July 16, 2024 GreenLight Fund is a Boston-based organization with funding and a small staff presence in Charlotte and 12 other U.S. cities. Charlotte Executive Director Sam Smith Jr. shared the group's mission by bringing to the Forum leaders of four groups that have been or are now being ... Continue Reading →
Malcolm Graham offers update on economic issues facing city
July 9, 2024 There was talk about minority contracting, facilitating jobs, the Bank of America stadium renovations. All issues that are well within the wheelhouse of the chair of Charlotte City Council's Economic Development Committee. But Malcolm Graham is a district representative on Council, ... Continue Reading →
Fourth of July, 2024
June 28, 2024 Credits: Gerald Johnson, West Virginia Association for Justice, American History Central, slate.com, tunecore. ... Continue Reading →
Accelerators, incubators and coaching for business success
June 25, 2024 Nikita Allen shared some of her experiences coaching owners of small businesses as they grow their businesses and stay focused on what they find most rewarding. Her company is Growmetix. ... Continue Reading →
Housing
June 18, 2024 This morning's Forum livestream failed for yet a new reason. To get the meeting available as quickly as possible, the following video is an unedited version. ... Continue Reading →
Open Forum
June 11, 2024 “Open Forum” has come to mean something special. Anyone wishing to speak is invited to present an issue of public policy that they thinks merits more discussion – or action. The Forum's rules of decorum (no debate; no speaking out of turn; etc.) are relaxed a bit to encourage ... Continue Reading →
United Way needs volunteers to help judge grant applications
June 4, 2024 Tuesday's presenters explored how changes at the United Way have redirected community funding toward the entrepreneurs who are creating new ways to assist some of the community's underserved populations. And to keep the momentum going, the director of neighorhood services for United ... Continue Reading →
How a family business focuses on succession planning
May 28, 2024 The Charlotte Post, "the voice of the Black community since 1906," had a succession of family owners before Gerald and Bob Johnson's father Bill bought the paper in 1974. None of the previous owners kept the paper in their families. Bill had a plan to do so – hilariously recounted by ... Continue Reading →
Navigating services for aging adults and mental health issues
May 21, 2024 At a Forum focused on older adult and mental health issues and the organizations offering assistance, presenters offered wisdom, advice and references to groups that could help. But they also laid on the table the reasons that they were attracted to the difficult social service and ... Continue Reading →
Traveling about town? Consultants are listening for suggested fixes
May 14, 2024 Transparency. Feedback. Fewer promises and more action on previous promises not kept. Serve all people, not just some. Greg Johnson is not new to the city. His company, Orbital Socket, has a city contract to talk to residents and listen to their concerns about “mobility.” The ... Continue Reading →