Engage HER on Campus, Queens University Edition: Your Vote, Your Voice, Your Power
September 8, 2020
This Fall, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is teaming up with several local universities to get students and the community involved in the political process. The first of these events, which takes place in conjunction with Queens University, will take place on Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m.
This will be an evening of timely discussion and voter engagement. In this pivotal election year, voter turnout and education are of utmost importance. Engage HER on Campus at Queens University seeks to increase voter knowledge and celebrate the centennial of women’s suffrage. Mayor Vi Lyles is leading this program as the keynote speaker, with panelists NC Representative Carolyn Logan, at-large member of the Board of Education Jennifer De La Jara, and president of the League of Women Voters Charlotte-Mecklenburg Delores Johnson Hurt. These prominent women will share their stories of serving in roles dedicated to public service and talk about the paths that brought them to their current positions.
“As a Queen's alumna, I am thrilled to be part of this Engage HER event with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where we can gather and participate in a conversation with other prominent women on the importance of voting, civic engagement, and public service,” says Vi Lyles, Charlotte Mayor And Honorary Chair of the Engage 2020 program. “This event is important as we look at the women who came before, the women with us today who are rethinking the rules and inventing new paths, and the women who will lead us in future generations. These women use their voices, reimagine the workplace, create cultures of inspiration, and lead with determination. In coming together, we will harness the energies and resources of all our community assets.”
The event will be highly interactive. Queens University Civic Engagement Fellow Emily Sears will be moderating the panel and encouraging audience questions and participation. "Engage HER at Queens is a vital opportunity for students and community members alike to gain new perspectives on the importance of local government officials and the formidable women who work tirelessly for the equitable advancement of all Mecklenburg residents. As we look towards the election, I believe that Engage HER will play an important role in encouraging college students, particularly young women, to make informed decisions about issues and candidates that will appear on their ballots in November," Sears says.
This program is open to all of Queen's campus and the Charlotte community and will be live-streamed on the Library’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel. We hope you will tune in for this opportunity to learn, engage, and even enter for a chance to win a few giveaways.
Engage HER was created in partnership with Queens University of Charlotte’s Wells Fargo Center for Community Engagement and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Libraries. Learn more about the full Engage 2020 program here.
Chadwick and Black Panther movie director Ryan Coogler were able to turn a somewhat obscure Marvel character into a mainstay while creating a cultural phenomenon. I saw Black Panther four times the month it came out. Inspired by the significance of the plot and my own personal role influencing children in the community, I decided to don the Black Panther persona in the Library, hoping to accomplish a fraction of what Chadwick managed to do in his role onscreen. Black men are significantly underrepresented in libraries and education, so as the outlier I could show the real importance of that representation.
Work. It is that place where we spend most of our time and forge formidable relationships that we sustain throughout life--or at least until we move on to the next job. Work is the routine we must keep up in these trying times. We have lifestyles to maintain, which depends on whether you are earning a livable wage.
Today, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and do something to spark real change in your conversation. Whether it’s attending one of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Black Lives Matter programs or having a tough conversation of your own, just know taking one step today can positively impact your community tomorrow.
book that explores Hispanic culture? 
