Conversation to explore ‘Two Communities at a Crossroads’

How do Latinos and African Americans in Charlotte get along? They often live near each other and deal with similar issues, do they discuss them, or do the respective communities remain primarily to themselves?

To get a better sense of how these communities deal with these and other questions, the Center for the Study of the New South is sponsoring “Two Communities at a Crossroads: Latinos and African Americans in the South.” This is the second in a series of community conversations about Latino life in Charlotte as part of “Race, Culture and Place: Latinos and the Making of the New South.”

The conversation will begin at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the Palmer Building, 2601 E. 7th Street (formerly Firemen’s Hall). The event free and open to the public, but prospective attendees should register online.

UNC Charlotte’s Center for the Study of the New South is collaborating with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee for the Oct. 21 conversation. The series complements “¡NUEVOlution! Latinos and the New South,” a new, groundbreaking exhibit at the Levine Museum of the New South.

Parking is available at the Palmer Building, and food trucks will be parked there, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Raquel Lynch, chief program officer for Crisis Assistance Ministry, will lead the discussion about the relationship between the two communities. She will be joined by:

• Owen Furuseth, UNC Charlotte associate provost and principal investigator for the City of Charlotte Neighborhood Quality of Life Studies
• Brisa Urquieta de Hernandez, project manager, Department of Family Medicine, Carolinas HealthCare System
• Adriana Galvez Taylor, attorney and specialist on immigration rights
• Janeen Bryant, Leadership for Educational Equity