3 local men are make their dreams come true

by Angela Lindsay

Photos by Jon Strayhorn

Success rarely comes easily or by following a straight line. It can be recognized by venturing to unrecognizable places and sometimes by taking a leap of faith. Yet, it almost always involves commitment, focus and hard work.

The following stories are a reminder of the value of pursuing a passion, the satisfaction of developing a dream and the reward of having the courage to make a change.

From street crime to whipping up success

For most cons, getting a 17-year prison sentence marked the end of a long road. But for Parris Friday, it was just the beginning. Sent to prison at the age of 21 as a result of poor decisions made by “hanging with the wrong crowd” and “carrying guns and selling drugs,” Friday did not lose hope while incarcerated. Rather, he began to make plans to change his life.

Released in March 2010, Friday entered a halfway house and began looking for jobs. “Everywhere I’d go, they would say, ‘No, I’m not hiring,’ and each time I’d get discouraged,” says Friday. “It was frustrating, because I believed I had changed, but no one wanted to give me a chance to show them I had changed and to prove I would be a good worker. …”

When Friday told his case manager, she told him about Goodwill of the Southern Piedmont. At the organization’s Career Development Center on Freedom Drive, Friday received the help of career counselors and enrolled in a construction skills training class. He, of course, excelled.

“It was my chance to prove I wanted to be there — I wanted to do the right thing and graduate,” he says.

Friday not only graduated, but he also was selected to be the class speaker at the Goodwill Occupational Skills Training graduation ceremony in September 2010. While still attending classes at Goodwill, he landed a job washing dishes at Ranch House Restaurant.

“It gave me a chance,” he shares. “Even though it was just washing dishes, it was still an income, and I needed income at the time. That gave me hope to keep doing what I was doing and continue looking for another job.”

Soon, he landed the front-line cook position at Carolinas Medical Center-Mercy, where he’s still employed today. Friday, 40, credits the support of others who believed in him and “looked past his record,” helping him believe in himself. About a year ago, Friday received the Goodwill Good Works! Award, which is presented annually at the organization’s Cornerstone Celebration.

Friday now is enrolled in classes at Central Piedmont Community College, hoping to become a counselor to help others the way so many helped him.

“I’m in debt with them for life — everyone who’s helped me,” he asserts. “It’s like I’m reborn again.”

Becoming the boss, creating a family legacy

It’s neither coincidence nor luck that landed George Forrest, 56, the owner of five successful McDonald’s franchises in Charlotte. He worked for it.

During a summer break from college as a political science student at UNC Chapel Hill, Forrest began working at McDonald’s as a crew member. He progressed through the ranks and retired as regional vice president of the Atlanta region after 32 years with the corporation.

Forrest says he originally planned to be a lawyer or attend graduate school and “had no intention of staying at McDonald’s all these years.” But, constant persuasion from a supervisor finally convinced him to take on a managerial role while still in college, and he never left.

After being on the operations side of the company throughout different parts of the country, Forrest concluded he had gotten “as far as he felt (he) was going to go” and decided to explore a different aspect of the business.

“I asked McDonald’s to allow me to buy some restaurants and go out and practice what I’d been teaching people to do all those years,” he says.

He bought his first two franchises in July 2009, followed by three more in December 2010. Forrest discloses only that “business is good,” with the five restaurants each servicing about 1,500 customers daily. He chose the Charlotte market because he felt it would be agreeable for him and his family, being close to his native Virginia, and because he felt it was a growing business area.

“I kind of look at this as my second career,” he shares. “I really thought I would miss the corporate life … but I am truly enjoying doing what I’m doing now. It is a lot of freedom. … I wake up every morning excited about doing it, and it’s not as stressful.”

Though he bears a lot of responsibility as an owner, Forrest is motivated by being his own boss and the ability to make his own schedule. He was inspired by his hard-working, blue-collar father, who worked in a shipyard, yet always provided for the family. Forrest says he didn’t even know his family was poor.

Now, this entrepreneur is imparting that same work ethic on his own children. “This has also given me the opportunity to bring my sons into the business. In corporate life, you can have a 30-year successful career, but when you’re done, there’s nothing to pass on, there’s nothing to leave to your kids,” he explains, adding the current state of the economy makes securing a lengthy corporate career unreliable.

Forrest adds, “What I like about what I’m doing now is that I’m in control of my own destiny, and I get to involve my family if they desire to join me.”

Education and initiative, bring 1-cent success

Though he was once headed down a dark path, a bright idea put Marquis Broadie back on the right road. The 23-year-old Charlotte native admits to making “wrong choices” and being loyal to the wrong people, even winding up at Right Choices alternative school.

But, Broadie eventually finished his high school education at CPCC, earned a degree in computer science and networking from ECPI, and completed a national certification in fiber optics at the Urban League of the Central Carolinas.

His next goal? To create Mr. Penny vending machines. “I want to get everybody involved with spending pennies,” he says. “I believe pennies have monetary value a lot of people just ignore. … My life was similar to a penny — I felt like I wasn’t of enough value, I wasn’t useable in society.” He adds, “From there, I came up with the name Penny Brotherz.”

Mr. Penny is a part of Broadie’s Penny Brotherz vending machine company — one of eight subsidiaries of his parent company, The Broadie Group Corporation. Drawing from spiritual teachings, he explains he spells Brotherz with a “z” on the end because he believes “the first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”

The idea for the penny vending machine came to him in September 2010, when he was moving furniture, and people felt pennies were useless. He currently is in the patent process for a vending machine box which will accept, in addition to pennies, all other change, as well as paper money, debit and credit cards, and even food-stamp cards. Broadie plans to sell licensing agreements for the use of the box to existing vending machine companies and manufacturers, while creating his own signature Mr. Penny vending machine.

The machines will be placed near bus stops throughout the city and vend everything from snacks and shoestrings to condoms, toothpaste and tampons Items will vary in price, but nothing will cost more than $1. Pricing will be set in odd numbers, encouraging patrons to spend their pennies.

Broadie began selling the vending machine boxes last October and hopes to have the free-standing vending machines out early this year. Immediate success, Broadie says, would be “to be able to drive up the street and see a Mr. Penny beside a bus stop.” The Mr. Penny vending machines initially will launch in Charlotte and Las Vegas. Though his idea is still in the beginning stages, he has a very clear vision for its future.

“Once I sew up many areas across the United States, I really want to open a franchise,” he says.

Eventually, Broadie wants to have an online convenience store, Penny Mart.

While Broadie says he has encountered many obstacles and rejection from investors, his advice to others navigating the complicated entrepreneurial journey is simple: “Push … and you have to be ready for the challenge.”

New junk removal business helps homeowners and the environment

by Angela Lindsay

A new year, and a new opportunity to accumulate a whole lot of trash. Or is it?

The United States is the No. 1 trash-producing country in the world, at 1,609 pounds per person per year, according to the U.S. Renewable Energy Association. In fact, Americans throw away enough aluminum, for example, to rebuild the entire commercial air fleet.

With this in mind, last summer Terendius David and Anthony Love embarked upon a two-fold, bold business endeavor: to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams and help preserve the planet. David, 47, and Love, 44, became just the 23rd owners to buy into the Junk King franchise last June. A junk removal and hauling service, the company clears homes and businesses of unwanted clutter — from furniture to scrap metal — while demonstrating a commitment to the environment by recycling at least 60 percent of what’s collected. And the Junk King truck is fueled by biodiesel.

Taking a chance on trash

David and Love, who met while serving as Boy Scout leaders at their church, The Park Ministries, often discussed being their own bosses one day. However, it wasn’t until they both got laid off from their IT positions that the idea began to take shape.

“I always had an idea for a business venture, but never pursued it …” says Love, adding he felt he always had to have another job for financial security.

The business partners began by tapping into local resources, such as the small business center at Central Piedmont Community College and attending seminars given by organizations like the Small Business Administration to build upon their knowledge of business ownership. While conducting research, an online franchise consultant developed a profile for them based on their personal preferences, interests, goals and abilities to help them narrow down their search. Eventually, the men were matched with Junk King. The idea made sense to David, who owns several rental properties in Charlotte and began to notice the amount of stuff people often left behind after moving out. Within just three months of launching Junk King in Charlotte, the partners already were averaging about two clients a day, roughly $1000-$4000 a week.

“We always preach to our Cub Scouts about taking a risk and getting out of the box, and so this was an opportunity for us to get out of the box,” says David. “The Bible says you have to go out on faith, so how were we going to tell this to our scouts … and not be willing to take the chance and go out on faith?”

Another lesson David and Love impress upon the boys is the motto “leave no trace.”

Love explains, “We do a lot of conservation projects and teach them about the environment — giving back to the environment and making it better than how they found, so it will be sustainable for their kids and kids after them to also enjoy the things they’ve enjoyed.”

De-cluttering and recycling

While giving homeowners back their garage space by clearing out all the clutter, this socially conscious approach helps the environment by “keeping a lot of stuff out of landfills,” says David. Junk King’s environmental services include recycling metal, grinding trees into mulch at recycling centers, and providing concrete to a yard waste management company. Some 60 percent of everything hauled away is recycled, and the partners have recycled more than 4 tons of metal so far.

Much of the furniture and other re-useable household items they collect are donated to the National Kidney Foundation. David says doing so “allows other people to get back on their feet.”

Since June, Junk King has donated more than 2 tons of household items. They also make a point to assist the elderly and single mothers, who may not be able to move heavier items in and out of their homes on their own.

Having a relatively “recession-resistant” enterprise in this economy allows David and Love to make solid plans for the company’s future. Currently serving the greater Charlotte market, Junk King often partners with moving companies to remove the unwanted items of those customers and also is building on relationships with real estate companies, property management companies and furniture companies, as well as expanding to commercial moving. Love says he eventually wants to provide employment opportunities for others and to continue to increase their donations to the community.

“I think the most rewarding part of our success is going to be when we are able to go back into our communities,” adds David, “and talk to young black men or women and let them know there are other ways to make money than just doing the negative stuff.”

For more information, visit http://blog.junk-king.com/charlotte or call 800-995-JUNK.

North Davidson Street apartments are an economic boost for Charlotte

by Lee McCracken

Photos courtesy of McCreesh Place

As a member of the Board of Directors for McCreesh Place, Henderson Hill carries his briefcase every month into the Community Room of Charlotte’s first single-room occupancy (SRO) apartment community for formerly homeless, disasbled men. Rather than gathering in an uptown board room, the members meet right where the residents are living and working to put their lives back together.

“We’re talking with the guys who are hanging around in the lobby — linking arms and listening to them. We hear their stories and their struggles, and we also hear their successes,” says Hill, a Charlotte attorney and the executive director of the Federal Defenders of Western North Carolina, Inc. Hill boasts about how many of McCreesh Place’s residents volunteer their time and productively partner with the Villa Heights neighborhood.

“I’m proud to serve on this Board, because this is an investment in Charlotte’s future,” adds Hill. “These men are turning their lives around, and they want to be contributing members of the community.”

Helpful neighbors

Getting involved with McCreesh Place, the namesake of the late Rev. Gene McCreesh, was a no-brainer for Hill, who had known and worked with the former priest from St. Peter’s Catholic Church — a man who had a “saintly” passion and dedication to help men and women in need.

With 91 units, McCreesh Place provides safe, supportive affordable housing for men with physical disabilities and/or mental illness, including individuals and war veterans who’ve struggled with substance abuse. St. Peter’s Homes, Inc., owns and operates the apartment community, which is financed with city, county and federal government (HUD) funds, as well as faith community support, foundations and individual donations.

“We believe we have both a moral and an economic imperative to provide safe housing for those who are homeless,” says Pam Jefsen, executive director at St. Peter’s Homes, Inc. “It costs the City of Charlotte so much more to have them in jail or on the street.” (See box for actual cost figures.)

Jefsen reports Charlotte has some 6,500 homeless. “That’s a conservative number, but it represents the men, women and children who are in the shelters on any given night.” There are about 800 chronically homeless, she adds, explaining these are people who’ve been on the street one or more years, or who’ve had at least four episodes of homelessness in three years.

“We know success for people who have been homeless requires more than putting a roof and four walls around them. McCreesh Place empowers residents to work toward their own personal goals and to participate in the life of the community,” says Jefsen.

It’s more than a handout, she explains. Residents sign a lease agreement and pay monthly rent equal to 30 percent of their income. They work toward personal goals, which may mean getting their GED or a technical degree.

“About 65 percent of the men are living with two or more disabilities. Most of our residents are receiving Social Security disability benefits and are not able to work, but they may be volunteering, going to the gym every day and shopping for groceries — generally doing what the average retired person does.” There are 40-50 activities/events every month, including Bible study, Coffee Talk, Cooking Club and choir rehearsal. The Tuned In Singers, directed by Dr. Thomas Moore, are popular and well-known performers in the community.

Michael Gellar, the former president of the Villa Heights Community Organization, says he has enjoyed getting to know the residents of McCreesh Place over the last five years. “Ever since we revitalized our organization in 2007, McCreesh has been a great partner. The residents have participated in several of our community events — from cleaning Cordelia Park and helping with the Butterfly Garden Festivals to planting the community garden and working with the neighbors to get child ID kits created.”

In addition, VHCO uses the meeting space at McCreesh Place monthly for organization meetings. “We also have had neighbors attend events McCreesh has put on for the general public (Bingo nights and art shows),” adds Gellar. “I’m glad we have them as neighbors — we welcome the men helping our neighborhood become a better place.”

Counseling and support

The initial 64-unit McCreesh Place apartment building opened in 2003. These 110-square-foot rooms include a bed, dresser, closet, desk, sink and refrigerator. Four units share a bathroom, and eight units share a kitchen. In October, the community celebrated the grand opening of 27 additional units, which are 250-square-foot single-room occupancy efficiency units with both a bathroom and a small kitchen.

It’s the supportive services, however, that make McCreesh Place a success. “We know that, last year, 91 percent our residents with substance abuse issues did not relapse,” says Jefsen, noting that signing a lease at McCreesh means agreeing to an alcohol- and drug-free environment (sustained by mandatory alcohol and drug testing), no overnight guests and pitching in with chores/cleaning around the campus.

Case managers are on site at McCreesh Place seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and there’s nightly security. Services include counseling and monitoring residents’ progress toward achieving goals, referring them to community resources and health care providers, monitoring their mental health and assessing vocational needs. Groups of residents meet to support one another in efforts to stop smoking or how to live with grief and loss.

“This isn’t just a recovery program or transitional housing,” Jefsen says, explaining the difference between McCreesh Place and Charlotte Rescue Mission. “This is permanent, supportive housing — it isn’t failure if people stay here, because we’re not trying to kick anyone out. Success is having people in stable housing.”

‘Spirit’ of community

Building on that success, the Board of Directors of McCreesh Place endeavors to build three additional apartment complexes for the formerly homeless in five years near uptown Charlotte, where there’s access to transportation, retail, houses of worship and other community resources.

“Three in five — it’s ambitious, but Charlotte’s needs are so much greater than the 80-90 people we are serving right now,” says Hill.

One of the communities may be for women and children, according to Jefsen, but no specific plans are in place.

“We have identified a model that works,” says Hill, emphasizing the supportive services McCreesh residents receive “makes them great neighbors.” He also hopes business owners would consider tapping into what is an able and willing workforce, citing employment at The King’s Kitchen.

“That’s a prime example of what Charlotte can do,” says Hill. “It’s the spirit we need.”

Hill encourages African-American businessmen and leaders to support McCreesh Place financially and/or volunteer as role models for the residents. “This is an opportunity to engage with our less-fortunate brothers — to join with the community and help break down the sense of fear that exists.”

For more information about McCreesh Place, visit www.stpetershomesinc.org.

Economics of homelessness

Pam Jefsen, executive director of St. Peter’s Homes, Inc., says, “The economic imperative (of providing affordable, safe housing to alleviate homelessness and human suffering) comes from the savings that result.” It costs about $30 per night to house a person in single-room occupancy housing with supportive services. This compares to:

* $110 per night in the county jail

* $119 in county detox

* $583 in the state psychiatric hospital

* $1,029 for one emergency room visit

Friendraising Luncheon

A free event to kick off 2012 for McCreesh Place. Hear resident testimonials, Tuned In Singers choir and more information about safe, supportive housing for the homeless and disabled.

Participants will be asked to make a charitable donation.

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012

11:30 a.m.–1:15 p.m.

Charlotte Convention Center,

501 S. College St.

Contact: Sherry Waters-Wilson, development officer,

704-335-9380, ext. 31

HIV/AIDS in Mecklenburg County

by Bea Quirk

One person every day. That’s the number, on average, of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in Mecklenburg County, with some 300-400 new cases reported annually.

Although survival rates are improving, HIV/AIDS remains a serious public health issue nationally, statewide and here in Charlotte. In addition, the African-American community has yet to feel the benefits of better medicine and extensive education efforts.

“Because of high poverty rates among African Americans, many lack access to care, treatment and medicines, which is very expensive,” says Terry Ellington, executive director of Carolinas CARE.

More black patients

The Carolinas CARE Partnership (formerly the Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium) estimates about 5,300-5,600 people are living with the disease in the Queen City. The Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) estimates half of them are not receiving medical care, and about 28 percent of people with HIV don’t know they have it.

What initially was known as “the gay man’s disease” has spread, and not just into the straight community and to women. Most new cases are among African Americans. In 2010, 76 people of the 312 new cases in the county were black residents. Five years, ago, in 2006, African Americans accounted for 69 percent of the 390 newly reported cases.  Carolinas CARE says African-American men in prison are six times more likely than the general population to acquire HIV.

“There is still a stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, so people don’t want to talk about it or even find out if they have it. They are afraid of being ostracized, afraid their families will kick them out,” Ellington says. “There is still a lot of misconceptions about the disease. We really need more outreach and prevention efforts in the black community.”

While diagnoses climb, deaths are declining … but not in the African-American community. Nationally, the death rate dropped by 17 percent between 2007 and 2009 (44 percent in Mecklenburg County between 2002 and 2009). Yet, between 2005 and 2009, the national death rate from HIV for African Americans was 11 times higher than the rate for whites.

To address these disparities, two of Mecklenburg’s largest agencies that provide prevention programs and support for HIV patients recently have begun outreach efforts that focus exclusively on people of color.

Last February, Carolinas CARE introduced the Heroes (HIV Education and Resource Opportunities) Program for men of color. Heroes is an HIV prevention intervention, funded by a five-year grant — $250,000 annually — from the Centers for Disease Control. The program currently is in its second year.

RAIN introduced the Trinity Project, a church-related program for black and Latino women. It is funded by the federal Office on Women’s Health. Female clergy and church leaders are trained to facilitate small groups of women and girls in their congregations where they increase awareness of HIV and how to prevent it. There are about 20 churches participating in the Charlotte program, and RAIN is striving to double that number.

Free testing, education

Carolinas CARE, working in tandem with agencies such as the Urban Ministry and Charlotte Rescue Mission, as well as with faith-based institutions, encourages men at-risk for HIV to be tested and then attend two one-on-one education/counseling sessions. Both the testing and the sessions are free of charge. Men are educated about the causes of HIV and encouraged to stop risky behaviors by practicing safe sex, abstaining from sex and/or getting off drugs.

To reach the Latino community, one of the Heroes counselors is bilingual and bicultural, and there is a concerted effort to be culturally sensitive.

“We meet people where they are and help people who test negative to stay negative,” says Shannon Warren, program director for Carolinas CARE.

Through the end of September, 500 men had been tested for HIV through Heroes, and 240 had attended the sessions. Some 2,000 people are tested annually and about 1 percent test positive for HIV.

Both Carolinas CARE and RAIN, provide an array of other educational and prevention programs, as well as support services for people who are HIV positive.

“We are fighting hard each and every day to help stop the spread of HIV, reduce the stigma surrounding it and help those affected and impacted by the disease,” Ellington comments. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

* Sources: Mecklenburg County Health Department’s Epidemiology program; N.C. Department of Health and Human Services; and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information, visit www.carolinascare.org and www.carolinarain.org.

Mary Curtis carries forward her mother’s legacy of love

by Angela Lindsay

Photos by Jon Strayhorn

When she isn’t busy appearing weekly on TV’s “Fox News Rising” or writing a column for Creative Loafing on the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, local award-winning multimedia journalist Mary C. Curtis finds comfort in cooking.

“I find cooking is incredible relaxation for me, because I do it, and it’s creative, just like writing, but I finish, and then people eat it and enjoy it,” says Curtis. “It sort of has a finality that journalism doesn’t, because there’s always the next story, the next deadline. … With cooking, it’s creative, but it uses a different energy. I find it really incredibly relaxing and satisfying.”

Secret recipes

She grew up in a large family with four siblings. Curtis is the youngest, and she remembers the kitchen as the place where everyone from extended family to friends to neighbors routinely gathered. It was the cornerstone of their lives, and her mother, Evelyn, was in charge.

“She was an amazing cook, and she didn’t cook a lot from recipes,” Curtis recalls, adding she never saw her mother measure anything. “She did a lot on her own, and when we would ask her ‘How did you do this?’ she would say, ‘Put in a little of this or a little of that.’ I think sometimes she didn’t want to give away all her secrets!”

A Baltimore, M.D., native, Curtis’ food memories mostly are of seafood, but the family also enjoyed their mother’s homemade biscuits, her “amazing” turkey stuffing, and her rice pudding. Curtis recalls a lot of cooking at the holidays, and, growing up Catholic, says the food was as much about religion as it was a social event. There were sugar and ginger cookies at Christmas with sausage and rolls after the midnight Mass service, and, at Thanksgiving, her mother took leftovers and made an “incredible” turkey noodle soup. Curtis also remembers her mother beginning several days in advance to prepare hors d’ oeuvres, like cod fish balls, crab cakes and chicken salad on crackers for the dances at their church.

Her parents made their home “very welcoming,” and she says the experience wasn’t just about the cooking, it was “the feeling put into it.” It was that intangible ingredient that made the food so special. Though her mother passed away suddenly many years ago, Curtis says her mother died at peace, doing what she loved — making a sweet potato pie and watching her “stories” (soap operas).

“There were a lot of good memories around food,” she reflects. “There also were a lot of great smells in the house.”

Fresh ingredients

From those memories, Curtis shares her mother’s recipes for waffles, made light and fluffy with whipped egg whites, and shrimp Creole, which she adapted by adding more vegetables and tomatoes and using brown rice instead of white rice. She also shares one of her husband’s favorites, a sweet potato pie recipe she originally found in Essence magazine and then altered to make it lower in fat and calories.

She also gets ideas on mixing flavors and taste combinations from TV shows, like Bravo’s “Top Chef.” One of her secrets to making tasty dishes, Curtis says, is in the ingredients. Though she loved the richness of her mother’s table, Curtis deliberately is more health-conscious, using olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, Omega-3 eggs, and natural chicken devoid of antibiotics.

“I think everything starts with the ingredients,” says Curtis. “You need great ingredients, fresh ingredients. … I’m really particular about the ingredients I use.”

Holiday recipes from Mary’s kitchen

Sunday Waffles

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tablespoon melted butter

Mix together in a bowl flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Separate the eggs. Add the egg yolks and the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix well to form a smooth batter. Stir in the melted butter. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. At the last moment, stir the beaten egg whites into the batter. Bake in a hot waffle iron (if the waffle iron is not non-stick, spray with vegetable or canola oil.) Add syrup, fruit or other toppings. “But these are great with nothing at all!” says Curtis.

Shrimp Creole

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped green or red bell pepper

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground (cayenne) red pepper, or a little more if you like heat

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons fresh parsley

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion and celery. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, and cook until beginning to soften. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered, so flavors can blend. Add shrimp. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp), or until shrimp are cooked. Garnish with parsley and spoon over brown rice.

Waxhaw businessman’s home promotes productivity, play

by Angela Lindsay

Photos by Jon Strayhorn

When Waxhaw resident George Spencer wants to enjoy a fine cigar or watch a movie on the big screen, he simply walks downstairs.

Spencer, 36, is the National Director of Business Development for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and a freelance digital media specialist, who works with companies like McDonald’s USA and Wells Fargo to create online media campaigns targeted at historically black colleges and universities. As such, he works from home, but also travels extensively.

Not surprisingly then, his 7,000-square-foot brick home in the Weddington Trace community incorporates both a practical office space and a relaxing haven.

“My whole thought process behind decorating the house was to make it the ultimate office (and) living space, having every entertainment necessity I would need not to leave the house, because I’m on the road so much,” says Spencer.

Decorating for less

Born in Minnesota and raised in Kansas City, M.O., Spencer has been a resident of Charlotte for six years. He decided to have a house built in Union County in 2006 because of the “peace and serenity” of the town.

The three-story home, with five bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths, blends cosmopolitan and traditional architectural elements. An emblem embedded in the hardwood floor is immediately noticeable upon entering the house. Spencer says it was added “to catch the attention of someone as soon as they walk in.”

Several large arching windows allow bright light to flood the open floor plan, while strategically placed columns provide both an old-world Romanesque structure and boundaries for the rooms. Lofty 24-foot ceilings and an extra-wide staircase lead to an overlooking balcony on the upper level and add to the home’s spaciousness.

This busy bachelor enjoys cooking and entertaining, and, appropriately, the kitchen is a focal point on the main level. It showcases dark cherry wood cabinets, granite countertops, deep dual stainless steel sinks and black General Electric appliances. The large center island facilitates meal preparation. Spencer decorated the adjacent breakfast nook to resemble the outdoors, painting the walls a sunny golden color to give it an “island feel,” he says. On the wall is a large, vertical circular patterned sconce in warm bronzy colors from a local discount store.

“I’m a guy who loves bargains! I love getting a deal — you don’t have to spend tons of money for everything,” he explains.

The den, which Spencer calls “The Florida Room” because of the tremendous amount of light, is where the homeowner spends most of his time. He specifically positioned the tan couch, love seat and chaise to break up the room and provide “three different points of conversation.” An oversized window is dressed with an embroidered silk shantung fabric in shimmery champagne that helps to block some of the natural light and provide formality to the space.

Color adds warmth

The walls of Spencer’s home office are white, purposefully exuding a starchy executive environment, with all of the trappings of a professional work space: two Macs, a printer/scanner/fax and a flat-screen television. Spencer keeps it on either CNN or CNBC to monitor stock performances.

“I think it’s important to do that, because if you lose focus while you’re at home, your productivity decreases,” he says. Spencer often will put on a dress shirt and slacks in the morning to put himself in the right frame of mind to handle business.

While muted hues are the home’s primary palette, some rooms exhibit an exceptional pop of color.

“I’ve always wanted a burnt orange room,” Spencer explains, referring to his master bedroom. He says the color makes him feel cozy in the winter, as does the three-sided glass gas fireplace near the center of the room.

A sitting room off the master suite features suede-and-leather furniture to match the leather California king sleigh bed. A massive 8-foot leather-framed mirror sits diagonally from the foot of the bed. The wall-mounted flat-screen television swivels from one side of bedroom to the other for visibility, while a security console in the wall gives access to the audio-video system that runs throughout the house, and which Spencer can control from his iPhone.

After a long workday or a hard workout, the spa-like bathroom offers the stress-relief of a good soak, a hot shower or detoxifying sauna.

Two roomy walk-in closets are dubbed the “casual closet” and the “formal closet.” One houses Spencer’s impressive collection of designer shoes, most notably his 27 pairs of Salvatore Ferragamos. He says his obsession with them began eight years ago, and he now leans toward purchasing the shoes in eclectic colors and has a colorful assortment of socks to match.

Entertaining paradise

The lower level is a fully furnished basement and Spencer’s man cave. He designed the layout personally, including a wet bar with glass-front cherry cabinets, granite counter tops, a refrigerator and a dishwasher.

A solid cherry pool table and a 55-inch flat-screen television provide plenty of entertainment. But for serious gamers, Spencer has a special treat: Tucked behind blood red velvet curtain is the game/poker room, featuring an elaborately detailed reversible poker table with sections carved out of the wood to hold poker chips and beverages. And a vintage Ms. Pac Man machine beckons in the corner, with some 80 throwback video games from Gallaga to Donkey Kong.

There’s also a purple-walled theater room, where up to 10 guests can enjoy movies on the 91-inch screen. The nontraditional lounge sectionals are modeled after furniture in The Guggenheim museum in Europe.

Finally, a side door leads to a merlot-colored wine cellar. A dark granite bar with stools provides a relaxing place to sip one of the 80 bottles of wine from the 500-bottle wall unit. Spencer says his goal is to start traveling abroad and collecting wine from various countries, though he is more likely to be found smoking a cigar from his collection also housed in the cellar. Arched interior windows feature bars wrapped in ivy to replicate a typical French wine cellar.

Spencer’s workout room contains a treadmill, free weight bench, elliptical machine, television, stereo and sound system.

An extension of the walkout basement is the outdoor living space, boasting a fireplace, barbecue and fire pit, lots of seating and a hammock. The woodsy landscape and serene setting to roast marshmallows with loved ones help to complete Spencer’s “dream home.”

He says, “I’ve been blessed beyond my dreams, and allowing family and friends to share in what God entrusts to me, is a great feeling.”

Private project provides promise for students

by Angela Lindsay

photos courtesy of Foundation For The Carolinas

West Charlotte High School may have the lowest graduation rate (only 51 percent) in town, but several private donors are giving the school and its surrounding community a hand-up.

Project L.I.F.T. (Leadership and Investment For Transformation) is aiming to provide $55 million over a five-year period in private funding for educational services and enhancements  in the West Charlotte corridor, which includes students at West Charlotte High, as well as the middle schools and elementary schools that feed into it.

Co-chaired by Anna Spangler-Nelson, daughter of billionaire construction mogul C.D. Spangler, and Richard “Stick” Williams, head of the Duke Energy Foundation, Project L.I.F.T. was founded last year by a small group of family foundations. Representatives from the C.D. Spangler and Leon Levine foundations heard a speech by Geoffrey Canada, president and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone, a renowned community-based organization that serves the educational needs of children in a 100 city-block area of Harlem.

Inspired by what they heard, the representatives began to discuss how to make their philanthropy more impactful toward closing the achievement gap in Charlotte, and they invited several other foundations* to join them. They formed a committee of 13 members representing family and corporate foundations, as well as community leaders.

Dialog, relationships

Williams says the committee had an “intense focus” on the achievement gap and putting together a model that would “significantly move the needle” here. The group, calling themselves the CMS Investment Study Group, studied successful models in other communities, worked closely with CMS personnel to determine best measures, and held community forums last summer with leaders, parents and students to uncover the system’s top educational needs, engaging in extensive dialog with the West Charlotte community. Rather than create an entirely new platform, Project L.I.F.T. instead is partnering with existing programs, making sure resources are available at all school levels.

“We’re going to see if we can develop relationships with these kids as early as preschool and first grade, and then follow them all the way through graduation, to stay with them and support them. …” says Williams.

The program focuses on enhanced teacher and school leadership quality, access to technology, after-school services, and mentoring and tutoring services. In addition, it’s hoped policy changes will allow school leadership more freedom, such as spending additional time with students through extended school days, offering summer instruction, and starting pre-kindergarten programs, which Williams says can make a great difference to students and parents alike.

“A lot of these parents are working. They can’t be there when the students come home,” he says. “So, here’s the opportunity to know your children are still very engaged in learning or enrichment activities. … You don’t have to be concerned, because the kids are in activities that are really going to reinforce what they’ve learned during the day.”

Teacher-student bonds, high expectations

High academic achievement, like that seen at Mallard Creek High School in the University City area, may be possible for West Corridor schools through the efforts of Project L.I.F.T. With some 2,018 students, Mallard Creek has a 92-percent graduation rate — one of the highest in CMS last year. And roughly 87 percent of the students scored at or above grade level on end-of-course tests.

Yet, the campus’ demographics are unusual for such a high-performing school in this district: 57.4 percent of the students are black, 27.4 percent are white and 41 percent are low-income. Mallard Creek’s principal, Kelly Gwaltney, says the key to the high school’s success is its human-touch approach.

“We’re able to meet the needs of our students in preparing them for what their future goals are. At Mallard Creek, we have over 2,000 students, but we try to personalize the education for every one of them,” she says.

Though Mallard Creek High School dismisses at 2:15 p.m., Gwaltney says the parking lot still is full until about 4 p.m., because teachers and students are taking advantage of the opportunity to work together. She largely credits the teachers, who often work on weekends, with going “above and beyond” the job that’s required of them.

“Another thing I think makes a difference at Mallard Creek is our high expectations. Since the school opened, we’ve had a 70-percent grading policy, in which 70 percent of the grade in every classroom has to come from major assessments (tests and school projects). That’s hard. Kids are able to meet the challenge because they’ve got the supports in place to help them,” she explains.

Mallard Creek fosters an atmosphere of learning, where students know what is expected of them academically, which Gwaltney says shows a respect on behalf of educators for students’ abilities. In 2009, about 90 percent of the first class of senior graduated. In 2010, the graduation rate had increased to 92 percent.

Gwaltney, however, is striving for a 100-percent graduation rate, as well as a 100-percent promotion rate at each grade level. At Mallard Creek, every student transcript is hand analyzed at the beginning of the school year to see what students need in order to graduate and to ensure they are properly scheduled in classes. Additionally, parents can keep up with their children’s grades in real time through Parent Assist, where a teacher’s grade book is accessible to parents online.

“Students see they’re cared about at home, they’re cared about at school, and everybody’s going to talk, and we’re making sure they have what they need,” says Gwaltney.

Dollars received, new director appointed

More than $43 million has been raised for Project L.I.F.T, but that’s still shy of the $55 million  the group had hoped to reach by June 30. The fundraising campaign has been extended until June 30, 2012.

Williams remains confident Project L.I.F.T. will give students in the West Corridor “tremendous opportunity” and “a lot of great exposure” toward achieving similar results. Additional fundraising efforts have been initiated, including a campaign challenging the African-American community to pledge $1 million. Some $250,000 in donations and pledges has been received already. A fund for these gifts is being held by Foundation For The Carolinas.

Several initiatives are in place for the 2011-2012 school year, with a full rollout planned for 2012-2013. To oversee these programs and the project overall, Denise Watts was appointed the executive director of Project L.I.F.T. in July. Watts, previously the Secondary Central Zone Superintendent for CMS and a former middle school principal and teacher, was chosen from hundreds of candidates vetted by a subcommittee of the Project L.I.F.T. board and reviewed by CMS and national consultants. She is responsible for all activities related to Project L.I.F.T.’s strategy, implementation and evaluation, as well as for building community partnerships, CMS collaboration and board governance. As executive director, Watts is a full-time member of FFTC and reports to the Project L.I.F.T. board.

While Project L.I.F.T.’s initial push will benefit West Charlotte schools, at the onset, its founders insisted upon creating a model that could be replicated elsewhere. “Our hope was that, in this initiative, we would prove what really, really works and then, going forward … our hope was that it could expand (throughout CMS) and maybe even beyond this school system.”

For More Information and Photo’s For Project L.I.F.T. Click “Here”

Doctor gives back with medicine, motivation

by Angela Lindsay

His first name means “faithful.” And, if you ask Dr. Fidelis Edosomwan where his inspiration comes from, he will tell you “God! God! And God!” While a divine source may have provided the talent, this physician’s success also can be credited to his tenacity in serving others.

The 49-year-old, Nigerian-born internist not only runs six health centers, but he’s giving back to young people, so they, too, may realize their goals.

Seeing his homeland plagued with too many health concerns and not enough access to health care, Edosomwan knew early on he wanted to help people. “You see people in distress, and you’re able to provide them solace with the ability God has given you, and, at the same time, (you’re able to) motivate people,” he says.

Tending to disease

As the medical director and CEO of Americare Health, Edosomwan has offices in Pageland, S.C., and five family clinics in North Carolina, including Marshville, Wadesboro and three in Charlotte. He employs some 120 people and sees about 60-70 patients a day.

Edosomwan attended the University of Benin in Nigeria and, after a four-year stint in England, came to the United States to complete his residency at Howard University College of Medicine in internal medicine. As a part of the J-1 Exchange Visitors Program, through which he received his visa, he had a choice either to return to his home country for two years at the completion of the program or locate to an area where there was a need for medical doctors.

In 1996, Edosomwan moved to the Charlotte area and began working in Monroe. A year later, he opened his first Americare Health Family Clinic in Pageland, S.C., seeing 39 patients his first day.

Today, his clinics treat patients for a variety of ailments, including diabetes and hypertension — two health issues that are common in West Africa. Other diseases, like malaria and typhoid fever, run rampant, as well, due to the poor water supply. However, Edosomwan says that without ever having had a physical examination, many Nigerians do not even know they have a problem.

“Something like colonoscopy is almost unheard of where I come from,” says Edosomwan, adding he has plans to return to Nigeria to help more people.

Uplifting broken spirits

Seeing a lot of young black men and women to whom “life has not dealt the best hand,” Edosomwan not only provides medical care, but also emotional support. “Being down now is not the end of everything. Nothing good comes easy,” he tells his patients. “So, over time, this might be a test. If you don’t overcome adversity, then you can’t find success.”

He should know — he learned these lessons from his parents. His father was a quantity surveyor and his mother was a civil servant. Edosomwan says his parents played a big role in steering his career, reminding him to “remain focused” and repeating “impossibility is nothing.”

Now, Edosomwan strives to help his young patients who want to go to college, but don’t have the means financially. In 2002, he began giving scholarships to minority high school seniors who want to attend a four-year college, maintain a 3.0 grade point average and have a financial need.

In keeping with his principles, the recipients also need to be “public-oriented” and desire to give back to their own communities. Each year, six $1,000 scholarships are given away in Charlotte, four $500 scholarships are awarded in Pageland, and two $500 scholarships are given to students in Wadesboro and Marshville each.

The scholarships are Edosomwan’s way of proving that, regardless of anyone’s background or current situation, “they can aspire to anything they want to be.” Money, however, is just part of the equation.

“You have to be confident,” says Edosomwan. “You have to want to succeed.”

Local schools provide alternatives for students

by Angela Lindsay

As a product of 12 years of private school instruction, I personally can attest to the value such an education can bring. Beyond the challenging educational environment, the faculty and administrators are invested in the well­being of every student — mentally, physically, and, in the case of my schools, spiritually. The experience helped me grow into a well-rounded individual and also gave me a unique perspective on race relations and culture at a much younger age than most of my peers, as I often was the only African-American student in my classes. Competition was encouraged. Accountability went without saying. While I am in no way disparaging a public school education, looking back on my particular experience, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Success in life begins with education, but there is more than one path to receiving it. While traditional public school-system classrooms offer a sound education, there also are many alternatives in Charlotte — state-funded public charter schools and private schools — that provide options for area families.

Evelyn Mack Academy posts its mission is to “give every student the tools necessary to be successful in life.” Founder Evelyn Mack opened a tutoring center in 1989, which became a fully accredited private school in 1998. Serving students PreK3-12th grade, the school develop students academically, socially, physically, emotionally and spiritually, by promoting high morals and values, and encouraging a personal commitment to education.

At Brisbane Academy, young minds are being prepared “to meet the changes and expectations of tomorrow.” Students in grades PreK-12 receive a well-rounded education in math and science, critical thinking skills, vocabulary and reading comprehension; Brisbane also offers an after-school enrichment program and tutoring. Founding director Geraldine Brisbane opened the licensed, nonprofit, college-preparatory school in 1992. With a student-teacher ratio of 10:1, Brisbane reports its students consistently perform more than three grade levels above state requirements.

Engaging Middle-School Minds

Bethune Mays Classical Academy is named after two legendary pioneers in American education: Mary McLeod Bethune and Benjamin Elijah Mays, Ph.D. The idea for BMCA was born when Bishop Claude Alexander of The Park Church became interested in starting a middle school after following the condition of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. He enlisted Christina Christian, Ph.D., to conduct extensive research on end-of-grade state and local test scores. Deciding the school needed to move strategically and quickly to effectively address students’ immediate needs, the alternative middle school opened in 2010 to help combat downward academic trends and poor scholastic performances. BMCA offers a classical Christian education that aligns with North Carolina standards.

“We did not want students to come into a school that deviated so significantly from the N.S. Standard Course of Study such that, if they were to return to public school or high school, they would not be as familiar with some of the concepts they would need to be familiar with in the public schools,” says Christian, a 19-year educator and head of school at BMCA.

The classical, Christian education curriculum at BCMA is rigorous, based on a three-part process of training the mind: Students in the early (elementary) years absorb facts, systematically laying the foundation for advanced study; students in the middle years learn the logic behind the facts and their use; and, students in high school learn to express themselves using the facts and logic they’ve acquired.

The school opened with five sixth-grade students. This year, the school is serving nearly15 students in grades 6-7. In 2012, BMCA also will serve eighth-grade students. The school is slated to hold no more than 60-80 students, so classes are kept small.

Tweens often need additional support during the middle-school years, also known as the “awkward stage,” and Christian says being able to relate to teachers is paramount for learning, as well as emotional and social support. In addition, students spend 30 minutes in Bible study on Friday mornings.

BMCA also is a uniformed school and students are separated by gender in their classes to keep the focus on learning and minimize distractions. End-of-year tests for 2010 showed students were in the 83th-96th percentile in language arts and 80th-94th percentile in math.

No Excuses

KIPP Charlotte (Knowledge Is Power Program) is part of a national network of 99 tuition-free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter middle schools. Some 95 percent of KIPP Charlotte students are African American and 4 percent are Latino/Hispanic. More than 70 percent qualify for the free-and-reduced-meal program.

At KIPP, classes run 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Thursday, and 7:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. on Friday, as well as two Saturdays a month and three weeks in the summer. With one of the mottos being, “No short cuts, no excuses,” students receive about two hours of homework every night, with access to after-school tutoring. Students also have their teachers’ phone numbers for additional assistance.

Open just five years, the school has an enrollment of about 330 students in grades 5-8. Tiffany Flowers, co-founder of KIPP Charlotte, says the mission is “to make sure as many kids as possible have access to a college-prep education.”

The school wants to close the academic achievement gap between lower- and higher-income students and, according to KIPP co-founder Keith Burnam, “show that income and what neighborhood you grow up in does not have to dictate your destiny.” On average, students improve two grade levels in reading and math; the first group of students who matriculated through KIPP Charlotte had end-of-grade test scores in the 90th percentile.

“We’re going to push your child to be the best he or she can be. … We want our kids to grow up to be the change and also the leaders in the community who are going to bring about that change generations down the road,” says Burnam.

An Unbroken Connection

Charlotte Country Day School is the city’s oldest independent day school. CCDS is not bound to any state or county educational system. In 2009, Mark Reed became CCDS’s first African-American headmaster and the first head of a predominantly white private school in North Carolina, according to the N.C. Association of Independent Schools. More than 100 families of color are part of Charlotte Country Day.

Reed says he was drawn to CCDS’s “affirmation of community,” noting the teachers, parents and students have been “unbelievably welcoming.” He adds, “People often toss the word ‘community’ around, using it pretty loosely, but this is a pretty tight-knit community.”

CCDS has an enrollment of 1,610 students and a graduation rate of 100 percent, with students this past year being awarded nearly $4.9 million in scholarships for academic, athletic and artistic pursuits. Reed contributes such success to the narrow student-teacher ratio, as well as the care faculty and staff show each individual student on an intellectual, emotional and physical level.

Surveying college sophomores who graduated from CCDS, Reed says he learned one thing, which he feels is “pretty unique to private schools.” Consistently, he heard about the deep connection students continue to have with their teachers and coaches.

“You show kids you care about them, and you can ask them to do anything, and they’ll work their tails off to do it,” he adds.

At CCDS, students do not feel like they are at the same school for 14 years, as the school is split into two campuses. Students in junior kindergarten through fourth grade, as well as high school students, attend classes on the Cannon Campus. Students in fifth through eighth grade attend the Bissell Campus, which is about four miles away.

“(Middle school students) get to feel like they’re going to their own campus at probably the most challenging and socially awkward time in their lives,” says Reed.

While tuition is high at CCDS, rates vary, with some families paying “little to nothing” and some paying the full tuition amount, says Reed. Financial aid is available for those who need it, and, in fact, Reed explains that a portion of every student’s tuition goes toward financial aid.

CCDS offers both advanced placement and International Baccalaureate courses, as well as an international studies program that allows students to travel abroad and to host students from other countries on campus.

No matter the structure, all these schools have a common theme: educating the whole student.

“School heads have to manage with the head and the heart,” says Reed.

Christian concurs, saying, “It is so rewarding to be able to look at a child who has a need that isn’t written in the table of contents in a book and to know we have the freedom to meet that need. … We get to prepare children for their future, knowing they will need God, knowing they will need to know how to socialize and how to control their emotions. I couldn’t ask for anything more than that.”

2010 Census figures show how fast Charlotte is becoming an international culture

by Louise Barden

The Census Bureau’s number-crunchers are still crunching, and will be for months to come. But the bottom-line conclusions from of the 2010 Census are pretty clear. In the last decade Charlotte has changed from a small, promising Southern city to a regional hub with international growth and recognition.

That means immigrants of every ethnicity and culture, as well as from throughout the United States, are making this place home. With their arrival, the city’s very nature is changing.

International citizens

It’s no wonder Charlotte feels like a place where everyone knows “things are happening,” says Tom Hanchett, historian with the Levine Museum of the New South; it has been 100 years since the nation last experienced such a wave of immigration. But when that wave of people arrived from Eastern Europe in about 1900, they settled primarily in the industrial Northeast and upper Midwest. That influx had little influence on Charlotte. This time, however, Charlotte and the entire South provide the magnetic attraction of jobs and a desirable lifestyle.

The greatest number of these recent immigrants are Latino. In the last decade Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Latino-Hispanic population has risen by 32.3 percent to total 96,000 (about 11 percent of the entire population). In other nearby counties, Latinos have increased by as much as 62.5 percent, for example, in Union County, to total 21,000.

What’s not commonly known, however, is that only half the Latino immigrants come from Mexico. The other 50 percent of the Latin population represents a wide range of countries, from Spain to Portuguese-speaking Brazil. The details of this diversity are now being validated by Census figures, but it was an idea uncovered by researchers at the Levine Museum in 2007-2008 as they prepared an exhibit on the changing face of Charlotte.

“People follow jobs,” says Angeles Ortega-Moore, former executive director of the Latin American Coalition. “The story of the 21st century in this country has been the growth of the

Hispanic population.”

In addition to the Latino-Hispanic influx, however, Charlotte’s Asian population has grown substantially. Asians now account for 5 percent of the total population. Initially released 2010 Census figures indicate the top four origins of immigrants are Mexico, India, Vietnam and El Salvador.

Today the Charlotte that began calling itself a “world-class city” in the 1980s is truly becoming a city of citizens from around the world.

Global influences

“It’s hard for newcomers to grasp how un-diverse this area was 30 to 40 years ago,” Hanchett says. “Seventy-five percent were American-born whites, 25 percent were African-American and there was a small population of Greeks who were visible because they ran popular restaurants.”

In 2011, Ortega-Moore notes that immigration has substantially contributed to the state’s population increase of 1.5 million people in the last decade, with “tremendous total growth” in Mecklenburg and other counties. She says, “We (the United States) are globally connected (through business and politics); through immigrants now we are also physically connected in our community. We can live the (global) life instead of vicariously experiencing it on TV or on the computer”

As a result, she says, we have “a more vibrant community. It gives everyone an opportunity to learn about other cultures, taste other food and experience other art. The arrival of people from other cultures helps us experience those cultures. ”

Restaurants, according to Hanchett, have been the first and most-visible immigrant-owned businesses. In the early 1980s, he remembers, a couple of Chinese restaurants were Charlotte’s only source of foreign food. But in the mid-1980s, El Cancun, the city’s first authentic Mexican restaurant, rapidly expanded around the city. The Chinese traditional Cantonese stir-fry menu grew to include Szechuan and Mandarin dishes, and Indian restaurants brought Tandoori Chicken and Nan.

In the last decade Charlotte’s ethnic restaurants have included Indian vegetarian, Middle Eastern, Thai and Vietnamese to Korean, Ethiopian, Salvadoran, and Japanese. Sections of Central Avenue and South Boulevard have become hot spots for international food and atmosphere. An annual Taste of the World tour of east Charlotte eateries repeatedly sells out. Even in surrounding counties, such shopping centers as Stallings’ Grand Asian Market (with nearby Latino restaurants and stores) help support the region’s new entrepreneurial immigrant families.

Unlike the Charlotte of 1980, today’s Charlotte bears the marks of a widely diverse population — Islamic mosques, medical practitioners who offer non-Western medicine (from herbal treatments to acupuncture), boutiques selling art and clothing from anywhere in the world, and supermarkets filled with the foods of Africa, Indonesia, Turkey, and Cambodia. The list is endless.

Opportunities and change

Hanchett, who has cataloged Charlotte’s changes since the Civil War, says we can see Charlotte’s future by looking “along Central Ave and South Boulevard, where the changes are taking place. There is a lot of entrepreneurial activity, including much from immigrants … a harbinger of what all of Charlotte will be like by the next Census date.”

He refers to a recent American Institute of Architects project that found that although many stores and restaurants facing Central Avenue are immigrant-owned, the residents of contiguous neighborhoods are primarily American-born whites, followed by African-Americans “and then immigrants.”

However, Ortega-Moore points out, more of this dominant American-born white population is aging and already receiving Social Security, dependent on a system funded by the labor of younger workers. In looking to the future, she says, “The Latino and African-American community is a younger community than the traditional white American-born population. Can we provide the (necessary) capacity for them to have jobs and opportunities?”

That and other challenges now lie ahead. In our changing city, how our diverse populations learn to live with each other and find enjoyment in each other’s food and culture will determine the kind of city Charlotte will become before the next census in 2020.