Enlarge Crossroads facilitator Jatrine Bentsi-Enchill and others listen as Cora McIntosh talks.

Posted: October 21st, 2009 Andria Krewson

About 20 residents of East Charlotte turned out for a Conversations @ The Crossroads session Tuesday at Central United Methodist Church to envision positive steps for a better Charlotte.

Jatrine Bentsi-Enchill and Brian Foreman facilitated the session, with a showing of the Crossroads Charlotte movie and discussion about individual and collective steps to move the community towards a more positive future.

Former school board member Louise Woods made suggestions at her table to bring people together in shared social activities. It’s about “creating spaces where people can come together,” she said.

She sat next to Dennis Donahue of Renovatus Church, a Pentecostal church that has renovated movie theaters inside Eastland Mall for church services. The church plans an open house Thursday. He talked about how his church participated in a year of “radical hospitality,” with service in the Villa Heights neighborhood, offering help of any kind to residents of the center-city neighborhood, with no judging.

“Sometimes, when we share our ideas, we inspire others,” noted Foreman during the discussion as he encouraged others to share their thoughts.
Neighborhood leader Diane Langevin noted that making a difference isn’t always easy, and many tasks fall to the same volunteers over and over.
“It’s just so hard to get people involved,” she said.

But she also recalled a recent newspaper story about growing rudeness, and then suggested the community “start on a little step, maybe show a little more courtesy.”

Ideas thrown out by different tables included suggestions that churches work together to solve problems and to build social connections and capital, individuals at the meeting commit to get together for dinners and other social activities, and people keep networking to share information and connect individuals with opportunities.

“It’s not about money, it’s just about getting to know each other,” said Cora McIntosh, reporting out some discussions at one full table. Later, she explained that giving money to help someone else isn’t enough; people need to get to know each other.

“It’s about this,” she said, gesturing to indicate face-to-face, eye-to-eye interaction.

Bentsi-Enchill wrapped up the session by pointing out further opportunities for next steps, including more conversations and specific organizations reaching out to East Charlotte:

Central Piedmont Community College has begun a 21st Century Literacy initiative, to connect volunteers, foster understanding of cultural diversity and improve literacy;

The Levine Museum of the New South offers a program for teenagers called “Turn the Tables,” to increase cross-cultural understanding;

The YMCA has begun a Charlotte East Collaboration initiative to get people together to create a theory for change that is sustainable and replicable.

Want to attend a future Conversations @ The Crossroads?

Beyond Festival in the Park: Oct. 29, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., YWCA, 3420 Park Road.

Conversations @ The Crossroads: Nov. 5, 6 to 8 p.m., StorySlam, 1401 Central Ave., Suite 103.

To sign up, check the events tab, or call 704-973-4564.

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