Page initiated April 6, 2016

Nakisa Glover and Vakala volunteered in 2015 to help with Forum operations, and met with Sarah Stevenson and her facilitators one or more times. They developed their ideas for an evening discussion group, and on Jan. 12, 2016 announced at the Forum that they would launch a pilot project on Jan. 19 “to take action beyond the conversation” on the third Tuesdays of the month. Glover called the project “an extension of what we already do in this room” and said the first event would focus on “The Torch: What is it? Who has it? How is it being passed?”

At the conclusion of the announcement, Forum co-founder Sarah Stevenson embraced their effort, saying, “Those are two of my grandchildren.”

Glover and Vakala said they planned to move the event around among minority-owned businesses.

By April 2018 the group had an active Facebook presence, but a live meeting was cancelled, and the group may have dispensed with in-person meetings for a time. Earlier meeting locations:

• 1st Q 2018: Three Spirits Brewery, 5046 Old Pineville Rd.
• 1st Q 2018: @7th Restaurant, 321 N. Caldwell St.
• 4th Q 2017: No settled location.
• 3rd Q 2017: Bullies Sports Bar, 2402 Wilkinson Blvd.
• 2nd Q 2017: Kanvas Gallery & Lounge, 525 E. Sixth St. #117
• 1st Q 2017: The House of LeMond, 3010 Monroe Rd. Suite 103.
• 4th Q 2016: Freshwaters Restaurant, 516 N. Graham St.
• 3rd Q 2016: Mama’s Caribbean Grill, 1504 Central Ave.
• 2nd Q 2016: TCB 54 Hundred Bar & Grill, 5400 Nevin Rd.
• 1st Q 2016: BluNotes, 3425 David Cox Rd.