A list of invited speakers at previous and upcoming Forums. A note on how the attendance figures are compiled is at the bottom of this page.

 

Year	Date	Speaker; donor of hospitality	In Person	Webex	Facebook	YouTube	Website	TOTAL
2023	7-11	Business owners Sharon Geter, others
2023	7-4	Fourth of July; No Forum
2023	6-27	Carrie Cook, Community Affairs Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
2023	6-20	TBA
2023	6-13	TBA
2023	6-6	Dennis Miller and Travis Sheridan, Wexford Science and Technology, on Pearl and Medical School.
2023	5-30	Organizing a Charlotte Black Creative Arts Festival for 2024: Ray High, Terry Creech, Tommie Robinson	17	0	23	4	11	55
2023	5-23	Jamese Ivy, United Way’s Director of Neighborhood Initiatives, on upcoming grant opportunities	23	0	18	15	13	69
2023	5-16	Roma Johnson Durham, clinical research coordinator, Accellacare, manager of clinical research studies for biotech and pharmaceutical companies	22	0	11	11	9	53
2023	5-9	Leading on Opportunity update	22	0	34	6	5	67
2023	5-2	Lee Institute's Chrystal Joy and Toni Tupponce, with listening session on residents' views on corporate-owned single-family rentals – a collaboration between Lee Institute and Mecklenburg County.	19	0	13	5	4	41
2023	4-25	Bruce Clark, executive director, Center for Digital Equity at Queens University of Charlotte with Digital Navigators.	25	0	10	15	12	62
2023	4-18	Chris Brigman, InReach; LaBecky Roe, Let's Talk About It - The Austism Center; Dr. Tempest Leake.	25	0	14	7	2	48
2023	4-11	A community conversation about North Carolina’s future, after party switch announced by Rep. Tricia Cotham, elected in November to her current seat from Mecklenburg’s N.C. House District 112, likely gives Republicans a veto-proof majority in both houses of the General Assembly.	37	0	19	19	7	82
2023	4-4	Steve Crump documentary.	22	0	16	8	8	54
2023	3-28	Women pioneering 30+ years in Law: Cindy Patton, Cynthia Aziz, Sandra Cummings, Alice Richey. Hospitality donaterd by Rickye McKoy-Mitchell.	24	0	28	6	5	63
2023	3-21	African-American Women pioneering 40+ years in Nursing: Vivian Smith Richardson, Maxine Eaves, Cynthia Howard, Barbara Alston.	20	0	4	6	0	30
2023	3-14	Dr. Monique May, family physician and founder of Physician in the Kitchen.	13	0	10	6	1	30
2023	3-7	Three who were among the first Black women in Charlotte television.	25	0	14	8	6	53
2023	2-28	Malcomb Coley, Mayor's Racial Equity Initiative, Charlotte managing partner for Ernst & Young; Board of Trustees member of alma mater UNC-Wilmington. Hospitality sponsored by Gary Young and provided by Global Flavors Catering.	24	0	10	13	16	63
2023	2-21	District members of CMS Board of Education	28	0	7	9	6	50
2023	2-14	Anthony Shelborne, CFO, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA). Hospitality donated by Crispin Robinson.	30	0	11	6	6	53
2023	2-7	Alumni of closed Black schools: J.H Gunn, Torrence-Lytle, Plato Price, Second Ward High, possibly others.	30	0	68	6	8	112
2023	1-31	Mic Alexander, Image Wealth Management coaching	13	0	9	4	7	33
2023	1-24	Alesha Brown: Civil rights attorney, founder and executive director of nonprofit For the Struggle	15	0	13	7	3	38
2023	1-17	Kristie Puckett-Williams, Director for Engagement and Mobilization for the ACLU North Carolina. Hospitality donated by Saiyah Saddler of Honeysuckle Baking	16	0	28	8	10	62
2023	1-10	Open Forum on the year ahead	13	0	12	4	4	33
2023	1-3	No Forum
2022	12/27	No Forum
2022	12/20	No Forum
2022	12/13	Daisha Wall, Environmental Justice Manager of Charlotte-based CleanAIRE NC. Hospitality donated by Crispin Robinson.	22	0	11	5	9	47
2022	12/6	Traletta Banks, CEO, Another Level Staffing; Magloire Lubika, Surefire Neighborhood Market; Toby Rajkumar, Woodbrook Kitchen; Walter Rasby, Genesis Project 1	15	0	15	6	5	41
2022	11/29	Frances Hall, Beatties Ford Road Vocational Training Center	14	0	10	1	3	28
2022	11/22	Thanksgiving Week – No Meeting
2022	11/15	Cheryse Terry, owner of Archive CLT Coffee & Books	20	0	8	4	2	34
2022	11/8	Election Day. No Forum.
2022	11/1	N.C. House Districts 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 and 112	16	0	10	4	1	31
2022	10/25	N.C. House Districts 88, 92, 98, 99, 101 and 102; Stevenson Birthday Party, 9:45-10:45	36	0	6	12	7	61
2022	10/18	Candidates in contested NC Senate elections in Mecklenburg	28	0	10	14	9	61
2022	10/11	County Commissioner candidates DIstricts 4, 5, 6; Vote Yes for City Bonds Committee.	27	0	10	4	3	44
2022	10/4	Candidates in contested NC Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Superior Court elections; Meck Soil & Water Conservation Supervisor candidates Barbara Bleiweis, Nancy Carter, Alonzo Hill, Tigress McDaniel, and Hunter Wilson	34	0	12	11	6	63
2022	9/27	County Commissioner candidates at-large, Districts 1 and 3	26	0	16	11	7	60
2022	9/20	District 2, 4 and 6 CMS school board candidates	31	0	18	20	10	79
2022	9/13	District 1, 3 and 5 CMS school board candidates	38	0	63	12	8	121
2022	9/6	U.S. Rep. Alma Adams	32	0	11	8	4	55
2022	8/30	Kathryn Firmin-Sellers, Chief Impact Officer, United Way of Central Carolinas	26	0	6	2	10	44
2022	8/23	Ginny Harper, DSS Community Program Coordinator; Carlo Battle, Mecklenburg Department of Community Resources’ Community Resource Center; and Tara Vannoy, Blue Ridge Community Action; on Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP), Crisis Intervention Program (CIP), HOMES program’s property tax assistance for lower income homeowners, and weatherization grants	19	0	6	6	8	39
2022	8/16	Dr. Victor Mack on UNCC STEM Pre-College Program and other youth enrichment programs	20	0	13	9	8	50
2022	8/9	Raki McGregor, Novant Health SVP digital equity and community growth, on loan to CMS as part of Charlotte Executive Leadership Council initiative	20	0	42	7	7	76
2022	8/2	Valaida Fullwood on Black philanthropy	20	0	17	13	23	73
2022	7/26	No Forum; City General Election
2022	7/19	Candidates in contested City Council district races in July 26 general election	22	0	35	4	13	74
2022	7/12	At-large City Council candidates in July 26 general election	20	0	38	13	15	86
2022	7/5	No Forum
2022	6/28	Jared Keaton, CEO of Alliance Center for Education	12	0	23	10	6	51
2022	6/21	Susan Gann-Carroll, CMS Director of Career & Technical Education	14	0	22	6	4	46
2022	6/14	Mecklenburg County Assessor Ken Joyner	20	0	23	4	9	56
2022	6/7	Ceretha Sherrill on Juneteenth; Open Forum	17	0	14	4	12	47
2022	5/31	Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones, Mayor Vi Lyles	18	0	34	15	17	84
2022	5/24	Shamaiye Haynes, Charlotte Community Think Tank; Men Tchaas Ari, Communities In Schools of Charlotte	19	0	10	4	2	35
2022	5/17	Primary Day: No meeting.
2022	5/10	May 17 Primary wrap-up	0	52	13	4	5	74
2022	5/3	May 17 Democratic primaries for District Court: Seat 1: Chris Bazzle, Shante Burke-Hayer; Seat 18: Keith S Smith, Cecilia Oseguera; Seat 19: Belal Elrahal, Samantha Mobley	0	59	3	3	3	68
2022	4/26	May 17 Republican Primary: City Council at-large: Kyle Luebke, David Merrill, Charlie Mulligan, Carrie Olinski, David Michael Rice	0	75	9	6	8	98
2022	4/19	May 17 Democratic Primary: City Council at-large: Dimple Ajmera, Patrick Cannon, Larken Egleston, LaWana Mayfield, James Mitchell, Braxton Winston	0	101	39	2	7	149
2022	4/12	May 17 Democratic Primary: County Comm. At Large: Leigh Altman, Trina V. Boyd, Pat Cotham, Jennifer DeLa Jara, Arthur Griffin, Yvette Thompson-Ingram	0	85	7	1	10	103
2022	4/5	May 17 Primaries: Congress District 14	0	71	10		17	98
2022	3/29	May 17 Primaries: Sheriff	0	84	22		9	115
2022	3/22	May 17 Primaries: Congress District 12	0	73	8		11	92
2022	3/15	May 17 Primaries: Charlotte Mayor	0	96	0		0	96
2022	3/8	May 17 Democratic Primary: District Attorney	0	86	10		8	104
2022	3/1	LaToya Faustin, Executive Director, and Marion Pulse, Corporate Relationships Manager, from She Built This City	0	66	7		4	77
2022	2/22	Charlotte Business Inclusion and the Amp Up Charlotte program: Holly Eskridge (Economic Development Department), Alexis Gordon (Economic Development Department) and Steven Coker (Charlotte Business Inclusion Program)	0	55	2		10	67
2022	2/15	Black History Month: Black experiences in the Charlotte media. Invited: Steve Crump, Ken Koontz, Curt Peters, Dedrick Russell, Bethany Lane, possibly others.	0	65	4		21	90
2022	2/8	Charis Blackmon, West Side Charlotte Land Trust executive director	0	67	11		10	88
2022	2/1	Alyson Craig, Alysia Osborne from Planning Department with update on 2040 Plan	0	72	19		11	102
2022	1/25	Bea Thompson on Black Women in Public Health	0	65	9		4	78
2022	1/18	National Institute of Minority Economic Development: Kevin Price, President & CEO; Roberta McCullough, SVP of Operations, Institute Capital (ICAP); John F. Ham, Director, Center for Professional Services	0	52	7		9	68
2022	1/11	Rachelle Latimer, CEO of Elite 360 Transportation, an Amazon Delivery Service Partner, and the former executive who opened an N.C. Dept. of Transportation satellite office for M/W/SBE services	0	43	7		13	63
2022	1/4	New name, same mission: Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum. And CMS board member Jennifer De La Jara fields first-day-back and other questions.	0	45	12		12	69
2021	12/28	No Forum
2021	12/21	No Forum; next Forum 1-4
2021	12/14	Ginny Harper, Community Program Coordinator, Meck. Co. Dept. of Social Services on energy programs: Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) and Crisis Intervention Program (CIP); Jennifer Rupp, Employment Services Coordinator, Meck. Co. Dept. of Social Services on Employment Services Program: Reaching Independence through Sustainable Employment (RISE2Work); Liz Ojeda, Food Navigator, Loave and Fishes on NO Kid Hungry – Mecklenburg County; and Tara Vannoy, Housing Specialist, Blue Ridge Community Action, Inc. on Weatherization grant and application sign-up event in Mecklenburg County.	0	37	14		8	59
2021	12/7	Urban League on east satellite office and new initiative: CEO Teddy McDaniel; COO Dr. Fahnie Shaw; Director of Education and Emerging Programs Makeda Holly-Johnson	0	39	11		18	68
2021	11/30	Dr. Raynard Washington, Mecklenburg County Health Dept.	0	50	6		3	59
2021	11/23	No Forum; Thanksgiving						0
2021	11/16	Sherri Chisholm, executive director of Leading on Opportunity	0	44	0		11	55
2021	11/9	Christopher Dennis, owner of E-Fix Development Corp., active on Beatties Ford Rd.	0	49	7		6	62
2021	11/2	Alexandra Arrington on Digital Navigators Service	0	34	7		7	48
2021	10/26	African-American Faith Alliance. Drs. Dennis Williams & Ricky Woods	0	49	12		3	64
2021	10/19	UNCC sociologists Dr. Kendra Jason and Dr. Julian Montoro-Rodriguez on Caregiver TLC Program, which offers 6 weeks of free online support to caregivers, both family and paid workers, who are “providing care to people with memory loss, dementia or chronic health illness.”	0	40	4		7	51
2021	10/12	Center City Vision Plan and the West End. Cheryl Myers, Klint Mullis, Charles Trowell, Lorna Allen, J’Tanya Adams, Henry Stepp, Eric Orozco.	0	48	4		7	59
2021	10/5	Dr. Shanté Williams, Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce	0	37	10		5	52
2021	9/28	CMS Supt. Earnest Winston, Assistant Supt. Frank Barnes	0	87	5		18	110
2021	9/21	Dr. Munro Richardson and partners, Read Charlotte, on empowering families to support literacy at home	0	54	3		13	70
2021	9/14	JCSU Archivist Brandon Lunsford with an update on the “Virtual Sense of Place” digital reconstruction of Charlotte black neighborhoods destroyed during urban renewal	0	39	3		4	46
2021	9/7	NC Sen. Natasha Marcus, leader of Mecklenburg legislative delegation	0	36	4		5	45
2021	8/31	Hannah Terrell, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library | Allegra Westbrooks Regional	0	35	13		5	53
2021	8/24	Dennis Miller and Caroline Moore, with Wexford Science & Technology, a Baltimore real estate firm already tied to Wake Forest Baptist Health projects in Winston-Salem, seeking feedback on the 20-acre Innovation District adjoining the Wake/Atrium medical school to be built on old Brooklyn urban renewal land.	0	37	15		8	60
2021	8/17	Elyse Dashew, chairperson, CMS Board of Education	0	51	10		16	77
2021	8/10	Arthur Griffin and George Dunlap on the Critical Race Theory	0	60	4		4	68
2021	8/3	Open Forum	0	26	2		1	29
2021	7/27	Janice Shirley, Black Treatment Advocacy Network and the Black AIDS Network	0	25	6		0	31
2021	7/20	Kevin Tully, Chief Public Defender	0	30	5		2	37
2021	7/13	Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County Manager	0	64	3		4	71
2021	7/6	No Forum
2021	6/29	Dr. Rebecca Tippett, director of Carolina Demography at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Population Center	0	36	3		2	41
2021	6/22	Vivian Stuart on Rosa Parks Farmers Market; Reggie Singleton on The Males Place	0	46	0		4	50
2021	6/15	Ralphine Caldwell, executive director, Charlotte office of LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), a national nonprofit that provides financing and support for community development	0	44	2		4	50
2021	6/8	District Attorney Spencer Merriweather	0	54	2		4	60
2021	6/1	No Forum meeting
2021	5/25	Robert Dawkins, political director, Action NC; a COVID-19 vaccine update; Census results and NC’s 14th seat in the US House	0	48	7		6	61
2021	5/18	Arthur Griffin Jr., former CMS Board of Education Chair: "Just asking for accountable education policy and practice"	0	66	8		8	82
2021	5/11	Najah Roberts, chief visionary officer for Crypto Blockchain Plug, an Inglewood, Calif., cryptocurrency education provider and over-the-counter sales company.	0	44	8		4	56
2021	5/4	Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden	0	51	6		1	58
2021	4/27	U.S. Rep. Alma Adams; Keith Rivers of NC NAACP with update on NC NAACP and on the death of Andrew Brown in Elizabeth City	0	61	25		2	88
2021	4/20	CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings; Jonathan Chow, ex-CMPD officer assisting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with crime prevention strategies	0	55	8		4	67
2021	4/13	Marcus Bass, executive director Advance Carolina, Raleigh (former NC Black Alliance); and Stephanie Sneed, chair of the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg	0	57	5		2	64
2021	4/6	No meeting
2021	3/30	Virtual Forum Dry Run Assessment – facilitators only; no meeting; no livestream	0	5	0		0	5
2021	3/23	Virtual Forum Dry Run 4 – CMS Supt. Earnest Winston and Board Chair Elyse Dashew	0	63	4		2	69
2021	3/16	Virtual Forum Dry Run 3 – City Council District 2's Malcolm Graham; Cherie Smith, City of Charlotte Corridors of Opportunity Project Manager	0	40	5		0	45
2021	3/9	Virtual Forum Dry Run 2 – Mayor Vi Lyles, County Chair George Dunlap, COVID-19 & tent city updates	0	40	3		0	43
2021	3/2	Virtual Forum Dry Run 1 – Winston Robinson	0	15	0		0	15

 

Date	Attending	Speaker
2020
3/10	41	Charlotte Black Film Festival.
3/3		Primary Election; no Forum
2/25	40	Emiene Wright and Glenn Burkins from QCity Metro about Westside Connect, a media outlet focused on Charlotte’s historic west side; Republicans in U.S. Senate primary were invited and will be heard if they attend, but have not responded: Larry Holmquist, Greensboro; Sharon Hudson, Huntersville;  Thom Tillis, Raleigh;  Paul Wright, Mt. Olive.
2/18	41	Candidates in 9th District Congress Democratic Primary: Harry Southerland, Raeford; Clayton W. Brooks III, Laurinburg; Cynthia Wallace, Charlotte; and Marcus W. Williams, Lumberton.
2/11	49	Democratic US Senate candidates. Confirmed: Trevor Fuller, Cal Cunningham; no from Atul Goel; no response from Erica Smith and Steve Swenson
2/4	21	County Commissioners District 3 Democratic Party candidates George Dunlap and Cade Lee; and District Court Seat 2 Democratic Party primary candidates Aretha Blake and Lynna Moen.
1/28	53	Commissioners at-large candidate Rev. Brenda Stevenson, and two legislators in Raleigh during the Jan. 14 Forum: N.C. Senate District 38’s Mujtaba A. Mohammed; and N.C. House District 102’s Becky Carney.
1/21	52	County commissioner at-large primary candidates
1/14	36	Legislative candidates in March primary; qualities desirable in new police chief
1/7	55	Nonprofit consultant Susan Woods on starting a nonprofit and applying for grants.
2019
12/31		No Forum
12/24		No Forum
12/17		No Forum
12/10	52	Annual Christmas Party. Bring an unwrapped gift for games. Full breakfast available; $5 donation requested of those who eat. No livestream today.
12/3	53	Taiwo Jaiyeoba, Assistant City Manager and director of Charlotte’s Planning, Design and Development Department.
11/26		No Forum: Thanksgiving Week
11/19	49	George Grandy, Census 2020 with ActionNC Political Director Robert Dawkins; Winston Robinson on homeownership.
11-12	33	Open Forum.
11-5		No Forum: General Election.
10-29	68	Mrs. Stevenson's Birthday Party; Census 2020's Wilhelmenia Rembert
10-22	46	City of Charlotte Mayoral candidates
10-15	38	City Council At-large candidates
10-8	52	City Council District 2, 4 and 6 candidates
10-1	46	Grant Walker, Regional Vice President, Oak Street Health, a national network of for-profit primary care practices focused on wellness care for adults on Medicare, entering Charlotte market on Freedom Drive and Harrisburg Road.
9/24	52	CMS Board of Education
9/17	44	CMS Board of Education
9/10		Primary Election; No Forum
9/3	54	City Council Democratic Primary: At-large (4 seats)
8/27	42	City Council Democratic Primary: District 3
8/20	58	City Council Democratic primary, District 4: Richmond V. Baker; Gabriel (Gabe) Cartagena; Charlene Henderson El; Renee Perkins Johnson; Charles Robinson; Sean Thompson.
8/13	59	City Council primaries, District 5 (Democratic) and District 7 (Republican)
8/6	108	Charlotte mayoral candidates
7/30	92	Candidates for Charlotte City Council DIstrict 1 and District 2.
7/23	75	CMS developments
7/16	48	Zhivi Williams and Dr. Yolanda Holmes on the work of the Women’s Advisory Board, created in 2009 as an advisory group to Mecklenburg County Commissioners.
7/9	47	Open Forum.
7/2	54	Crystal Rountree with Teach for America
6/25	64	Marvin Kelly with Goodwill Industries
6/18	55	DeAlva Wilson of Wilson Agency and Tim SIttema of Crosland Southeast, with assists from City Council members James Mitchell and Matt Newton, on Eastland site redevelopment
6/11	54	Open Forum on Historic Excelsior Club on Beatties Ford Road.
6/4	43	Michael Norman, founder, Global Vocational Training Center
5/28	39	John Barnett, True Healing Under God Civil Rights Initiative
5/21	68	County Manager Dena Diorio.
5/14	41	Grace McLain from Moms Demand Action, and former N.C. Sen. Malcolm Graham from Cynthia Graham Hurd Foundation, on gun laws in the aftermath of the Charleston church shooting and growing gun violence in Charlotte.
5/7	43	Derek Webber, CEO of Webber Marketing & Consulting, who moved his Queen City Battle of the Bands to Houston.
4/30	27	Open Forum
4/23		NO FORUM.
4/16	102	Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, City Manager Marcus Jones and CMPD Chief Kerr Putney on police shooting video and events since its release Monday.
4/9	38	Cory Pharr and Janet Harmon of Smart Start on the new Meck Basics program aimed at brain growth of children aged 0-3.
4/2	37	Monika Rhue on the upcoming JCSU LIbrary art and history exhibit aimed at reimagining the future of the Beatties Ford Road corridor.
3/26	40	Women Helping Others in Charlotte: Sonja Chisolm, Gracious Hands Transitional Housing for Women and Families; Avice Pretty, Vision Beyond the Eyes homeless housing; Dr. Trasha Black, Genesis Project behavioral health agency.
3/19	40	Debbie Gibbs, retired Lifeshare PR manager and former newspaper & television reporter/first African American female news reporter at WBTV; and Tonya Rivens, TV, radio and Sheriff's Office PR
3/12	36	Women who make a difference in the political arena in Charlotte: Martha Alexander, Mary Klenz, Sara Spencer, Jan Valder
3/5	48	Keysha Walker Taylor, Chair of the African American Community Foundation, and Qiana Austin, vice president and scholarships program officer for the Foundation For the Carolinas.
2/26	42	Chettie Martin, Dr. Diane Bowles and Everett Blackmon, all from JCSU, on Charlotte’s west side
2/19	68	County Commissioners Chairman George Dunlap & Sheriff Garry McFadden
2/12	45	Dedrick Russell, Ken Lemon and Brittney Johnson from the Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists (CAABJ).
2/5	48	Jesse Cureton, executive vice president and chief consumer officer, Novant Health
1/29	32	Robin Tolliver-Ayotunde, president and managing director of Tolliver Grey Partners insurance agency
1/22	35	C.N. Vakala on the millennial Forum spinoff TheAgenda, and Vakala's work as a cultural strategist via AVATAR Academy Inc.
1/15		NO Forum: Tuesday is the date of birth of Martin Luther King Jr. A wreath-laying ceremony is at Marshall Park at noon. Other MLK celebrations are Saturday, Jan. 19 through the federal holiday on Monday, Jan. 21.
1/8	32	City Council member James Mitchell on decision by CIAA to take tournament to Baltimore. There will be no livestream of this Forum.
1/1		No Forum on New Year's. The first meeting of 2019 is on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

 

Date	Attending	Speaker
2018
12/25		No Forum
12/18	62	Christmas Party
12/11		MEETING CANCELLED due to winter storm.
12/4	46	Munro Richardson, Read Charlotte
11/27	34	Open Forum and planning session for 2019 speakers
11/20		No Forum; Thanksgiving
11/13	40	Parental Involvement: Sheila Pelter on single male parents; and Betty Gray, consultant on NC NABSE Affiliates Organization
11/6		Election Day; No Forum.
10/30	33	Soil & Water Conservation Board candidates.
10/23	No count	County commissioner candidates with an opponent; (No live stream today).
10/16	No count	N.C. legislative candidates with an opponent; (No live stream today).
10/9	46	Judicial candidates with an opponent.
10/2	42	Panel discussion on District Attorney's office initiative: Spencer Merriweather, district attorney; Sgt. Craig Varnum, domestic violence unit, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department; Laura Lawrence, chief legal counsel, Safe Alliance; Rashida Gittens, business operations analyst, Duke Energy.
9/25	48	Jean Leier and Warren Cooksey on mechanics of I-77 Express Lanes opening by years's end: how to use them, the initial toll rates and how tolls will be collected.
9/18	68	Mayor Vi Lyles, Fire Chief Reginald Johnson and Community Relation Director Willie Ratchford about the Florence recovery effort that begins Tuesday.
9/11	43	Juanita Miller on Changed Choices.
9/4		No Forum
8/28	44	Adam Sotak, public engagement director for NC Child; and Stacey Carless, executive director NC Counts.
8/21	51	Clarence D. Armbrister, president of Johnson C. Smith University
8/14	58	CMPD Chief Kerr Putney, Community Relations Director Willie Ratchford with updates on Jump Start Micro Grant program.
8/7	52	Teddy McDaniel, President and CEO, the Urban League of Central Carolinas
7/31	44	Tonnia Thomas, executive director of the nonprofit, Training to Work an Industry Niche (TWIN), operating training programs under an EPA grant to prepare workers for hazardous waste cleanup and similar environmental work.
7/24	52	Patrick Cannon, David Sharp, CEO of Urban Advisors
7/17	58	Arthur Griffin (Black Political Caucus) and Robert Dawkins (Action North Carolina) on the importance of Civic Engagement.
7/10	45	Know Your Rights interactive video presentation by Mecklenburg  Council of Elders and CMPD Transparency Workshop.
7/3		No Forum
6/26	43	Kareem Puranda on mental health in law enforcement.
6/19	33	Lisa Crawford from N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles about Real ID, to be put into use Oct. 1, 2020
6/12	62	City Budget: City Council member Greg Phipps, Budget Director & City Manager Marcus Jones
6/5	29	Open Forum
5/29	38	Blue Star Mothers of Charlotte/ Fostoria Pierson
5/22	36	Charleston Carter, first African American Trial Court Administrator
5/15	58	Panel discussion and Q&A following screening of “Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope,” Panelists:Rwenshaun Miller, mental health advocate with Eustress; Ericka Ellis-Stewart, education and public policy program coordinator with Mental Health America of Central Carolinas; Victor Armstrong, vice president behavioral health with Atrium Health; and N.C. Rep. Carla Cunningham.
5/8		NO FORUM: May 8 is Primary Election Day
5/1	65	U.S. House 12th District incumbent Alma Adams with an update. Candidates in the May 8 primaries for the U.S. 12th District House seat have been invited.
4/24	48	Henry Rock on National ReEntry Week
4/17	51	Open Forum
4/10	71	CMS Supt. Clayton Wilcox
4/3	65	City Council's James Mitchell
3/27	60	Women who serve: Tamala Bullard, associate director of human resources, Davidson College; LaBecky Roe, retired police officer; Tenea McDonald and Simone Williams, lawyers at McDonald & Williams law firm; and N.C. House Rep. Becky Carney, currently serving on a speaker’s committee about teachers carrying guns in schools; Rep. Carla Cunningham.
3/20	52	Continuing the Forum’s marking of Women’s History Month: Rita Leach, Mecha Café; Tenea McDonald, McDonald & Williams Law Firm; Susan Woods, Susan Woods Nonprofit ConsultingServices
3/13	65	Six women who serve on the bench. Invited speakers for March 13 are Judges Kim Best, Aretha V. Blake, Alicia Brooks, Ty Hands, Tracy Hewett, Rickye McKoy-Mitchell.
3/6	43	Women who serve the elders: Lucy Bush Carter, executive director of meals-on-wheels organization Friendship Trays; Deborah Weeks, executive director of C.W. Williams Community Health Center; and Renee Rizzuti, CEO and executive director, PACE of the Southern Piedmont.
2/27	58	Three people explore why being represented inside governments helps the African-American community. The panel: Christine Edwards, Community Relations Coordinator, Mecklenburg County; Tiffany Waddell, Administrative Management Division Manager, City of Charlotte (Manager’s leadership team); Kelly Little, Program Supervisor, Child Support Enforcement, Mecklenburg County.
2/20	57	Tuesday: Three leaders of area programs serving youth: Kwain Bryant, youth services manager for Career Leadership Academy for Youth (CLAY) program, Goodwill; Azizi Coleman, program director, Piedmont Health Services /Sickle Cell Foundation; Shantiqua Neely, executive director, A Child's Place for kids experiencing homelessness.
2/13	44	Two Charlotte native Young Professional History Makers: Dr. Shanté Williams, inventor of technology solutions in areas ranging from cardiac monitoring to electric vehicles, and founder of investment firm RW Capital Partners, helping other entrepreneurs find working capital; and Lambert Guinn, assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, prosecuting primarily drug and firearm related cases.
2/6	108	Opening Black History month: A Panel of Black Women “Firsts,” Scheduled to participate: – Beverly Earle, first black female elected to represent a Mecklenburg district in the NC. House. – Vi Lyles, first black female Charlotte mayor. – Dr. Wilhelmenia Rembert, first black female elected to an at-large seat on the Mecklenburg County Commission; first black female to serve as Mecklenburg Commission vice-chair; first black female CMS school board chair. – Ella Scarborough, first black female City Council member; first black female Mecklenburg County Commission chair. – Sarah Stevenson, first black female CMS school board member.
1/30	54	Toni Tupponce and Candice Rorie on regional transportation issues
1/23	45	Tour guide Terri Joelle on the history of Queen Charlotte
1/16	47	City Council District 3 member LaWana Mayfield on Diverse Housing Options
1/9	52	J'Tanya Adams & Partners on "Every One On" Digital Divide
1/2		No Forum
2017
12/26		No Forum
12/19	82	Christmas Party; no live stream
12/12	48	Dr. Yolanda Holmes and staff on CMS "Invest in the West"
12/5	75	Mecklenburg DIstrict Attorney Spencer B. Merriweather III
11/28	55	Robert Dawkins of ActionNC and SAFE Coalition NC police accountability project, on Charlotte Citizens Review Board reforms and tackling Charlotte's rising homicide rate
11/21	34	Open Forum
11/14	39	City of Charlotte attorney Kevin Dick on job opportunities program
11/7		No Forum: General Election
10/31	52	Charlotte mayoral candidates
10/24	47	City Council candidates, Districts 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7
10/17	40	City Council At-Large candidates; District 2 Democratic candidate Justin Harlow
10/10	48	CMS School Board candidates, Districts 2, 4, 5, 6; (2nd Municipal Primary Day)
10/3	48	CMS School Board candidates, Districts 1, 3
9/26	91	CMS Supt. Clayton Wilcox; Vote Yes For School Bonds Committee
9/19	57	Dr. Jessica Schorr Saxe on Improved Medicare for All (single-payer health insurance)
9/12		No Forum: Charlotte Primary Election
9/5	52	Democratic Council Dist. 1 & Dist. 5 primaries; Democratic Mayoral Candidate Joel Ford
8/29	58	Democratic Mayoral Primary
8/22	54	Democratic Council At-Large Primary
8/15	53	GOP Mayoral & GOP Dist. 6 Council primaries
8/8	58	Democratic Council Dist. 2 and Dist. 4 Primaries
8/1	36	LaToya Purvis, head of school of quasi-military charter school UpROAR Leadership Academy
7/25	43	Open Forum
7/18	52	Interim Public Health Director Gibbie Harris
7/11	38	Dr. Betty Howell Gray and others on August Parent Forum in Charlotte, part of the My Brother’s Keeper Program.
7/4		The Forum will NOT meet on the Fourth of July.
6/27		Meg Gibson, Charlotte organization development consultant, on "Take10CLT" initiative focused on increasing community engagement through feedback from residents on how to make Charlotte a better place to live. There will be no live stream today.
6/20	37	Toni Tupponce on community engagement efforts by the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization as it prepares its Metropolitan Transportation Plan for 2045.
6/13	45	Emmanuel “Manny” Ohonme, co-funder with his wife Tracie of Samaritan’s Feet International
6/6	46	Neighborhood Matching Grants Program: Philip Freeman, Tommy Burch, Rickey Hall
5/30	48	Braxton David Winston ll, Virtuous Productions; Ryan Emmanuel and Maura Chavez, Charlotte Community Relations
5/23	37	“Chatty Hattie” Leeper, first African-American female on Charlotte radio, in the ‘50s.
5/16	39	Gerald Baucom, Campus Connections Bible Centered Teaching, a nonprofit ministry counseling 10th -12th-graders on educational and scholarship opportunities at historically black colleges and universities.
5/9	39	Dr. Madeline McClenney-Sadler, president, Exodus Foundation
5/2	68	City Manager Marcus Jones’ Budget Proposal: Jones and staff and members of Council’s Budget Committee.
4/25	45	Jay Privette on I-77 toll lanes
4/18	53	Todd Tibbits, YMCA Greater Charlotte
4/11	71	U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, D-NC
4/4	45	Christy Kluesner, Citizens Climate Lobby, Charlotte Chapter
3/28	51	Sherrell Dorsey, host of #BLKTECHCLT, a quarterly event cultivating tech culture in Charlotte
3/21	58	Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County Manager
3/14	72	Colette Forrest, president, Black Political Caucus; Carolyn Logan, president, Black Women’s Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg; Kerry Miller, president, Charlotte Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs; and Corine Mack, president, NAACP Charlotte.
3/7	61	Rachelle Latimer, president and chief diversity officer for TRS&I Group, Inc., consultants on meeting equal opportunity program requirements
2/28	59	David Jessup, Dawn M. Hill, and Dr. Yolonda Holmes on April 20 Charlotte Career Discovery Day at Park Expo.
2/21	63	Clerk of Superior Court Elisa Chinn-Gary
2/14	61	Jacqie McWilliams, CIAA Commissioner
2/7	108	Darrell Allison, President, Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina
1/31	41	Willie Ratchford on officer-involved shooting
1/24	59	Dr. Ronald Carter, Johnson C. Smith University
1/17	61	Nakisa Glover of the Hip Hop Caucus on Community Engagement
1/10	75	Tiffany Capers, Charlotte Post Foundation on its Black Lives Matter programs
1/3	71	Willie Ratchford, Community Relations executive director, with "a facilitated dialogue related to the officer involved shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott and the subsequent community reaction, including the 'Letter of Commitment' signed by over 2,000 people and City Council 'Letter To The Community.'"
2016
12/27		No Forum
12/20		No Forum
12/13	73	Christmas Party
12/6	41	Stewart Creek & Commonwealth Charter Schools
11/29	45	Community Relations Committee's Council of Elders
11/22		No Forum; Happy Thanksgiving!
11/15	57	Patrick Graham and Charlotte Works staff on Workforce Systems and Opportunity Pathways
11/8		No Forum: Election Day
11/1	35	Judicial candidates; any other candidates on the ballot and in the room who have not presented earlier; selection of Forum Grants Committee
10/25	37	Judicial candidates Vince Rozier, Bob Hunter, Ben Thalheimer, Aretha Blake, Tracy Hewett.
10/18	71	State and Federal candidates: Alma Adams, Dan Blue, Linda Coleman and Leon Threatt. Also Community Relations Committee Council of Elders.
10/11	51	State Auditor candidate Chuck Stuber; Soil & Water Board; Bea Thompson
10/4	50	County commissioner candidates
9/27	47	N.C. General Assembly candidates
9/20	56	N.C. General Assembly candidates
9/13	54	Connie Green-Johnson, N.C. House 105; Peter Noris, N.C. House 104
9/6	70	CMS Supt. Ann Clark
8/30	47	Chris Jackson of Goodwill Industries; Caroline Chambre Hammock of Urban Ministry Center on Housing First & Moore Place Expansion
8/23	46	Charles Thomas, Program Director for Knight Foundation Charlotte; and Helen Kimbrough on Reading Partners.
8/16	49	Tom Hanchett on History South
8/9	53	Delores Johnson Hurt, League of Women Voters; open Forum on Black Lives Matter.
8/2	78	CMPD Chief Kerr Putney.
7/26	59	The Americans with Disabilities Act; Erin Oliverio, City of Charlotte tree canopy manager, on public input phase of city’s master plan for trees.
7/19	60	Jess George, Google Fiber; and Munro Richardson, executive director of Read Charlotte
7/12	51	Christopher Dennis, founder of E-Fix Housing Solutions and president of Community Dream Builders, a nonprofit; and Bernice Feaster, founder of college and scholarship consulting service The Scholar Mom.
7/5		NO FORUM; Fourth of July
6/28	51	Medical and mental health service professionals.
6/21	71	Housing Authority CEO Fulton Meachem, and Ken Szymanski from the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association
6/14	76	Three groups vying for Brooklyn Village redevelopment contract
6/7	35	Open Forum
5/31	57	9th, 12th District Congress, Republican and Democratic candidates
5/24	44	Yolanda Polk and Kenston Griffin from Dream Builders Communication, Inc. and Mario Jovan Shaw and Jason Terrell from Profound Gentlemen, the nonprofit ”dedicated to improving the quality of education for boys of color by ensuring they have consistent role models of success in male educators of color.”
5/17	33	Eric Montgomery on estate planning; and Elana Congress on Care Ring’s Nurse Family Partnership, Low-Cost Clinic, Physicians Reach Out and Marketplace health insurance.
5/10	68	County Manager Dena Diorio and county executives Christine Edwards, Peggy Eagan, Charles Bradley, Dr. Marcus Plescia and Joan Kennedy.
5/3	43	Charlotte City Budget: Council member Greg Phipps, City Budget Director, other staff Director
4/26	37	Debra Weeks and staff, C.W. Williams Community Health Center
4/19	46	Pastor Hamani Fisher, City Dive Outreach Center, and Colin Pinkney, Executive Director of The Harvest Center of Charlotte, on community involvement.
4/12	43	Tamika Lewis, Robert Dawkins on engaging youth in improving their neighborhoods
4/5	47	Maria Macon's Young Entrepreneurs Network members
3/29	53	Open Forum
3/22	46	Bonita Caldwell, president of Beatties Ford Memorial Gardens; and Dorothy Counts-Scoggins.
3/15	52	CMS Supt. Ann Clark and Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Public Schools Foundation Executive Director Sonja Gantt.
3/8	57	Blanche Penn, child advocate; and Lucy Bush Carter, executive director of Friendship Trays.
3/1	63	FOR MALACHI: Bring your stories about the works and wonders and foibles of the beloved Malachi Greene, who died Feb. 25.
2/23	49	Elisa Chinn-Gary, Clerk of Superior Court; Wilhelmenia Rembert, former school board chair; Queen Thompson, first African-American social worker for Union County.
2/16	67	Harvey Gantt, former Charlotte mayor; Harry Jones, former county manager; Steve Crump, video journalist; Ron Leeper, RJL Construction; Leon Miller, city diversity officer, interim Board of Elections chief
2/9	66	CMS staff on Student Assignment Survey; (FYI, five mayors from cities in Albania will attend the Forum as part of International House’s Citizen Diplomacy Program.)
2/2	54	Juanita C. Miller, retired FBI trailblazer; Carolyn Green Logan, first African-American female state trooper for the N.C. Highway Patrol, Also: Ken Koontz, advocate of creating an African-American agenda.
1/26	59	African-American Women who went First: Sarah Stevenson, school board; Ella Scarborough, county board; Beverly Earle, N.C. House; Joyce Waddell, N.C. Senate
1/19	94	Chief Public Defender Kevin Tully; OneMeck: Barry Sherman, Carol Sawyer, Rosalyn Allison-Jacobs, Kalya Romero, Justin Perry. First meeting at Belmont Center, 700 Parkwood Ave.
1/12	67	CIAA staff. Last meeting at Ivory Baker Recreation Center.
1/5	52	Patrick Graham for the Urban League of Central Carolinas

 

Date	Attending	Speaker
2015
12/29		No Forum
12/22		No Forum
12/15	102	Annual Christmas Party
12/8	62	Alysia Osborne, Historic West End Initiative; Legislative delegation
12/1	52	Dr. Deborah Walker: "Diversity, Multiculturalism, Equity, and Inclusion: Defining Moments"
11/24	48	Economic Opportunity Task Force (Dee O'Dell, Ophelia Garmon-Brown and Carol Morris); Brenda Robinson, first African-American female Navy pilot
11/17	33	Open Forum
11/10	66	County Manager Dena Diorio; assistants Mark Foster (Financial Services) and Anthony Trotman (Health & Human Services), and Peter Zeiler, director of economic development. Also: Terrell Ivory, assistant director of admission and head basketball coach at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass.
11/3		NO FORUM: Election Day
10/27	50	Mayoral candidates Jennifer Roberts and Edwin Peacock
10/20	32	Sean Garrett, Director of United Way.
10/13	45	City Council district candidates
10/6	38	Forum meets with City Council At-large candidates; Primary runoff
9/29	50	Primary runoff candidates Jennifer Roberts and Dan Clodfelter
9/22	47	Ken Simmons on "Another option to Improving the Educational Performance of Poor and Inner-city Youth in Mecklenburg  County"
9/15		NO MEETING: municipal primary today
9/8	59	CMS school board at-large candidates
9/1	67	City Council district candidates with Sept. 15 primaries
8/25	54	Remaining At-large City Council candidates
8/18	82	At-large City Council candidates
8/11	64	Charlotte mayoral candidates
8/4	70	Police Chief Kerr Putnam; Charlotte mayoral candidate Michael Barnes
7/28	50	Business owners Keith Haywood and Carolyn Mason
7/21	54	Transit Finance working group update and CATS 2030 Transit Corridor Plan
7/14	35	Mecklenburg GOP: Curtis Watkins, Derek Partee, Ty Turner
7/7	47	Munro Richardson, Read Charlotte
6/30	40	Don Jonas, CareRing; Joyce Brooks, Charlotte Community Health; Susan Royster, NC Med Assist
6/23	36	Laura Clark on Renaissance West at old Boulevard Homes site
6/16	64	District Attorney Andrew Murray; CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe
6/9	45	Steve Partridge and Danielle Frazier, Charlotte Works
6/2	42	Matt Newton, Mecklenburg County Democratic Party; Cozzie Watkins, 12th District; Zach Deaton, 9th District.
5/26	32	Ericka Ellis-Stewart, Sal Caraco & Sheila Wall-Hill, Mental Health America of Central Carolinas (formerly the Mental Health Association) on ParentVOICE program and Suicide Prevention trainings for Mental Health Month.
5/19	48	Darrell Gregory, Juvenile Justice, PAL, Mayor's Mentoring
5/12	42	Google Fiber
5/5	52	Warren Cooksey, Jean Leier, Tamaka Thornton on I-77 express lanes; Kim Eagle and Greg Phipps on City Budget
4/28	43	Commissioners with county update
4/21	29	Azizi Coleman, Piedmont Health Services & Sickle Cell Agency
4/14	43	Dale Mullennix on 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness; Tom Hanley, Commonwealth High School
4/7	76	Mecklenburg Legislative Delegation
3/31	36	Debra Weeks, CEO and board chair William Walton, CW Williams Community Health Center
3/24	73	CMS Supt. Ann Clark
3/17	34	Connie Sessoms, Jr,. CMS Driver’s Education
3/10	64	Mary McCray, CMS Board of Education chairperson
3/3	63	Ken Koontz, retired TV journalist
2/24	28	Chamber of Commerce President Bob Morgan
2/17		Forum cancelled due to winter storm.
2/10	63	George Metz Jr., Tamara Hundley, Dr. Daisy Walker
2/3	60	Corine Mack, new NAACP chapter president
1/27	67	City Manager Ron Carlee
1/20	36	Open Forum
1/13	64	Belk Foundation on program to have all children reading well by 3rd grade
1/6	42	Desmond Wiggan, Doris Taylor, Primerica Financial Services
2014
12/16	54	Christmas Party.
12/9	28	Beatties Ford Road median
12/2	42	Open Forum
11/25	58	CMS board members Mary McCray, Tim Morgan, Ericka Ellis-Stewart, Joyce Waddell
11/18	48	Terry Ellington, Carolinas Care Partnership
11/11	53	Open Forum
11/4		No Forum: Election Day
10/28	51	Statewide judicial races; Alisha Murphy for Sen. Kay Hagan; Supt. Heath Morrison
10/21	54	Remaining county election contests
10/14	53	At-large County Commissioner candidates; NC Senate 38 Richard Rivette
10/7	42	District County Commissioner candidates
9/30	65	Bond and sales tax questions on ballot; I-77 toll lanes proposal
9/23	53	N.C. Senate candidates
9/16	NA	N.C. House candidates
9/9	54	Judicial candidates on the November ballot
9/2	49	Maria Macon on Young Entrepreneur Network
8/26	57	Marc Friedland, Democratic Party chair; Lisa Barnes & LaTarzja Henry on CMS discipline
8/19	43	Darrell Gregory, Juvenile Crime Prevention Council; Malcolm Graham, JCSU Indaba
8/12	56	N.C. Sens. Joel Ford, Malcolm Graham on legislative changes made to the 2013 N.C. Budget.
8/5	33	Warren Cooksey, outreach director for N.C. Dept. of Transportation District 10, ex-City Council member
7/29	NA	Denada Jackson on Westfest and an update on Project L.I.F.T.
7/22	50	Open Forum
7/15	28	Gantt Center's Aisha Strothers & Jonell Logan; Valaida Fullwood
7/8	32	Open Forum
7/1	60	Trevor Fuller on sales tax vote; Thomas Hanley, principal, Commonwealth High School, a new charter
6/24	27	Open Forum
6/17	36	Megan Boler, League of Conservation Voters
6/10	36	Open Forum
6/3	73	CMS Supt. Heath Morrison
5/27	31	Charlotte Budget Director Randy Harrington, council members Phipps, Driggs & Mayfield
5/20	38	NC Court of Appeals candidate Lucy Inman; Open Forum
5/13	71	County Manager Dena Diorio's Budget Roadshow.
5/6		No Forum. Primary Election Day.
4/29	41	James Ford, N.C. Teacher of the Year.
4/22	51	Primary election candidates: Antoine Ensley, Dondhi Burrell, Vince Coakley, Curtis Osborne;    (Candidates to succeed NC Sen. Dan Clodfelter: Amelia Stinson-Wesley, Darrell Bonatpart)
4/15	49	C.W. Williams Community Health Center: Laura McClettie, Leon Burton, Mark Bason
4/8	65	12th District Congress candidates: George Battle, Malcolm Graham, Archie Threatt
4/1	52	Remaining primary candidates. Attending: Vilma Leake, Irwin Carmichael
3/25	68	Jonathan Sink, Akeshia Craven-Howell and LaTarzja Henry from CMS on NC charter school law
3/18	65	At-large County Commissioner candidates, plus any other candidates attending
3/11	37	Sandra Clory on Ethopian Jews; Millard House on New Leaders
3/4	46	T.D. Elder and Vivian Herron, among Mecklenburg's first public health nurses.
2/25	45	Arthur Griffin, Sarah Stevenson on school issues
2/18	29	MEETING at Wallace Pruitt Rec Center at Bruns Ave. Elementary for Heritage Exhibit
2/11	28	Anna Hood, Fannie Flono
2/4	42	T'Afo Feimster, Latibah Collard Green Museum; author Dr. Gyasi Foluke; photographer Greg McMurray.
1/28	28	Shah Alam, Patrick Chang on Charlotte microlender Grameen America.
1/21	38	Open Forum
1/14	53	Commissioners Chair Trevor Fuller; Carmen Blackmon of Above and Beyond tutoring program.
2013
12/17		Annual Christmas Party
12/10	37	Open Forum
12/3	38	CMS West Supt. Allen Smith
11/26	NA	Harry Jones
11/19	31	Open Forum
11/12	34	Susan Royster of NC MedAssist, Laura McClettie of C.W. Williams Community Health Center.
11/5		No Forum; General Election.
10/29	56	Supt. Heath Morrison; Charlotte mayoral candidates.
10/22	46	District Charlotte City Council candidates.
10/15	48	At-large Charlotte City Council candidates.
10/8		No Forum: 2nd Primary Election Day
10/1	58	School board district candidates in Districts 1, 5 and 6.
9/24	42	School board candidates in District 2 and 4.
9/17	47	Yana Symone Smith, vice president, Teach for America; Chiquitha Lloyd, administrator of CMS's Minority, Women, and Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) Program; and Eric Watson, executive director, Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council.
9/10		No Forum: Primary Election Day
9/3	68	Democratic candidates for mayor
8/27	58	GOP mayoral and GOP City Council contests on the Sept. 14 primary
8/20	63	City Council candidates at-large and District 4
8/13	NA	New Generation of African American Philanthropists
8/6	48	Charlotte Mayor Patsy Kinsey
7/30	NA
7/23	39	Chef Barry Francois, Queen City Mobile Market with Friendship Gardens' Henry Owen
7/16	38	Mary Nell McPherson, executive director, Freedom School Partners
7/9	32	Open Forum
7/2	40	Arthur Griffin, former chairperson, CMS Board of Education
6/25	42	CMS West Supt. Allen Smith (Berry, Harding, West Meck); Greater Enrichment Program Ex. Director Bronica Glover; Gantt Center marketer Sharon Holm.
6/18	38	John Hicks, Innervision
6/11	43	Johnson C. Smith University officials on Indaba, a conference for Northwest Corridor residents on July 27
6/4	41	Kaa Ma'at on low-power radio station; Henry Hardy Jr. on support program for offenders after release.
5/28	58	CMS Supt. Heath Morrison
5/21	40	Open Forum: Harry Jones comment, Gantt Center, Housing Partnership, Greensboro conference.
5/14	26	Open Forum discussion of the firing of County Manager; Commissioner Trevor Fuller responded.
5/7	28	Arvis Williams, Mecklenburg Child Support Enforcement; Rep. Rodney Moore
4/30	70	Free Breakfast at Varick Renaissance Center; Brisbane students to report on trip to South Africa
4/23	48	A. Fulton Meachem Jr., CEO, Charlotte Housing Authority
4/16	32	Elon Homes & Schools for Children: Dr. Frederick Grosse, president, Nikki Keith, devt. director.
4/9	36	Damian Johnson, Chick-fil-A Leadercast
4/2	26	John White, former Democratic chair, Precinct 210; Bernice Feaster, college financial aid adviser
3/26	54	Women's History Month, Part 4: CMS Chairperson Mary McCray; Observer Associate Editor Fannie Flono; former assistant city manager Vi Lyles; and CMS Chief Communications Officer Kathryn Block.
3/19	52	Women's History Month, Part 3: Whitni Wilson-Wertz, Junior League of Charlotte president; Dr. Trasha Black, Genesis Project 1 clinical director; Nicole Dean, Belk.
3/12	24	Women's History Month, Part 2:  charter owner Stacy Rose, CMS Title 1 exec Dr. Nicole Priestly, Toni Tupponce, A Sign of the Times of the Carolinas
3/5	26	Women's History Month, Part 1: Geneal Gregory, Karen Gipson, Carolyn Pitts, Cynthia Harris.
2/26	42	CMS COO Millard House, Accountability Officer Frank Barnes, Chief of Staff Earnest Winston
2/19	26	Open Forum
2/12	39	John A. Wall Jr., principal, West Charlotte High
2/5	47	LaTarzja Henry,  CMS Assistant Superintendent for Community Partnerships and Parent Engagement
1/29	57	Eric Guckian, executive director, New Leaders
1/22	26	Sheila Peltzer, Kids Need 2 Parents
1/15	29	Open Forum.
1/8	45	Phyllis Handford, head of StudentFirst Academy Charter School
1/1		No Forum

 

Date	Attending	Speaker
2012
12/25		No Forum
12/18	59	Christmas Party
12/11	33	Beverly Irby on upcoming changes in health care, Medicare and Medicaid
12/4	29	Open Forum
11/27	31	West Charlotte High School Asst. Principal George Harden, Vol. Coordinator Daisy Walker
11/20	29	Gantt Center Director of Advancement Tiffany Graham, Marketing Specialist Sharon Holm
11/13	33	Brandi Williams, Project L.I.F.T.
11/6		Election Day; No Forum
10/30	27	Open Forum
10/23	50	N.C. Governor, U.S. House, Soil & Water, Register of Deeds candidates
10/16	51	Judge candidates
10/9	43	County Commissioner district candidates
10/2	44	County commissioner at-large candidates
9/25	55	N.C. House candidates, Sen. Dan Clodfelter
9/18	32	N.C. Senate candidates
9/11	58	CMS Supt. Heath Morrison
9/4		No Forum during Democratic National Convention week
8/28	42	Steve Partridge, CEO of Charlotte Works, a workforce training and job placement program
8/21	68	Police Chief Rodney Monroe, DNC Host Committee's Dr. Dan Murrey on convention security
8/14	86	Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx
8/7	29	Ben Carroll, Coalition to March on Wall Street South
7/31	37	A'Shanti Gholar, Democratic National Convention coordinator of public engagement.
7/24	33	Democracy NC's Robert Dawkins, Zaina Alsous and Stefan Weathers on get-out-the-vote efforts
7/17		No Forum: N.C. 2nd Primary
7/10	29	Charity Bell, CMS Central Secondary Zone
7/3	44	Denise Watts, Project L.I.F.T
6/26	25	Sam Divine Jr. of Atlanta on "Battlegrounds to Boardrooms: Life Lessons from The Liberian Civil War..."
6/19	47	Michael Barnes and David Howard on city budget and tax-hike plan; JCSU students on Kenya trip; Daks McClettie and Howard Johnson from Johnson's State Farm Insurance agency
6/12	33	Stoney Sellars, president, Technology Project Management Inc.
6/5	28	Delores Reid-Smith, LaWana Mayfield from the MLK Holiday Planning Committee
5/29	37	David Howard, Ruffin Hall, City bond proposal and tax increase to pay for it
5/22	33	Open Forum
5/15	31	Healthcare For All Charlotte on "Improved Medicare For All: Everybody In, Nobody Out."
5/8		NO FORUM -- Election Day and site is in use as a precinct polling place
5/1	42	Judges in May 8 primaries
4/24	34	N.C. Senate primaries
4/17	37	N.C. House primaries
4/10	46	U.S. House 12th, commissioners; James Mitchell on city support for baseball stadium
4/3	36	County commissioner district candidates in May 8 primary
3/27	61	County commissioner at-large candidates in May 8 primary
3/20	33	Dr. Patrick Graham, CEO, Urban League of Central Carolinas
3/13	37	Dr. Gyasi Foluke: Solutions, the conclusion to Feb. 28's "A Scheme Beyond the Dream"
3/6	34	Sadie Jordan with James Jeter, Red Cross donor recruitment representative
2/28	57	Dr. Gyasi Foluke on Martin Luther King: A Scheme Beyond the Dream
2/21	43	Brisbane Academy student presentation on less well-known contributors to Black History
2/14	39	Community resources: NAACP, Democratic Party's African American Coalition, Black Women's Caucus, Black Pol. Caucus
2/7	57	Aisha Dew, Meck. Democrats; Vi Lyles, DNC Host Committee
1/31	42	Jean Desravines, CEO of New York-based New Leaders
1/24	38	Carolina Bonilla, Jenny Wade, Anuvia Substance Abuse Prevention & Recovery Center
1/17	65	Ericka Ellis-Stewart, Mary McCray of CMS School Board
1/10	43	Queen Thompson on 'Let's Have A Talk' program to help teens know expectations at malls
1/3		No Forum
2011	Attending	Speaker
12/27		No Forum
12/20	70	Christmas Party
12/13	26	Open Forum
12/6	25	"Rai" Glover, owner of Vigilant Healthcare Staffing, a home care agency
11/29	27	Tyler Ream, Charity Bell, CMS Central Zone
11/22	35	Stephán "Coach Q" Askew, Q Foundation
11/15	43	Denise Watts, Project L.I.F.T.
11/8		No Forum : Site in use for ELECTION DAY
11/1	36	Valaida Fullwood, Charles Thomas on new book "Giving Back"
10/25	34	School board candidate Darrin Rankin
10/18	51	Charlotte Mayor candidates
10/11	27	City Council District candidates
10/4	25	Pam Jefsen and Sherry Waters-Wilson, McCreesh Place
9/27	43	At-large City Council candidates
9/20	27	Open Forum
9/13		No Forum; city primary election
9/6	28	City Council candidates
8/30	48	Denise Watts, Project L.I.F.T.; Annette Taylor, N.C. Center for Women in Public Service
8/23	61	City Council candidates
8/16	28	School board candidates Bumgarner, Scher; City Council candidate Claire Fallon
8/9	43	School board candidates Dashew, Ellis-Stewart, McCray, Morgan, Plotseneder, Pomis.
8/2	36	Brandi Williams, Jason Farafooei, Crossroads Charlotte
7/26	66	School board Chair Eric Davis, Interim Supt. Hugh Hattabaugh
7/19	31	Brenda Hayden, Builders of Hope
7/12	50	UNCC's Roslyn Mickelson on education research; Dan Murrey on 2012 DNC Convention
7/5		No Forum
6/28	38	N.C. legislators Kelly Alexander, Charlie Dannelly, Beverly Earle, Rodney Moore
6/21	27	Pat McCoy, Action NC on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid
6/14	26	Araminta Johnston, author of "And One Was A Priest" about a Mississippian acting for racial justice
6/7	28	Frank Parker, Barbara Edwards Parker, Lonnie Davis for the Jazz Arts Initiative
5/31	26	Rev. Marty McCarthy on Regents Schools; Robert Dawson & Democracy NC interns on N.C.legislation
5/24	36	Open Forum
5/17	34	Joe & B.B. DeLaine, Tom Hanchett commemorating Briggs v. Elliott and Brown v. Board
5/10	30	John Maye, Save Our Schools for "Five for 55" coalition on school funding
5/3	22	Open Forum
4/26	41	Richard "Stick" Williams for CMS Investment Study Group
4/19	23	Torrey Feimster on March of Dimes Walk; Feimster and Malcolm Graham on JSCU corridor initiatives
4/12	23	Cheryl Emmanuel on Seeds of Wellness Walk; Mary McCray on pay-for-performance
4/5	20	Mecklenburg Acts: Pamela Grundy, Carol Sawyer, Louise Woods
3/29	38	Women who broke barriers: Fannie Flono, Shirley Fulton, Vicki Hamilton, Gail Sloan, Clara Williams
3/22	38	Candidates for Chair of the Mecklenburg Democratic Party
3/15	29	Center for Community Change, Washington, D.C.
3/8	28	Robert Dawkins, Democracy NC, on state and local redistricting following Census 2010
3/1	30	Get Real 2011 discussion facilitated by Crossroads Charlotte
2/22	75	Celebrating Black History with a number of Charlotteans who broke barriers
2/15	42	Janet Cowell, N.C. Treasurer
2/8	27	Tracy Russ, Crossroads Charlotte; Cindy Montgomery, Charlotte Observer
2/1	36	Terry Ellington, Carolinas CARE Partnership on AIDS
1/25	46	Mike Raible, CMS Executive Director for Planning and Project Management
1/18	47	Charlotte Housing Authority CEO Charles Woodyard
1/11		Forum cancelled due to snowstorm
1/4		No Forum
2010	Attending	Speaker
12/28		No Forum
12/21		No Forum
12/14	44	Annual Party
12/7	34	UNCC Prof. Elizabeth Racine, Health Dept.'s Alison Mignery, Food Policy Council's Marilyn Marks
11/30	25	Open Forum
11/23	24	Sadie Jordan on Sickle Cell Disease
11/16	48	Cheryl Emanuel, Health Disparity Initiative; Arthur Griffin, former CMS board chair
11/9	30	Robin Emmons on screening of movie "Fresh" Tuesday night
11/2		No Forum: General Election Day
10/26	51	All county commissioner candidates on Nov. 2 ballot
10/19	50	All legislative candidates on Nov. 2 ballot
10/12	61	Board members and Supt. Peter Gorman on CMS Comprehensive Review
10/5	47	Sheriff, District Attorney
9/28	35	Senate 40: Malcolm Graham, John Aneralla; Senate 37: Dan Clodfelter; House 99: Rodney Moore, Michael Wilson (invited); House 106: Martha Alexander
9/21	28	NC House and NC Senate candidates
9/14	40	Mecklenburg District Court Judge candidates
9/7	25	Genesis Project
8/31	49	Open Forum on solutions to education issues, a follow-up to the Aug. 24 session
8/24	38	Ken Simmons, education committee of the NAACP [First Forum to begin at 8:30 a.m.]
8/17	14	Open Forum
8/10	23	Laura McClettie, U.S. Census
8/3	39	CMS Board Chair Eric Davis, Vice Chair Tom Tate
7/27	34	Carlenia Ivory, Jeri Haigler about CMS's Parent University
7/20	20	Open Forum
7/13	15	Marilyn Marks, Society of St. Andrew gleaners
7/6	15	Blanche Penn's Winners PLUS Agency along with the Silver Fox Senior Cheerleaders
6/29	55	CMS board members Joyce Waddell and Richard McElrath
6/22		No Forum: 2nd Primary Election Day.
6/15	35	Ron Shepherd, Maurice Jones, vocational education
6/8	21	Ken Koontz; Rev. Geoff Lowson, New Castle, England; Darryl Bego, Youth Development Initiatives
6/1	23	Friendship Trays' Lucy Bush Carter and Slow Food Charlotte on their garden partnership
5/25	38	Carolyn Flowers, CEO, Charlotte Area Transit
5/18	28	Kim Dickerson, Freedom School Partners
5/11	67	CMS Assistant Supts. Curtis Carroll and Tyler Ream
5/4		No Forum: Primary Election Day
4/27	48	Judges in May 4 primaries; Sheriff candidates in May 4 Democratic primary
4/20	32	House Dist. 101 Primary: Rocky Bailey, Beverly Earle; Dist. 102: Becky Carney, Ken Davies, Kim Ratliff.
4/13	37	Senate Dist. 40 Primary: Malcolm Graham; House Dist. 99 Primary: Rodney Moore
4/6	29	Legislative primaries: NC Senate 37 GOP (Vince Coscia, Morgan Edwards); NC Senate 40 Dem (Malcolm Graham, John Montgomery)
3/30	88	CMS Supt. Peter Gorman and Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones
3/23	40	County Commissioner candidates involved in May 4 primaries; legislators on voting record documents
3/16	70	Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx
3/9	27	Al Austin, McCrorey Branch YMCA
3/2	42	Police Chief Rodney Monroe
2/23	44	Members of the Mecklenburg delegation to the N.C. Legislature
2/16	31	Watched Reggie Bullock's Internet video, "A War For Your Soul"
2/9	30	B.B. DeLaine on Brown, the sit-ins, CMS desegregation and the ongoing fight against all discrimination
2/2	47	Elected officials from school board, City Council, County Commissioners and N.C. House
1/26	24	Open Forum which developed questions to be addressed by N.C. legislators at a future meeting
1/19	27	Alvin Wallace, Youth Empowered to Bring Change
1/12	36	Annual Forum Party
1/5	31	Sharon Wright, RISE gang prevention and career education program at Garinger High

 

Date	Attending	Speaker
2009
12/29		No Forum
12/22		No Forum.
12/15	27	Vincent King, First Tee; Tayuanee Dewberry, Right Moves for Youth; Jeremiah Hopes, Center for Hopes
12/8	31	Elijah Watson, Striving Together Achieving Real Solutions; Derrick Long, Police Activities League
12/1	22	Brian Willis, president-elect, 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte, Inc.
11/24	25	Rev. Ricky Woods, pastor of First Baptist West and chair of its Community Services Association
11/17	28	Lawrence Tolliver for the Charlotte chapter of National Black Child Development Institute
11/10	25	Cathy Sheafor, Charlotte Community School for Girls
11/3		Election day. No Meeting. (Site is used as a polling place.)
10/27	28	Charlotte City Council candidates in Districts 6, 7
10/20	39	Charlotte mayoral candidates Anthony Foxx and John Lassiter
10/13	32	Charlotte City Council at-large candidates
10/6	22	CMS school board candidates from District 6
9/29	49	U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, 11th District
9/22	41	CMS school board candidates from District 3
9/15		City Primary Election. No Meeting. (Site is used as a polling place.)
9/8	37	CMS school board candidates from District 1, 2
9/1	27	Charlotte GOP mayoral candidates Martin Davis and John Lassiter
8/25	36	City Council District 2, District 5 and some At-Large Democrats unable to be at Aug. 11 Forum
8/18	37	City Council At-Large Republican candidates
8/11	30	City Council At-Large Democratic candidates
8/4	50	CMS Supt. Peter Gorman
7/28	11	Visit to Harambee! hour at Freedom School, Johnson C. Smith University
7/21	39	Curtis Carroll, CMS Area Superintendent for the Achievement Zone
7/14	17	Open Forum
7/7	34	Roslyn Jacobs and Kathy Ridge, Mecklenburg Citizens for Public Education: local, U.S. education trends
6/30	31	Ken Simmons on education of children in CMS, from a black educator's perspective
6/23	32	Dr. Vernon M. Herron, practicing genealogist, on persons and places of interest discovered locally
6/16	17	Open Forum
6/9	39	Dr. Ronald L. Carter, president, J.C. Smith University
6/2	43	Civil rights attorney Julius Chambers
5/26	24	Mary Nell McPherson for Freedom Schools
5/19	17	Winona Chestnut for Fighting Back, Jennifer DeRue for City Economic Development
5/12	12	Eunice Dudley, CFO of Dudley Products (Power outage forced move to Ivory Baker Center)
5/5	42	County Manager Harry Jones
4/28	26	MIddle School Matters: Claire Tate and Kate Shem, POST; Dena Paulding, YMCA University City
4/21	24	Dr. Trasha Black & Henry Black, Genesis Project; Rhonda Blackmon, Joy Within Enrichment Center
4/14	23	Terry Ellington, Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium; Trish Hobson, Emergency Men's Shelter
4/7	42	Molly Griffin, chairperson, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
3/31	34	Allegra Westbrooks, Magnolia Pickens and other women first to break racial barriers in Charlotte
3/24	33	Mary Wilson, Department of Social Services; Carrie Gibson, project director of "Achieve Together"
3/17	29	Women who broke barriers: Sarah Coleman, Thereasea Elder, Anna Hood
3/10	26	Fannie Flono, Charlotte Observer editorial writer
3/3		No meeting due to icy roads
2/24	23	Charles Woodyard, CEO, Charlotte Housing Authority
2/17	20	Katie Oates on growing food in North Tryon neighborhoods
2/10	24	Ken Koontz, WENS-TV, on inauguration coverage from Washington D.C.
2/3	21	Robert Dawkins, Democracy N.C. on campaign finance reform
1/27	22	John Crawford, Rev. Marty McCarthy on Regents School
1/20	8	Eric Guckian, Executive Director, New Leaders for New Schools
1/13	40	James Ross, recently appointed District 3 school board member
1/6	26	LaWana Mayfield, Grassroots Leadership Mecklenburg Justice Project
2008	Attending	Speaker
12/30		No meeting
12/23		No meeting
12/16	57	Christmas Party
12/9	17	Rev. Melvin Whitley, Stop the Bullet Coalition
12/2	31	Pam Jefsen, CEO of American Red Cross Carolinas Chapter
11/25		No Forum: Thanksgiving Week
11/18	16	Hospice Ex. VP Pam Barrett
11/11	21	Election recap; Martha Gamble Hall
11/4		No Forum: Election Day
10/28	31	NC Senate, Bonds
10/21	19	District Court Judges
10/14	37	NC House, 9th District House
10/7	30	County commission at-large candidates
9/30	48	Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue
9/23	26	Parent University Sue Gorman
9/16	33	Supt. Peter Gorman
9/9	19	Saundra Scales, First Legacy Credit Union; Nancy Stroud, Anita Stroud Foundation
9/2	24	SwannFellowship
8/26	28	New city, county officials: DSS Director Mary Wilson; Assistant City Manager Eric Campbelll; Chief Information Officer Jeffrey Stovall; CATS CEO Keith Parker; presented by Community Relations Committee Director Willie Ratchford; City Manager Curt Walton attended and spoke.
8/19	24	Nutrition Coalition Marilyn Marks Society of St. Andrew Beverly Howard Loaves and Fishes Ron Ahlert Community Culinary School of Charlotte Sibyl Durant Friendship Trays Lucy Bush Carter Friendship Trays
8/12	21	Census 2010 Laura McClettie
8/5	24	CMS magnets: Vilma Leake, Tom Tate, Robbie Kale
7/29	14	United Family Services housing counseling
7/22	46	Police Chief Rodney Monroe
7/15	25	Kevin Vinson, YMCA
7/8	33	Harry Jones, county manager
7/1	20	Ahmad Daniels
6/24	24	Robert Dawkins, Democracy South
6/17	20	No speaker
6/10	25	Joel Ford, Mecklenburg Democratic Party
6/3	62	Supt. Peter Gorman
5/27	22	Marlon Smith, Success By Choice
5/20	23	Ulysses Ford
5/13	20	Alvin Curry
5/6		No meeting: Primary election
4/29	24	9th District Congress
4/22	30	District Court judges
4/15	36	Nathaniel Cooper, Trista Allen, Harold Cogdell
4/8	38	Edy Brotherton, Nick Mackey, Drew Saunders
4/1	36	Mary Richardson, Kelly Alexander, Lloyd Scher
3/25	30	Commissioner District 2 Democratic primary
3/18	21	Commissioner Democratic primary
3/11	23	Toni Tupponce
3/4	27	Colette Jeffries, CMS afterschool programs
2/26	39	West Charlotte High School Gospel Choir
2/19	28	Ken Koontz
2/12	32	Beatrice Thompson
2/5	34	Generation Engage
1/29	38	Malcolm Graham, Vi Lyles, CM3A
1/22	15	Jim Garges, Park and Recreation
1/15	34	Kendrick Gholston, James Matthews, Middle School Matters
1/8	33	Ralph Taylor, Aretha Blake
2007	Attending	Speaker
12/18	48	Christmas Party
12/11	24	Mixed Income Housing Coalition
12/4	28	Nick Mackey
11/27	16	No speaker
11/20	21	League of Women Voters on school funding
11/13	31	Westside Episcopal School
11/6		No meeting: Election Day
10/30	23	Discussion of 11-6 election
10/23	26	At-large City Council
10/16	32	At-large school board
10/9	29	Pat McCrory
10/2	25	Beverly Earle
9/25	22	Dennis Rash
9/18	27	Debra Campbell
9/11		No meeting: Primary election
9/4	17	No speaker
8/28	32	Transit tax repeal advocate Don Reid
8/21	34	City Manager Curt Walton
8/14	17	No speaker
8/7	12	No speaker
7/31	NA	Yolanda Harris
7/24	38	Supt. Peter Gorman
7/17	21	No speaker
7/10	31	City Council members James Mitchell, Michael Barnes
7/3		No meeting

A note on attendance counts

Attendance counts are estimates. The Forum has never asked participants to sign in; a short-lived county demand at Ivory-Baker Rec Center, for signing in by name plus other identifying information, was routinely ignored by attendees.

From 2008 through 2020, attendance counts represent the number of heads counted in real time at Forum meetings. People come and go at Forum meetings, so the following collection system was routinely used: Head counts were generally taken three times, sometimes conducted by more than one person. To the highest head count, six additional persons were added, to account somewhat for the comings and goings. From October 2015, when livestreams began, through March 2021, the number of people watching livestreams was not recorded, so total viewers (combining in-person plus livestream) might be somewhat understated.

From March 2, 2021 through May 10, 2022, the published attendance count combines in-person audience (zero because of COVID), the net participant count from the Webex virtual event, clicks during the meeting on the livestream as published on Facebook and, later, YouTube, and visits to this website’s Forum Live page during the time of the livestream broadcast. Net participant count in Webex means that many people come and go in Webex as well, and their second, third and sometimes fourth sign-ons during a single meeting were not counted.

From May 24, 2022 forward, attendance count will include in-person head count, plus livestream viewers. Initially, the Webex room will be closed. If it is reopened, then a Webex count will return to the weekly attendance figures.