Enlarge Diane Schneider, President of the Charlotte AAUW, opened the workshop.

Posted: February 21st, 2012 Carla Hough

In 2009, Jorge Flores-Rojas was convicted of running a sex trafficking ring between Charlotte and Washington, DC. Picking up vans of young women and girls each week, some smuggled directly from Mexico, he would force them to engage in sex acts with as many as 20 men a day. This is not an isolated case.

Due to the active highways and high immigrant population, the FBI has ranked North Carolina as #8 on its list of states to watch for human trafficking. Charlotte, as the largest city between DC and Atlanta, is particularly vulnerable to becoming a hub for such activity. 

On February 18, the American Association of University Women (AAUW), FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office and NC STOP joined forces to present the informative and engaging "Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery" workshop at Trinity Presbyterian Church. 

The morning began with an introduction by Diane Schneider, president of the Charlotte AAUW. Queen Thompson, an AAUW member who served as event chair, wanted to bring local attention to a subject that many don't often think of as occurring in their own neighborhoods. 

"We have learned from history that anytime there's a sore or virus that goes unchecked, it spreads," she said. The topic is one especially important to Thompson, who has served as a social worker for over 44 years.

Keep Reading

Posted: February 20th, 2012 Liz Barrett

On February 15th, the Front Porch grant recipients of 2012, representing 24 local organizations, came together at the YWCA to share stories of how they are building social capital in the community.

The Front Proch program, part of Crossroads Charlotte, awards grants of up to $2,500 to organizations that bring together diverse groups to build trust and realtionships towards a stronger community.

Over the course of the year these 24 organizations implement projects that build community in neighborhoods, schools, and across ethic and economic differences throughout the city. And three times a year, the organizations come together to build community amongst themselves. Charged with the same mission, the organizations share their stories and tips with each other for how they implement their projects. During the learning session the organizations helped each other with challenges and offered their resources, meeting space, connections and technology to better achieve their goal and create a larger impact. Over the next few months, many of these organizations will be out and about building bridges across diversity to strengthen our community. Our events page lists some of the upcoming projects and check back to the bulletin where we'll share their stories.

Posted: February 20th, 2012 Liz Barrett

Once again, Shamrock Elementary has been busy bringing together a diverse community of parents, students, teachers and staff with the help of their 5th Front Porch grant. For the past five years, the PTA of Shamrock Gardens Elementary School has been using funds from Front Porch Grants to bring together a community that speaks five different languages by welcoming parents to join the school in fun, food and games during the evening.

This year, they have already hosted two family nights. On January 27th, they hosted a "Wii Night" and set up nine classrooms with Wii Stations on SMART boards and saw families from multiple race economic backgrounds come out to participate in games and dinner. Pamela Grundy, past PTA President, recounts the details of the night on her blog, Seen From the Rock.

Through these activities, the school sees increased parent participation, increased trust between families and school administration and new relationships emerging between families of the school. They are breaking down barriers, building relationships and creating a real community.

Posted: February 20th, 2012 Lee Howard

It’s hard to know how much of Sunday’s sermon at First Christian Church Them Siu was able to absorb. A native of Vietnam, Siu doesn’t speak much English. But God was in His house, and that was good enough for Siu.

First Christian played host Sunday, Feb. 19, to The Rev. Nicole Massie Martin in a sermon exchange. Massie Martin’s home church is off Beatties Ford Road. She led the congregation in place of the church’s pastor, Jolin Wilks McElroy, who also attended as part of Crossroads Charlotte's Xchange Sermons program.

Massie Martin’s message was an exploration of Mary of Bethany, also known as Mary Magdalene, sister of Lazarus. In her gratitude for Jesus’ raising her brother from the dead, Mary bathed Jesus’ feet in an expensive and aromatic oil. She then swabbed his feet with her hair. It was an act of supplication demonstrated before a household of guests that included Judas.

Judas, the rough equivalent of Jesus’ accountant, perceived Mary’s act as wasteful. The cost of the oil in those days would have been the equivalent of a year’s wages. Judas decried that the oil should have been sold to help provide for the poor. When Jesus and his followers ever did collect money, Judas also was inclined to help himself to the till.

Keep Reading