in the corporate world. For example, we had a Charlotte student who worked in the commercial equipment industry, and he recognized that as a leader, he is also an educator. He used the learning and development concepts that are built into the EdD curriculum to lead a team and help employees overcome challenges. Those concepts can be applied to any organization.

Can you give a few examples of the typical student profile for this program?

Childers-McKee: Students have the option to focus their studies on one of three areas—Higher Education; Organizational Leadership Studies; or Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, and Leadership. Therefore, our program attracts students from a variety of fields, such as PK-12 education, business, higher education, and the military, to name a few. And they have diverse professional experiences—from teachers, instructional facilitators, and deans to consultants, chief learning officers, and business executives.

So students from diverse industries and professions are drawn to the program. In what ways is a diverse student body important to advance social justice and change in our community?

Thompson: We’ve seen throughout 2020 that representation is important. Not just physical representation, but the representation of diverse ideas. For example, there are unique experiences within the African American community. If you look at police violence, there's a disproportionate number of African Americans at the receiving end. If you look at the outcomes related to health or wealth, African Americans generally have worse outcomes. And we know it’s not because African Americans are less capable; it is a result of systemic racism. Therefore, we need more representation. We need leadership that is empowered to be at various tables and bring voice and solutions to different challenges.

That’s why I think it's important to have African Americans within the EdD program. Because our program is diverse, it not only gives African American students the opportunity to support each other, but work with other groups as well. The reality is that our society is diverse, and being in a program such as the EdD gives you the opportunity to develop networks and build community with people of all backgrounds across the globe.

Whether you enroll in a class, support a small business, or take up meditation, there is no better time than the present to act. Breathe. Appreciate. Now do something. You’ll find allies along the way.

There are students in the program who work outside of education?

Thompson: Absolutely. Education is much more than teaching. Oftentimes, we think of education in terms of a professor in college or a high school principal, but it is also

“As our institutions have pivoted to create new ways of supporting the populations they serve, our students’ research projects have mirrored this, adjusting to match the current and future needs of their organization, school, or community”.

To learn more about the Doctor of Education and other degree programs at Northeastern’s Charlotte location, visit northeastern.edu/charlotte or call 980.224.8466..

—Cherese Childers-McKee, Ph.D November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

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COVID-19 Stats and Facts Compiled By Ryan Kouame

88,000 60 1,190

ere’s a look at the impact of COVID-19 in North Carolina.

COVID-19 CASES COVID-19 data as of September 27:

1,289

The average new COVID-19 cases per day in North Carolina

29

The 7 day average of deaths.

deaths throughout more than universities.

COVID-19 ON CAMPUS

Women and COVID-19 Women in essential services, such as nurses and pharmacists, are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 due to working on the front lines. Mecklenburg County Public Health reported that women were

54.9% 40%

of COVID-19 positive cases reported and of deaths.

Source: https://ui.uncc.edu/story/ gendered-implications-covid-19

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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/ us/covid-college-cases-tracker.html

COVID-19 Cases on College Campuses As of September 17, UNCC had a total of

126 109 17

positive results. of them were students and

were employees.

Source: https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/ covid-19-coverage/

cases and more than

Out of those 126 that tested positive:

18 8 3

were on-campus active cases,

were being quarantined. were completely isolated.

Out of 2,404 tests done on campus:

2,370 34

were negative (98.6%) and

(1.4%) were positive.

Source: https://emergency.uncc.edu/ health-advisories/coronavirus-information/ confirmed-cases-covid-19

Mental Health on Campus

More than half of all students (56%) said they were “moderately,” “very,” or “extremely” worried about their mental health.

Only 4 in 10

students surveyed (38%) say they feel their college or school instructors take mental health seriously and just

3 in 10

say they feel comfortable telling their instructor if their mental health stops them from completing work.

Of the students who did not reach out to their school’s counseling services,

Topuria Design / Shutterstock.com

H

The country as a whole has more than

25%

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/ charlotte/news/2020/09/14/mecklenburgcounty-small-business-grant-fund.html

76%

There has been a

of students who sought counseling from their school found it extremely, very, or moderately helpful.

40%

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/ us/covid-college-cases-tracker.html

There are

of them said they did not reach out because they felt uncomfortable doing so, despite the fact that

Enrollment The UNC System announced record-high enrollment for the third year in a row, even during the pandemic, with more than

242,000

students at its universities this fall.

Not every campus saw more students on campus this fall, but there was an overall increase of

reduction in jobs in leisure and hospitality.

22 $1.1B

new announced county projects.

in capital investments and banking, expansions and relocations continue.

2,651

new jobs were announced.

The manufacturing industry and nursing are driving much of the job growth.

1%

Source: https://charlotteregion.com/ clientuploads/Data/GrowthReport/Q2_2020_ Growth_Report_Layout_Web.pdf

Source: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/ local/education/article245784385.html

Businesses that have permanently closed in Charlotte: Restaurants/Bars

for undergraduate and graduate students combined.

LOCAL BUSINESS Employment and Investment Mecklenburg County’s unemployment rate went from

3.4% 9.8%

in February to

in July, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

That translates to 22,000 jobless people increasing to

61,000.

Statewide unemployment during the same period spiked from

3.6% to 8.5%.

Bill Spoons BBQ California Pizza Kitchen Carpe Diem Chris’ Deli The Cellar at CorkBuzz EpiCentre: Jason’s Deli, Firehouse Subs, Vida Cantina, and Moe’s Southwest Grill Fitzgerald’s JJ’s Red Hots Lemon Love Luciano’s Nutrishop Queen City Q The Summit Room Thirsty Nomad UpStream Wet Willie’s The Wooden Vine Wine Bar and Bistro

Shopping/Entertainment Buffalo Exchange Manor Theatre Oasis Day Spa Pier1 The Pink Hanger Tread Happy Ultra Running Company Yoga ONE Source: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/ charlottefive/c5-around-town/ c5-development/article243806567.html

New business that have opened in Charlotte: Restaurants/Bars Alchemy Allegiance Coffee Another Food Truck Black Moth Bars Blacow Bleu Barn Bistro Canopy Charlotte Southpark Chef’s Kitchen Copain Gatherings Cordial CounterThe Culture Shop Edge City Brewery The Exchange at 36th Fine and Fettle Harriet’s Hamburgers Hip Hop Smoothies Honeybear Bake Shop Krispy Kreme Krustaceans Seafood La Caseta Leah and Louise Little Fete Little Mama’s Italian Kitchen Mahana Fresh Midtown Tavern Moa Korean BBQ and Bar The Original Hot Dog Factory Panca Peruvian Street Food Piedmont’s Bounty Queen City Grounds Ruby Sunshine Salty Parrot Brewing Co. Saru by Bow Ramen Scratch House Chicken SkyBar and RedSalt by David Burke Small Bar South End Spoons Stir Charlotte Summit Seltzer Sweet Spot Studio Vana Vaulted Oak Brewing Xiao Bao Your Farms, Your Table

Shopping/Entertainment Bad Axe Throwing OMJ RH Charlotte Shades of Moss Slingshot Stroke Source: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/ charlottefive/c5-around-town/ c5-development/ article243879262.html P

November-December 2020 | Pride Magazine

53

There are no limits to what you can accomplish.

You have the power to redefine what’s possible. From being the first to graduate college to becoming the next big star in your field — you work relentlessly to knock down barriers and build a stronger legacy. We call that being empowerful. As you continue to create more financial stability for you and your family, Wells Fargo will be right by your side helping to make it happen.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Lowe’s Supports Small Businesses in Charlotte with Splashes of Hope and Color – and Funds to Keep Working

T

he global COVID-19 pandemic has upended daily life immeasurably, particularly for small businesses.

As a FORTUNE® 50 company that has been able to remain open to provide essential goods and services amid such uncertainty, Lowe’s home improvement takes community responsibility seriously.

From the Store Support Center in Mooresville to the home improvement retailer’s new Tech Hub in the South End still under construction, Lowe’s has shown its commitment to Charlotte’s small-business neighbors in simple but powerful ways.

“As one of the Charlotte area’s largest businesses, we have seen firsthand how a global pandemic weighs on small businesses and, in too many cases, forces them to close their doors forever,” said Janice Dupré Little, executive vice president of Lowe’s human resources.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we quickly realized we needed to help.

“From a national viewpoint, I’m proud of Lowe’s $55 million pledge to support minority and women-owned small businesses as well as rural small businesses through Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC),” Dupre Little continued. “Here in our backyard, we want to see businesses getting back to work safely. Our collaboration with Charlotte Center City Partners gave us a tremendous opportunity to support local artists who could get back to work while also creating powerful imagery to lift us all up.

Lowe’s donated $1,000 in gift cards to over 130 businesses in South End and Uptown, including 30 in-person donations accompanied by a miniature orchid from Lowe’s local garden centers.

Lowe’s prioritized small businesses with diverse owners, understanding the unique challenges women and minority-owned small businesses face. Equally valuable: Lowe’s connected each local small business with Lowe’s South End store leadership to receive free personal protective equipment (PPE), now a staple in the lives of businesses and customers.

“Economic support is foundational for small businesses to reopen, remain open and thrive,” Dupré Little continued. “Being able to help Charlotte-area businesses survive and even thrive has been incredible, and we also love working with Windows of Hope to offer visible splashes of optimism, hope and courage throughout the South End.”

Visuals of two “Lowe’s Good Neighbor Gifts” recipients:

• Kristen Stewart owns Three Little Birds Stationary (top) • Blanca Gonzalez, who owns International Truck of Tacos, was able to quickly purchase critical tools for her food truck (below) With Lowe’s help, Charlotte Center City Partners, in collaboration with ArtPop Street Gallery, chose 13 local artists and 13 pieces of work to be displayed in empty South End property spaces, named “Windows of Hope.”

In addition to spreading positivity and hope in the community, this work supports local artists at a time when physical exhibitions have been postponed or canceled. Artwork is on display at The Hub (2250 Hawkins

Street) and 2100 S. Tryon Street. Two of the murals are on display at Lowe’s brand new Tool Rental facility at 217 Iverson Way (in front of the South End Lowe’s).

Supporting Local Artists:

• Charlotte Tryon Street BLM Muralist – Lowe’s donated $500 to each of the artists involved with the Black Lives Matter mural on Tryon Street in Uptown. This effort was spearheaded by Charlotte Is Creative and Brand The Moth.

• Beatties Ford Strong Muralist – Lowe’s donated $250 to 60 artists involved in the murals and gardens planned in response to the Juneteenth Beatties Ford Road shooting. This work was spearheaded by Historic West End and For The Struggle and highlighted on WBTV and in The Charlotte Post.

“As part of our organizational mission, we want to foster community and cultural development in Center City,” says Robert Krumbine, Chief Creative Officer at Charlotte Center City Partners. “Art is just one way we do that. Art connects us. It gives us a reason to come together. It gives us hope in difficult times and we’re excited to bring art with a great message to South End. We’re grateful for partners like ArtPop, Lowe’s and Condor Flags that recognize and celebrate the incredible artistic talent in Charlotte and are excited to see this project come to life.”

In addition to the 13 artists selected for the Windows of Hope program, Charlotte Center City Partners commissioned artist Georgie Nakima (gardenofjourney.com) to create a mural of hope and community. The mural Stronger Together is in South End at the Lost and Found building at 332 W. Bland Street. In Georgie’s words “the mural represents how we can band together as a community and how we can continue to create the future we want to see.”

For more information on how Lowe’s is giving back in Charlotte and communities nationwide, visit Lowe’s Newsroom.

Content provided by Lowe’s.

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