March-April 2018

Meet the Mayor: Vi Lyles

By Angela Lindsay She did it. Last November, Vi Lyles became Charlotte’s first African-American female mayor after a hotly contested race—one which ended with a much more definitive defeat of her Republican opponent, Kenny Smith, than many residents and experts predicted.…
Lifestyle

Learning Language for Fun

By Eren Simpson Learning foreign languages is a family affair for Shylene Santiago and her eight children. When Santiago’s now 10-month-old was born, he was born with a heart condition. Because of his fragility, Santiago decided she needed to quit the workforce and stay home with her son, and find a way to work from home to continue to provide for her family financially.…
March-April 2018

Lessons to Live by for Daughters

By Lashawnda K. Becoats   Being a mother is a gift. You could not have told me that when I was 18 years old, pregnant in high school and uncertain of what my future would hold. Now it’s hard to believe that my three children (two daughters and a son) are adults.…
Lifestyle

Book Explores the Complexities of Black Men Through the Eyes of Local Leaders

By Kallan Louis We are currently witnessing rapid and steady growth in Charlotte. As luxury apartments, retail shops and restaurants have residents flooding back to live in uptown and South End, Charlotte’s historically black West End has remained mostly neglected. The often-mentioned Harvard study on economic mobility — which ranked Charlotte last out of 50 major metropolitan areas on economic mobility — reveals how complex the issues truly are.…
2017 March/April

Pearls of Hope 

By Eren Simpson Photo courtesy of Marissa Joy Kaplan Photography What started as a weekly women’s bible study among friends has evolved into a nonprofit organization that’s expanding its reach beyond the members’ living rooms. In 2013, Katrina McCain and her friends were all attending different churches when they all felt the need for female fellowship opportunities.…
Wellness

Ready to Grow? Ask Yourself This

By Elizabeth Colen Letting go is not always the end; it can be the beginning of something new. I recently went to the wedding of my only son and it was a very emotional event for me.  I’m sure I am not the only mother who has had to “let go”.  …
Lifestyle

Ask Lashawnda: Lifestyle Advice for Everyday People

By Lashawnda Becoats People ask me questions everyday. Sometimes it’s because I’m the editor of Pride magazine. Sometimes it’s because they know I’m a certified life coach. Sometimes people follow my fabulous adventures on social media. I love helping people so I decided to create an advice column based on the questions I get.…