CLT Blog

Organizing Organizing for America in the Q.C.

2009-07-19T20:04:21Z

Listening Tour organizers listening to a member of the crowd.

Thursday, July 16, roughly 75 people gathered at the Teamster’s Local Union, at 5000 N. Tryon St., to be part of Organizing for America’s Listening Tour.

The purpose, said Lindsay Siler, OFA’s North Carolina director, was “to help them understand what Charlotte’s [OFA] structure should look like,” adding, “It’s about people having a say and empowering all of you to bring change to your community.”

The group is looking for community organizers who are willing to put in 10-20 hours per week to further OFA’s cause. Next month, said Siler, it’s all about heath care.

At the outset of the meeting, Siler thanked the crowd for their hard work during President Obama’s historic campaign. She then mentioned that, since his election, those who volunteered for the Obama/ Biden ticket have felt a little cut off.

“We need some fire from President Obama,” said a woman in the crowd, “There’s not the same acknowledgment of the grassroots efforts. We need him to acknowledge OFA.”

The crowd was divided into seven small groups. Each charged with discussing the following questions:

How should OFA look in our community?
How can OFA connect our national priorities with local issues?
What resources do we have?
What would volunteers like from OFA?

The suggestions?

A Web site, of course. (One man said he’s disappointed the group doesn’t have one yet.)

Some people want to see more town hall meetings and rallies.

Others miss the direct initiatives Obama’s campaign gave them.

Everyone seemed interested in having more unbiased information, straight from Washington and Raleigh.

Shout-outs from the crowd included, “We need facts, not hearsay,” and, “We don’t want he-said-she-said.”

Once everyone had a chance to air their concerns and ideas, Siler said, “Everything you mentioned is doable.” She agreed the most important aspect of the groups infrastructure will revolve around communication.

The group’s next agenda item? Putting together a state-wide plan and installing a regional director in Charlotte. Siler promised the group an e-mail with more details, saying it would arrive in 48 hours. (It hasn’t.)

So far, some small projects are already in the works. They include “Happy hour for health” on Fridays, where members are encouraged to host meet-and-greet gatherings to discuss the latest happenings in the health care debate and President Obama’s current position on the topic.

“Talk on Tuesdays” phone banks are also in the works.

While a couple members of Charlotte’s city council and one of mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx’s team made an appearance, none stayed for the duration of the listening tour stop.

Update:

Siler’s e-mail arrived Sunday afternoon. Here’s what it said:

Listening Tour Attendees,

Thank you for joining Greg and I this past Thursday; we walked away with many great ideas on how we can establish OFA here in NC and more specifically, in the Charlotte area. What we heard loud and clear was that communication must be an essential piece to our infrastructure.

We will work to ensure that your voice is heard in Washington, DC and we will provide you with the talking points, training, and opportunities you need to give voice to the change that you want to see. With that being said, this will be a process in establishing an infrastructure that can meet all of our needs and expectations, so I look forward to working with you. I am certain that together, we can make an effective and sustainable organization here in NC. As we work to incorporate all of the ideas that we gather over the next couple of weeks into the North Carolina plan, we will keep you posted on our process.

As you all know, the President’s top priority right now is health care reform. Folks, the TIME IS NOW to bring true Health Care Reform to our country! In this pivotal time in our country’s history, we’re approaching a rare moment where the collective voice of Americans is needed to guide our country toward a health care solution that positively affects ALL Americans.

As you know, the people of North Carolina have the eyes and ears of some of the most influential policy makers in our nation, so our collective voice is vital. Organizing for America is planning a National Week of Action and is looking to North Carolina to stand up and make their voices heard.

Please consider joining us this week as we take to the streets and the phones to ask our neighbors to join us in this effort. If you are interested in hosting a phone bank (with cell phones!), submitting a letter-to-the-editor or organizing a “Happy Hour for Health!”, please contact Greg at gregorynealjackson@gmail.com.

If you are interested in joining our Charlotte canvass on July 25th, please register at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpf5wh

Thank you and remember, the TIME IS NOW to bring Change to America’s

Health Care!!! FIRED UP AND READY TO GO?!!!! WE ARE!

Look forward to working with you!

Lindsay Siler

Organizing for America | NC State Director

919.218.6755

lindsay.siler@gmail.com

Mayor Pat on FOX Business talking stimulus money

2009-07-17T06:59:58Z

This is McCrory’s second appearance on national TV this week, both times on FOX Business. This time around he talks about the lack of proper distribution and use of stimulus funds, around the country and for Charlotte specifically.

Check out the video below the fold.

watch this video on FOX Business

Creative Crossroads: Studio True opens in NoDa

2009-07-17T16:47:21Z

photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

This is the seventh in a series titled “Creative Crossroads” — where we take a look at the current state of arts and creativity in the city.

After months of hard work, Studio True finally opens in NoDa. John True, and his wife Yvonne, spent the last five months fixing everything from misaligned roofs, to removing walls, to installing new beams and jacking up the floor. The bright red house, located at 34th and North Davidson, is not only John’s studio, but also a gallery open to the public. John and his wife have lived in Charlotte for eight years, having previously resided in many different places from California to New York, “anywhere there is an art market,” says John.

“We’re glad we’re in NoDa,” says John, “it’s nice, there actually is a community here.” In the gallery, John displays mostly abstracts, with some set in stonework. He also has some representational pieces on display, and has pieces of varying size and price. Eventually he wants to expand behind the house, so he can move his studio there and have more room to display art in the gallery. This would also allow him to do stonework on site in addition to painting, and also have room to display some pieces by other local artists. John says his wife Yvonne would love to someday open a restaurant in the area as well.

Be sure to stop by and visit John at his gallery on Friday, July 17th, during the NoDa gallery crawl. Interview and tour of the studio and gallery after the break:

video: James Willamor; view this video on Vimeo

photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

Creative Crossroads: Remembering our past

2009-07-15T12:36:31Z

photo: Bill Fehr; view this photo on his blog

This is the sixth in a series titled “Creative Crossroads” — where we take a look at the current state of arts and creativity in the city.

As the city of Charlotte looks to the future of the arts, we should also take a moment to remember our history. It often seems our grassroots art and artists fall through the cracks, overlooked as the city is ever focused on building bigger, newer, and higher — always looking forward to the next big multi-million dollar cultural project that we think will define us. Justice for one local street artist in particular would have fell through the cracks as well, had it not been for the involvement of an unlikely friend. The story of David Ray Chisholm after the break:

David Ray Chisholm worked as a wielder at his father’s scrap medal business until an explosion in 1989 took his left arm and sent him into a coma for several months. After his life changing ordeal, and while still recovering the following year, David found a passion for art and began painting and studying art at Central Piedmont Community College.

As years passed, David was frequently spotted around the city, from Albemarle Road to Freedom Drive, easily identifiable by his red art cart full of supplies and paintings. David found contentment wandering the streets, making art from scraps discarded by local residents. Pieces of tile and ceramics were often combined with painting to show a Biblical reference or to give an insight into the human condition. He would refuse to accept money for his artwork; instead giving it away to those he befriended along the way. It was a raw, urban art that spoke truth in non-verbal form. It expressed the beliefs that David had discovered while walking the streets of Charlotte. Over the years many came to know and greet him as Brother Ray or The Good Spirit, and he would return their greeting with his slow, signature wave from behind his art cart.

On October 26, 2006, David passed away at the age of 60. He was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he pushed his cart across South Boulevard. Both friends and those who had only seen David in passing donated money so he could have a proper funeral — a funeral that was attended by a former CEO, homeless men, and everyone in between.

Shortly after his burial, mishandled paperwork meant the driver of the vehicle that killed David could have gotten off with just a simple DUI charge, had it not been for the involvement of Bill Fehr. Bill, a Charlotte bicycle messenger, had known David for eight years, and with the two frequently running into each other as they made their way about the city. Several weeks after David’s death, Bill and David’s sister, Debra, sat in disbelief at the administrative court proceeding of the accused. The prosecutor called her name and announced only the charge of misdemeanor DUI on the morning docket, with no record of anyone being killed in the accident. After announcing the docket, the prosecutor asked any witnesses to line up in the back of the room and she would speak to them individually. As Bill recalls:

“I took the print out and told Deb, ‘This is my chance.’ When the Prosecutor stood in front of me I was holding Ray’s portrait against my chest facing her, she said, ‘How may I help you?’ My response was rehearsed but trembling, ‘My name is Bill Fehr, you and the judge are about to prosecute Ms. Aren McCoy for DUI having no knowledge that anyone was killed that night.’ She looked down, saw Ray, then instantly made eye contact with me again and asked, ‘How did he die?’ I did my best to repeat the words of the summarized police report…”

The prosecutor immediately filed an extension. Bill enlisted the help of a lawyer friend, and even briefly met with Mayor Pat McCrory in his quest to make sure justice was served.

Finally, on October 11, 2007, a remorseful and emotional Aren McCoy pled guilty to Felony Death by Vehicle. A year-long ordeal had come to a conclusion. David’s sister, Debra, was quoted as saying, “I’m glad to know that she pled guilty today, and I have released everything and I have forgiven her and I can live on with my life.” Bill recalls, “David would have never sought anything vindictive against Aren McCoy for killing him. It was just not in him. I don’t remember vengeance being a motivation [for me] either. All I remember was truth, which was one of the things David taught me about.” Bill continues, “I just remember being driven by the truth, and wanting the truth to come out.”

After the sentencing, Debra said of her brother, “His painting was a ministry for him. He would paint things and tell people stories about the Bible,” she said. “He would not take anything for them, no money, he would say, ‘With these pieces that you have, you have a piece of me and remember the story I told you.’”

While David’s art is more likely to be seen in an area homeless shelter instead of a state-of-the-art cultural center, his life and art undeniably made an impact on many Charlotteans. I hope we will choose to remember and honor the lives, creativity, and art of David and those like him who deserve to be remembered as a part of our city’s cultural history. Maybe one day future residents will have a statue or mural of David to help them remember that art is sometimes its most real and sincere when it comes from the streets without a price tag.

Below is an interview recently recorded with Bill Fehr, as he recounts his part in the story of David Ray Chisholm. Also, you can read Bill’s story in his own words on his blog, Where on Earth is Bill?

video: James Willamor; view this video on Vimeo

35-year-old BoA Plaza becomes first LEED Gold building in NC

2009-07-09T20:19:12Z

“LEED certification of Bank of America Plaza was based on a number of green design features and operational best practices that positively impact the property itself and the broader community. The sustainability programs successfully implemented at Bank of America Plaza demonstrate how a building constructed 35 years ago can profitably achieve energy and resource efficiency that compares favorably with newer construction.”

2 Charlotte arts groups receiving federal stimulus money

2009-07-09T19:02:40Z

RALEIGH, N.C. Seven North Carolina arts groups will receive federal stimulus money totaling $325,000 that will save nine full-time jobs, two part-time jobs and contracts for 19 artists.

The North Carolina Arts Council said Thursday that the groups will receive the grants through the National Endowment for the Arts. The following groups will receive $50,000 each: American Dance Festival in Durham; EnergyXchange in Burnsville; Greensboro Symphony Society; Museum of the New South in Charlotte; North Carolina Dance Theatre in Charlotte and Penland School of Crafts. The North Carolina Folklife Institute in Durham received a $25,000 grant.

The NEA received $50 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector.

source: AP

Book review: Charlotte North Carolina: A Brief History

2009-07-08T16:16:10Z

Do you ever look around the Queen City and wonder what came before? How did College Street get its name? Have the various neighborhoods always battled for attention? What “nation” does Nations Ford Road refer to? What’s a “ford”? (Hint: It doesn’t have anything to do with cars.) Why do some NoDa houses have such big back yards? And, what’s up with all of the references to hornets?

Local author and historian Mary Kratt knows the answers to all of those questions and more. She should. She’s the author of more than a dozen books about our region’s history.

Mary Kratt at the Mountain Island Lake Library in June

Her most recent book, Charlotte North Carolina: A Brief History will open your eyes to Charlotte’s amazing past.

For instance: The frequent reference to hornets dates back to pre-Revolutionary War days when the citizens of our fair town were compared to a hornet’s nest.

That shouldn’t be a surprise since the city is credited with being the first to give England the finger by way of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Until about a hundred years ago, the date that document was signed garnered more fanfare than the 4th of July. It’s still embroidered on our state flag today.

Did you know the first female doctor in the South lived and worked in Charlotte? She sure did.

How about this: NoDa was a mill village. The backyards are big so they can accommodate a pig pen, chickens and a garden.

Ever wonder about Charlotte’s thick red mud? It may be what saved the city from being burned by General Sherman during the Civil War. He didn’t want to deal with it.

How did Charlotte handle the Civil Right’s Movement? Relatively well, all considered. You’ll have to read the book to find how how well, though.

Mrs. Kratt’s latest book is a quick, delightful read full of black and white photos to help you visualize life in one of the South’s oldest cities.

Published this year, it even includes Bank of America’s purchase of Merrill Lynch and Wachovia’s sale to Wells Fargo. Though, it doesn’t delve into the crisis that led up to it.

That’s how the book works: It gives you enough information to spark your interest and encourage you to seek more knowledge about this place we call home. So, don’t expect a boring walk through every second of the city’s history. There’s simply not enough room in the 180 pages for that much detail.

In my opinion, Charlotte North Carolina: A Brief History is a must read for newcomers and natives alike.

Available for $22-$25 at local bookstores and online, this is one title you’ll want to keep around for future reference.

Creative Crossroads: The short life of Dugg Dugg

2009-07-07T22:35:05Z

photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

This is the fifth in a series titled “Creative Crossroads” — where we take a look at the current state of arts and creativity in the city.

The Dugg Dugg art gallery opened in early April on the night of the first warm spring gallery crawl in NoDa. It would be closed some two and a half months later, a victim of red tape and code enforcement bureaucracy. Yet in its short life, Dugg Dugg showed the Charlotte arts scene something important. It showed us what art could be in the city, and it is a lesson which other galleries and studios should take to heart.

The short life of Dugg Dugg, and its impact on the Charlotte arts scene:

Birth

Iris Williamson (left) and Andrea Brown (right), two of the founders of Dugg Dugg. photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

Dugg Dugg grew from an idea that several young dreamers had about what contemporary art could be in Charlotte. Stephan Monteserin, a local actor and creative spirit, put a great deal of effort into getting the idea off the ground. “Amongst our friends, we’d spoken for years about this kind of place and after a good amount of talk, we jumped in.”

Stephan Monteserin on opening night. photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

After weeks of hard work, the upstairs space of the old mill had become an art space unlike any in the city – one more akin to a gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn, rather than NoDa, Charlotte. As CLT Blog contributor Liz Barrett described it,

“In just two weeks, Andrea Brown and Iris Williamson, young twenty-somethings, transformed this neglected warehouse space, overcoming an inch of dust on the ground, rust-covered toilets and gaping holes in the floor that looked into the laundry mat below. The end result was an unpolished, edgy art space crawling with art-lovers and hipsters sipping wine and enjoying art and conversation on Dugg Dugg’s opening night.”

A crowd packs Dugg Dugg on opening night. photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

Dugg Dugg opened to a packed house, as artists, art lovers, and various creative types turned out to see something fresh and innovative in NoDa. An old mill, once part of the backbone of the city’s economy, sat vacant for years until the upstairs portion was turned into what Stephan describes as “a gallery space for fine art, film, music, and discussion that would elevate and promote the view of challenging art outside of the cities with art monopolies.” He goes on to say, “Charlotte is not on anyone’s art map, yet contains a wide array of people who crave more opportunity to experience great conceptual art, performances, sculptures, installations, and bigger city traveling shows, as well as visiting artists, and a wider array of artists-in-residence from out of town. All are traditionally difficult to find here.”

Life

Buzz from the opening was mostly grassroots and word of mouth, as the gallery received little, if any, mention in traditional media. Over the following weeks, Dugg Dugg hosted various events, including a performance by local comedy troupe Sharazad Improv.

An audience watches Sharazad Improv perform. photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

Chris Crutchfield performs with Sharazad Improv. photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

In May, Dugg Dugg was one of several venues to host Southern Holiday – a weekend-long event which included multimedia installations, experimental music, dance performance, and more. The showing included a performance by experimental musician Andrew Weathers, among others.

A multimedia installation that was part of Southern Holiday. photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

Death

Shortly after Southern Holiday, a noise complaint resulted in a fire marshal thoroughly inspecting the premises. According to Andrea, “We were making steady progress bringing Dugg Dugg’s original location up to the appropriate codes, but unfortunately our efforts did not meet the time frame necessary that our landlord wished. When the fire marshal inspected the building, he brought up an exuberant amount of renovations necessary for the whole building, and it became overwhelming stress on the landlord which caused him to put his full attention on making those changes. The upstairs portion, which we rented, was last on his list to change, thus we were forced to put our plans on hold in that specific location.”

“It’s just rough,” adds Iris. “We were very do-it-yourself. We just survived on donations and using the space for random things. So to shut down for a couple months to fix everything was impossible for us.” And so the old mill will once again be returned to the supervision of insects and weather, waiting to be either reborn at some point in the future, or to be torn down in the name of progress.

Andrea Brown looks out of a window at 36th Street. photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr

Lessons learned

Dugg Dugg showed what was possible in an arts community which appears to have become increasingly focused on pandering to wealthy patrons rather than promoting innovation and experimentation among artists. Much of the established work and galleries is in danger of becoming as stiff and starched as the corporate interests that fund much of the art in this city. Nevertheless, creativity finds cracks in the pavement through which it is sprouting, from Dugg Dugg, to Area 15, to Culture Initiative and others, artists and creative types are making a grassroots push to expand the horizon of contemporary arts. As Liz Barrett said, “NoDa needed this burst of youthful energetic artists to bring it back to its roots.”

“There are a few who promote and push for more in the QC, like the Culture Initiative, the McColl Center, and UNC Charlotte, and commendation I give freely and emphatically,” says Stephan. He continues, noting, “Artistry seems an afterthought here and oft overlooked, but art, as we all know challenges and alters awareness, re-presents our world to us in unique perspectives, and transforms cities from a series of buildings and roads into vibrant and alive spaces. Charlotte will become more than an art appreciating city, but a city known for its art communities and movements as well, if it becomes a priority among artists to push the ceiling higher, and art-lookers to demand a supply.”

“Andrea and I feel like the quality of art made and seen in Charlotte really needs to be amped up. We’re not about art as boutique, or even just for the sake of creative expression. We’re interested in art-making that is about ideas and experimentation,” says Iris. “We learned that Charlotte really needs what we’re doing. It was so beautiful to see community move together towards a common goal. So many people believed in what we were doing, and it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for each individual giving what they had to give.”

The future

“Through the process of finding, cleaning, renovating, and filling a space with a whole load of promise and love, to watching it grow smaller through the rearview mirror, I learned that this is just a first attempt,” says Stephan.

Though Dugg Dugg is now closed, Andrea and Iris still have big ideas for the future of arts in the city. “Charlotte needs to push beyond art as a novelty and gimmick thing,” says Iris. “I feel really strongly about this, and Andrea and I want to continue to do this – somehow, someway.” She goes on to say, “We have some ideas, as far as and art/community/culture magazine, and an online gallery. Andrea and I will probably put on some different events under the Dugg Dugg name. We’ll run some stuff out of the house for a while, and hopefully in the fall we can find a new place for Dugg Dugg.”

When asked about the future of arts in the city, Iris says, “If we can push through these setbacks, we all feel like Charlotte is on the edge of something big – a big movement. I’m excited. But, we’ll see what happens.”

View tour of Dugg Dugg and interview with Iris Williamson and Andrea Brown:

video: Justin Ruckman; view this video on Vimeo

Slideshow from the Southern Holiday showing at Dugg Dugg:

slideshow: James Willamor; view this slideshow on Flickr

Slideshow of the opening of Dugg Dugg and the performance by Sharazad Improv:

slideshow: James Willamor; view this slideshow on Flickr

Vote for Sasie!

2009-07-06T14:35:20Z

video: Justin Ruckman; watch this video in HD on Vimeo

I had the chance to meet up with Sasie Sealy earlier this week, a filmmaker born & raised in Charlotte, now living in NYC. Her film, SarahN_12, is among the top 10 in the Netflix Find Your Voice Competition going on right now, which wraps up public voting on Sunday night. She needs Charlotte to represent!

SarahN_12 is the story of two murders: one in real life and one online. The film deals with issues of ethics & responsibility in virtual realms such as Facebook and World of Warcraft, and their consequences in real life.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Obsessed with finding her boyfriend’s murderer, Sarah Nilson is searching for any clue that might unlock the stagnant investigation – including the password to his virtual game account. When she cracks the code and takes over his online identity, she discovers that his avatar was murdered two days before his real life murder and goes deep inside a world where fantasy mirrors reality and the boundary between the two is sometimes hard to find.

Sasie’s other films have twice won Tribeca, and been shown in festivals around the world

You can get to the Netflix competition website, watch her’s and the other finalists’ trailers, and cast your vote through another website Sasie had made just for the occasion: voteforsasie.com. ~~Voting ends Sunday night though, so get to it!~~

Update: Voting has been extended through Tuesday night. Go vote for Sasie.

Photo from interview at Caribou below the fold.

photo: Justin Ruckman; view this photo on Flickr

Charlotte now 18th largest city in the US

2009-07-02T16:07:41Z

“Charlotte became the 18th-largest city in the country during the year ending July 1, 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Queen City had 687,456 residents, up 2.7 percent from 669,205 the previous year.

Charlotte ranked as the 23rd fastest-growing city in the United States.”

Last year we rose from 20th to the 19th. This year the trend continues. You can view the latest U.S. Census population estimates from census.gov. Read more at the Charlotte Business Journal.