Our every other week check-in meeting is open to anyone interested in supporting compassionate community response to our most vulnerable neighbors. Meetings are held online every other Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Email LeDayne Polaski for Zoom access code. In addition, if you would like to receive notification when these minutes are posted, please email LeDayne and ask to be added to the Thursday meetings email list.
Want to learn more about we do on our calls? Watch this short video clip!
Click HERE to Access Zoom Recording:
In this Issue:
Opening Reflection
Rev. Rosedale Jones | rosejones1121@gmail.com | 980-230-8395
Founder, Spiritual Director Center for Spiritual Living, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CSLCLT | Website: https://www.cslcharlotte.org/
Rev. Jones led us in a meditation.
1. MeckMIN Updates
A NOTE ABOUT THESE MEETINGS
These meetings are open to anyone or any group interested in promoting the common good in our shared Charlotte-Mecklenburg community.
We do not allow announcements from for-profit groups promoting their businesses or campaigning from political candidates. Beyond that, we don’t have rules for who can speak or what they can share as long as they support our commitments to respectful conversation and the dignity of all people.
Because we have a very wide array of beliefs and understandings within our membership and because we want to keep these meetings open as an open forum, we’re going to add this disclaimer to the minutes: "The views and opinions expressed here are those of the speakers/presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the MeckMIN board or our member organizations."
MECKMIN YOUTH SUMMIT
August, Friday 18 | 12:00 - 9 PM August, Saturday 19 | 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
We are excited to host an Interfaith Youth Summit this August! Every year we hold experiences for middle and high-school aged youth in Mecklenburg County. The purpose of these activities is to bring youth together from different faiths, races and socioeconomic backgrounds to learn more about each other’s traditions and to serve our local community. Participants will experience and visit various social agencies and houses of faith for worship, dialogue, fellowship, food and fun! Upon completion, attendees will be awarded with a certificate in religious-diversity.
Register HERE
We would LOVE your help in sharing the word about this great opportunity. Please download and share one or more of these social media announcements with middle and high schoolers you know and those who work with them.
NC MEDASSIST WAREHOUSE FAMILY-FRIENDLY SERVICE PROJECT
Sunday, July 30 | 1 - 4 PM
Join us on Sunday, July 30 from 1 to 4 pm at NC MedAssist (4428 Taggart Creek Road, Suite 101, Charlotte, NC 28208) for an afternoon of sorting, organizing, and packing over-the-counter medicines, and other duties as needed.
Please note the following:
• There may be some heavy lifting.
• Dress comfortably but modestly - no tank tops or flip flops
• All shoes must be closed-toe
• Volunteer 12 years and older are welcome
Register HERE
PLEASE HELP US CREATE A CONNECTED, COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY
I wanted to reach out and personally ask you to consider supporting the work of MeckMIN before the end of our fiscal year (June 30.)
At our recent Community Leader Awards Breakfast, attendees shared how MeckMIN helps them create CONNECTION, COMPASSION, and COMMUNITY. I invite you to watch this inspiring short video with some of the answers we received.
Since 1987, Mecklenburg Metropolitan Interfaith Network, MeckMIN has been building bridges across differences, creating light, and promoting interfaith collaboration to foster UNDERSTANDING, COMPASSION AND JUSTICE.
If you are a current individual or congregational donor – THANK YOU! You are the reason we can continue to do this crucial work!
If you are not, please consider a donation that will help continue programs like:
• The annual interfaith youth panel and other quarterly events that help middle and high schoolers to know and respect one another’s faiths
• Regular community service projects in which people of all faiths join together to work for the common good
• Open Tables dinner dialogues in which people of faith gather around a shared meal and dig into significant topics
• and Our stellar annual community-wide Interfaith Thanksgiving Service.
Connected, compassionate community is good for everyone, and we hope you’ll join in making it happen!
Donate HERE
2. Non-Profit Updates
The views and opinions expressed below are those of the speakers/presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the MeckMIN board or our member organizations.
QUANTUM CONNECTION
Rev. Rosedale Jones | rosejones1121@gmail.com | 980-230-8395 Founder, Spiritual Director Center for Spiritual Living Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CSLCLT/
Rev. Rosedale Jones who led the opening meditation has a new book out: Quantum connection: Uniting science and spirituality for personal and professional well-being. Book aims to inspire people to direct matter into manifestation. If you want a copy, email her or go to Amazon and she is happy to come to a community for a book signing.
Ana Shoemaker | ana@ruthking.net
Business Manager | Mindfulness race institute in Dallas, TX
Leadership institute for BIPOC leaders. Through structured and supportive monthly guidance and mindful attention to group growth within your racial affinity group, you discover how you show up and impact groups in your broader fields of influence. Your lived experiences within your affinity group replicates your experiences in life. Within a span of 12+ months, you learn to relax, open, and discover - from the inside out - that you can stay engaged with the truth of race and racism with more inner stability, confidence, and grace. Brave Space begins August 25th. Application deadline is June 30th and partial scholarships are available. There are a few spaces still available. You can see the application on the website: https://ruthking.net/brave-space/bipoc-leaders/
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH FAITH-BASED LEADERS
Terry Bradley | Terry.Bradley@charlottenc.gov | 980-556-6241
Works with community relations committee of the county. We have worked with clergy in the past to address community unrest. Feedback was that they would like to be connected and active even when there isn’t a crisis. So we are hosting a community conversation to discuss current issues. July 12th, Mayor Lyles will facilitate a conversation where the Police Chief will offer an update on community policing and homicides. There will also be an update on affordable housing as well as the end of COVID relief.
4-5:30 at 700 Parkwood Avenue, the Belmont Center, Marcus Jones, City Manager, Chief Johnny Jennings, Willie Ratchford CRC ED, Shawn Heath Housing and Neighborhood Services. There is space for 50 clergy/faith leaders. Please RSVP by emailing infocrc@charlottenc.gov by July 6. This is imagined as an initial conversation.
VOTER RIDERS: CHANGES TO NC VOTER ID LAWS
Pam Pearson | pam@voteriders.org | 704-641-4845
VoteRiders is providing free assistance to all eligible citizens to get an ID or DL (including paying for underlying documents like a birth certificate or SS card and free transportation to the DMV or SSA offices). Voter ID law is now due to be implemented. Those who have been voting without ID will now need to accommodate this change – find out what has changed and get a photo id. Please share this information widely. Will require photo id for in person and absentee ballot. If you don’t have a photo id, you can sign a form called a “reasonable impediment exception” which MAY allow you to vote anyway. These exceptions are that you don’t have the ability to get the documents you need due to $ or transportation. It is an affidavit which can be intimidating. When you are voting absentee, you will be required to supply a photo copy of your id and insert into the envelope with your ballot. There is also no longer a 3 day grace period – the absentee ballot must ARRIVE by election day. Also there is computerized signature matching. These will all be significant barriers. Vote Riders can help with explaining this and helping people get their ids which is important because the absentee work will be difficult. THEY NEED VOLUNTEERS! Please reach out to learn more. You get a pre-loaded debit card and lots of training.
Pam Pearson will be a key speaker on Thursday Aug. 17th, 6:30pm at Hope Hall at Caldwell Presbyterian. She will be joined by Rotrina Campbell, Common Cause NC and Kate Fellman, You Can Vote and moderator, Jennifer Roberts to discuss the latest ID Law details and how to ensure our votes will all count. To be presented by the Voting Rights Committee of the Reimagining America Project. I will share the flyer with LeDayne closer to the event date. Please share wildly and widely. This will also be livestreamed if you cannot make it.
Voter Registration Form from Freedom Center for Social Justice
FAITH IN BLUE WEEKEND
Deputy Patrick Colson | Patrick.Colson@mecklenburgcountync.gov
Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office Community Engagement Team
(O) 980-314-5314 | (C) 980-556-6241
Faith and Blue is a collaborative initiative that builds bridges and breaks down biases through activities and outreach amongst law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve. Faith & Blue was launched to facilitate safer, stronger, more just and unified communities by directly enabling local partnerships among law enforcement professionals, residents, businesses and community groups through the connections of local faith-based organizations. It’s a weekend event that consist of youth activities, community activities, church activities, and law enforcement appreciation activities.
For this year’s event, October 6-9, I would love to invite you and all other houses of faith in Mecklenburg County to join us as we connect with the community we serve. https://faithandblue.org/
This year the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office really want to focus on maintaining the relationships we’ve already established while seeking to add more diversity from our Faith community. It’s our goal to make sure that ALL community faith ministries know that they are invited to participate in this event. We wish that everyone that believes in life, peace, and personal growth should have a voice in the progress of our community.
LIBERATING THEOLOGIES
Cameron Pruette | cameronpruette@gmail.com
September 16 - 17: Sacred Rights, Sacred Rites - the conference with keynote from Reverend Barber. Tickets are $40 at the Charlotte Museum of History. There are scholarships available, reach out to Cameron if you need additional info.
Early Bird Tickets available NOW
LOAVES & FISHES / FRIENDSHIP TRAYS
Lindsey Houser | lindsey@loavesandfishes.org | 704-343-5031
Community Engagement Coordinator
We need your help to keep up with the on-going needs of our community. We have spent 6 times the amount of money on food this year vs last year. Food drives are instrumental to our efforts. Here is a copy of our Priority Needs. Canned meat and canned pasta are top needs right now. We only accept unopened and in date food items. No glass please. If you decide this is how you want to help, you can fill out the Food Drive Registration Form. There have been more food drives but the quantity of food collected at each has dropped significantly so we need more drives.
If you are working with folks who need their services, please still reach out. There IS food, they just have to work very hard to keep the shelves full.
Friendly Reminder: Minimum age to volunteer is 14 and closed toe shoes are required!
Check Out our Food Drive Tool Kit
For any food drive questions contact fooddrives@loavesandfishes.org | (704) 343-5031
Sign up to hold a Food Drive HERE
BAHA'I - RACE UNITY DAY CELEBRATION Beth Wells
Baha’i community is the youngest world religion. Founded in Iran in 1844 and is the second most widespread religion. Main tenet is the oneness of humanity. We believe God loves diversity and so we believe racism is the most challenging issue facing America. We must take action. Therefore you are invited to Race Unity Day at the Baha’i Center on June 25 with a brunch, interfaith devotional, interfaith panel and then small groups discussing personal experience and what can be done. This will be the beginning of monthly meetings around this issue.
Susanna Kavanaugh | Susanna@lotcarolinas.com
Executive Director | (O) 704-215-4344 (office) | (C) 704-616-5172
NC is in a state of crisis without enough foster homes for children coming into care. Sadly, many of these children end up sleeping at the DSS office. LOTC believes that this sends a very negative message to children coming into care and we believe they deserve to come to a home. We created 2 Hummingbird Houses which is a place where – for 7-14 days – children can land and their social workers come with them. Many houses of worship have contributed parsonages or other empty home like places that LOTC can fix up and turn into a Hummingbird House. If you think you can be a part of this effort, please reach out to Susanna by email, Susanna@lotcarolinas.com. They do not yet have a Hummingbird House in Mecklenburg County and they would really like one.
HOPE COMMUNITY CLINIC
Melanie Edwards | medwards@project658.com
Girls Ignited for girls ages 11-13 begins July 7th
Better Money Habits (in partnership with Bank of America) helps people who are looking to create financial stability begins Monday June 26th from 6:15 – 7:25 at Farmingdale.
COALITION FOR CULTURAL COMPASSION GAME NIGHT FOR GOOD
The Coalition for Cultural Compassion will be holding their annual GAME NIGHT FOR GOOD fundraiser on July 12th from 6-9 pm. Join them at Free Range Brewing (2320 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205) for an evening of tabletop games, raffle prizes, a silent auction, and a trivia contest! This is a relaxed, family friendly event -all ages are welcome and tickets can be purchased at the door, or HERE for a discounted price. Funds raised will help to sustain the organization's annual Santa experience, Multicultural Series for Kids, and the Compassion Closet program which serves Charlotte area community members in need of clothing, diapers, and household goods. The auction has soccer tickets, genealogy resources and more. Contact Becky Schisler with any questions at culturalcompassion@gmail.com.
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
Lauren Rogers | lrogers@ihclt.org
Director of Community Engagement | (704) 333-8099 ext. 110
International House is in our new home! 1611 E. 7th Street, Charlotte NC 28204, right next door to the Fig Tree restaurant. Our business hours are Monday-Thursday from 9AM-5PM and we’d love to invite any of our community partners to stop by and see the space. Just check in with the front office and ask for a quick tour—we’ll be happy to show you around
We’ve also scheduled another round of Cultural Sensitivity Trainings;
• Friday, June 30th from 12-4:30 PM at International House
• Friday, July 14th from 12-4:30 PM at International House
• Monday, July 24th from 12-4:30 PM at International House
Register HERE
We just started a new Arabic Conversation Hour that’s meeting in-person on the 1st and 3rd Thursday each month from 7-8 PM at International House. All levels welcome! Folks can register for it on our website here: https://www.ihclt.org/conversationhours.
REDRESS ORIENTATION PRESENTATION ON THE COLOR OF LAW
Jasmine Wright | jwright@redressmovement.org
Thank you so much for coming to the Rothstein event.
For those who didn’t have a chance to make the event or grab a book, you can purchase your copy using the link HERE.
If you are ready to take your first step in action for Redress, you can do so by signing our petition to denounce covenants in Charlotte HERE.
Redress is here to stay. Orientation tonight at 6:30. If you were looking to learn more about the Redress Movement, you should join us for virtually our Redress Orientation presentation on the Color of Law: Charlotte Thursday, June 22nd at 6:30pm! You can sign up to receive more information HERE!
Check it out. Also it may be recorded but it will also happen monthly. Stay tuned.
HIDDEN VALLEY NATIONAL NIGHT OUT August 1
Charlene Henderson | charlenehendersonclt@gmail.com
Chair of National Night out for Hidden Valley Community
Charlene will share more when we meet on July 6.
3. General Information
MECKLENBURG COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STRATEGIC PLAN is soliciting input from the community
Just wanted to share that Mecklenburg County is creating a behavioral health strategic plan and is soliciting input from the community – especially people with lived experience and their family members, and service providers. The community session will take place on Thursday, June 29, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Participants will have the chance to learn about important behavioral health services and funding opportunities, to share their experiences, and provide recommendations on the plan's top priorities.
Residents planning to attend the meeting are asked to register in advance; however, registration is not required. Register HERE meck.co/3N2AwAR. The purpose of the planned engagements is to assess the behavioral health needs of the community to enhance the impact, coordination, and alignment of Mecklenburg County’s behavioral health services. Please share this information with your network and partners. It is crucial that we hear from as many people as possible.
To learn more about the development process related to the Behavioral Health Strategic Plan please visit Mecknc.gov.
“GROWTH vs GENTRIFICATION: STOP or EMBRACE IT?”
June 22: “Growth vs Gentrification: Stop or Embrace it?”
Panel discussion | 6-7:30 PM | Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library | 2412 Beatties Ford Rd.
WILD GOOSE FESTIVAL
Wild Goose Festival again this year (July 13-16), now in its second year at Van Hoy Farms, just one hour north of Charlotte off highway 77! This year's speakers include Bill McKibben, Brian McLaren, Diana Butler Bass, David Gushee, Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra, and so many others, including great music from artists like Asheville-based favorites Ashes and Arrows! I'd love for you to consider coming to the festival this year (July 13-16), even if you can only come for one day, just to check things out. I've got discount codes I can offer you.
CHANGES TO FOOD STAMPS
PRAYER FOR NONPROFIT LEADERS
Walk with us as we wrestle to find a way to reveal Thy life and Thy spirit and Thy mind, O God, that we may be true to the light. – Howard Thurman
Next meeting:
July 6th - Thursday at 11 a.m. There will be updates on Food Stamps and more.
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