February 2025 – Pride Magazine

By Dee Dixon Breaking with tradition once again, I traveled to a never-before-visited city during the Thanksgiving holidays. This time it was Detroit, Michigan. Yep. It’s kind of crazy to even consider traveling to “The D” during the winter, but I decided to take my chances and things worked out well.…

Emma S. AllenLives Her Purpose

February 25, 2025

By Brenda Porter-Rockwell Called “The Banker’s Banker,” Emma S. Allen proudly owns that title. After all, she’s earned it after 30 years in banking, running her own financial empowerment business and finally opening the Emma Allen Insurance Agency (State Farm®). More than just dispensing tips on budgeting and insurance, Allen spends her days “living in her focus,” advocating for improved financial literacy in Charlotte’s underserved communities.…

Girls Grow Confidence and LearnSTEM Literacy at Smart Girls HQ

February 25, 2025

By Charles K. Harris Throughout her education and career, Abi Olukeye has been acutely aware of the lack of diversity in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field. Olukeye, a computer science major, explains that during her ascent up the career ladder, each rung seemed to bring more homogeny.…