Johnson C. Smith University is launching a series of public events in the Northwest Corridor (Beatties Ford Road) as a way to encourage a “sense of place,” according to President Ronald L. Carter, which will promote a close-knit sense of community. The plan is supported by a $200,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which will be disbursed over the next two years.
The first event will be the Northwest Holiday Soul Celebration, Dec. 6 from 4-6 p.m., immediately preceding JCSU’s annual vespers service.
“By creating a sense of place in the Northwest Corridor, we are increasing connections in Charlotte’s historic West End, bringing together residents, students, faculty and artists,” said Carter. “We hope these events contribute to the ongoing West End renaissance.”
About eight events per year are planned to take place, each featuring a mainstage act of music, spoken word or work by local artists, including emerging and student artists. The celebrations will be outdoors and visible from Beatties Ford Road, a signal that not only is JCSU’s campus open to the community, but is shaped by the community and vice versa. The series is a continuation of the Knight Foundation’s Soul of the Community project.
The steering committee is made up of community leaders such as J’Tanya Adams of Historic West End Partners, INDABA elders and JCSU staff. They hope the events enrich ties and positively impact local businesses as well.
“We want the community to have ownership and input in this series,” said Kelly Musante, a committee member and development officer at JCSU. “This is a vibrant area with a growing arts scene, and by creating a regular hotspot we are adding to the cultural capital of the Northwest Corridor.”
###
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.
About Johnson C. Smith University
Founded in 1867, Johnson C. Smith University is an independent, close-knit urban university located in Charlotte, N.C. It has a growing national reputation for integrating the liberal arts with business, the sciences and technology in ways that empower tomorrow’s diverse entrepreneurial citizens and leaders. Offering 23 fields of study, including a master’s degree in social work, to more than 1,400 students from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds, the university’s excellent academic programs focus on servant leadership, civic engagement and global responsibility. For more information about JCSU, visit
www.jcsu.edu or follow the university on social media sites Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Thursday, December 3rd 2015 at 5:45PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
