Year: 2026

Featured Story

Maestro Kwamé Ryan’s Symphony of Belonging

January 13, 2026
By John Burton Jr. By the time seven-year-old Kwamé Ryan looked up from his seat at Ontario Place in Canada that summer evening in 1977, his fate was sealed. The Houston Grand Opera’s production of “Porgy and Bess” was unfolding before him — that quintessentially Black American opera about the fictional Catfish Row in South Carolina, love and loss, and Black resilience.…
Featured Story

Moving Forward, but Still Behind: The Silent Crisis  

January 13, 2026
By Shavonda Bean Have you noticed more people openly discussing mental health, chatting about suspected diagnoses or recent therapy sessions? More children approach their parents about evaluations or starting therapy, and parents are responding. This gradual shift of acceptance and openness is monumental in normalizing mental health.…
Featured Story

From Hip-Hop to Jazz: NC Musicians Influence Music Worldwide

January 13, 2026
By Alicia Benjamin These legendary Black men from North Carolina have greatly influenced music worldwide. Representing over 100 years of life, these musicians have elevated the artform of music, not only during their lifetimes, but for generations in the future. Thelonious Monk / Jazz (1917 – 1982) Credited as one of the innovators of modern jazz, Thelonious Monk played with jazz giants Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins and many others beginning in the 1940s.…
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Charlotte Country™ – Agent

January 12, 2026
Created by: Tye Feimster I’m a regional cultural guide agent for Charlotte’s city-meets-country lifestyle, music genre, and regional identity. Connects users to artists, places, and experiences in Charlotte Country™. Let’s get STARTED CHARLOTTE  COUNTRY™  DEFINITIONS Charlotte Country™ (Slogan): A phrase symbolizing the vibrant blend of Charlotte’s urban spirit and authentic Southern warmth.…
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STARVING ARTS®  – CHARLOTTE AGENT

January 12, 2026
Created by: Tye Feimster Starving Arts® (a division of Watch Dog Graphics Inc.) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists by providing charitable contributions, enabling them to sustain their creative endeavors or advance their art careers. Through financial assistance and resources, the organization aims to alleviate the economic challenges artists face, fostering a vibrant community where creativity can flourish.…
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From Hip-Hop to Jazz: NC Musicians Influence Music Worldwide

January 7, 2026
By Alicia Benjamin These legendary Black men from North Carolina have greatly influenced music worldwide. Representing over 100 years of life, these musicians have elevated the artform of music, not only during their lifetimes, but for generations in the future. Thelonious Monk / Jazz (1917 – 1982) Credited as one of the innovators of modern jazz, Thelonious Monk played with jazz giants Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins and many others beginning in the 1940s.…
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features

Finding a Way Forward

January 7, 2026
Malcolm Graham writes about his journey after the Mother Emanuel Church shooting By Angela Lindsay When a young white man walked into the historical Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston under the guise of joining church members in their Bible study and shot and killed nine of them, the shock across the nation was palpable.…