Charlotte: Many Things, All at Once
Here are two of my favorite photos of Charlotte, which I think say a lot about the city. In the first, a train is stalled on a railroad overpass on North Tryon Street, framing the tall buildings of Uptown. A rusty old boxcar marked "Southern" is in the foreground, a reminder of Charlotte's roots. In the second photo, a Qué Pasa newspaper holder sits outside a Middle Eastern grocery, a typical scene in the multinational, multiethnic, multilingual landscape of Charlottean commerce and media. Charlotte is old and new, provincial and cosmopolitan, Southern and international - all at once.
Tears of Joy at Paw Creek Presbyterian
Sunday May 31 was a red letter day in the Paw Creek community along Mount Holly Road in northwest Charlotte.
Paw Creek Presbyterian Church celebrated its 200th anniversary with a remarkable ceremony. In the centuries old graveyard, new crosses marked the long-forgotten graves of enslaved African Americans who worshipped there before the Civil War.
Meat Pies and Music Connections
Seek out an eatery that serves a particular community and you're likely to get two rewards. One is authentic, down-home food. The other is a glimpse of the community events that bring people together.
The Video Talkback Booth
My internship working with the "Changing Places" exhibit has been enlightening so far. For the past three months, I've scoured through footage from the exhibit's video talkback booth in order to find significant clips from museum visitors. The video talkback booth is an interactive station in the "Changing Places" exhibit that allows museum guests to answer a number of questions about how the transformation of the Charlotte region has affected them. Predictably, the responses have run the gamut from positive to negative. Some guests embrace the influx of newcomers wholeheartedly, while others are noticeably irritated by what they see as an invasion of their city by immigrants from across the globe, as well as transplants from the rest of the United States (New York and New Yorkers seem to always be in the mix).
For me personally, the video talkback booth is fascinating to maintain and update. I am paid to sit in my dark office with a pair of puffy headphones and listen to the concerns, hopes, and fears of complete strangers. What makes the job even more appealing is that the subject matter is important and interesting. If I was in charge of a video talkback booth where folks discussed the advantages and disadvantages of adhesive hooks, I'd be less inclined to show up for work. (I had a job in college conducting phone surveys about the benefits and downfalls of adhesive hooks that sometimes took forty-five minutes to complete . . . seriously).
Food from the Mountains Coming Soon?
So a couple of Sundays ago I was exploring around Matthews and Stallings, right? Yep, that's how exciting my weekends are. Anyway, I came upon this restaurant called Kavkaz, with a picture of mountains on the sign, and a big banner saying "Coming Soon."
Africa Comes to the Queen City
I'm amazed at how many African places are popping up on my side of town, east Charlotte.
Latin America in a Charlotte Mall
My favorite spot in Charlotte right now is Plaza Fiesta mall, a slice of Latin America right at the Carowinds exit of I-77.
Welcome to the launch of the Changing Places website!
I've had the amazing good fortune to work with the Levine Museum of the New South to curate the Changing Places online exhibit and website. But I'm not a staff member at the museum, which means I can tell you what I really think. Here it is: I am constantly impressed by it. We're really lucky to have the Levine Museum here in Charlotte — it's creative, cutting edge, and not afraid to take risks.
