Tag Archives: Charles W. Thomas Jr

Revving Up Entrepreneurial Engines in Uptown Charlotte

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Chas Thomas_Pride mag

The May-June 2013 issue of Pride Magazine focuses on business and includes a guest column by Charles Thomas, photographer of Giving Back. In addition to being a professional photog, Charles is executive director of Queen City Forward (QCF).

Packard Place, located in uptown Charlotte, houses QCF and other groups that support the creation of fast-growth businesses. I wrote a piece about Packard Place, including an interview with Director Adam Hill as well as with Manoj Kesavan and Charles who are tenants. Packard Place was once a showroom for the iconic luxury car and is now a bustling hot spot for a community of innovators, creators and entrepreneurs.

Residents of the Charlotte area can pick up the latest issue of Pride to learn more about Packard Place, Manoj, Charles and their contributions to create a healthy ecosystem of thriving start-up business and social enterprises in our city. The issue also includes my mini-column about TEDxCharlotte and the roles that businesses and other entities can take on to help spread great ideas.

#GetYourGiveOn

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Here’s your invitation!

You're invited!

We’re Bringing ‘Giving Back’ at Poor Richard’s Book Shoppe is a free and family-friendly gathering, centered on Black Philanthropy. The evening of the 23rd will include:

Poor Richard’s, a family-operated business in uptown Charlotte, is a full-service, independent bookstore and multi-cultural venue.

New Generation of African American Philanthropists (NGAAP-Charlotte), a CIN giving circle, comprises member-donors who pursue a mission “to promote philanthropy—the giving of time, talent and treasure—among African Americans in the Charlotte region, with the goal of enhancing the quality of life within our communities.”

We’re aiming to do for philanthropy what Justin does for sexy. Well…we’re certainly trying.

— VF

Without Limits

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On 15 Feb 2013, Charles Thomas and I will be presenters at TEDxCharlotte. We hope you’ll register and come if you’re in the area.

UNLIMITED: Ideas Take Shape is this year’s theme for the annual, daylong creative forum. As collaborators on Giving Back, Charles and I will share what we learned while pursuing our idea of reframing portraits of philanthropy.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll experience . . .

If you’ve never attended TEDxCharlotte and want to know more, go here. And, if you’re unfamiliar with TED.com and its locally focused spin-off TEDx, go here, too.

After attending the last two years, I can tell you that TEDxCharlotte features a dozen or so selected presenters who share their ideas and 300+ participants who come to . . .

  • hear bold ideas…about technology, entertainment, design and other stuff
  • experience informative, entertaining and/or inspiring presentations
  • see innovative art projects and short films
  • network and connect with a mix of people
  • learn about new topics
  • find inspiration
  • laugh
  • maybe cry
  • eat (really, really) well
  • let loose
  • dance a little
  • never forget the day

Seeing you at TEDxCharlotte 2013 would be great!

Quick Biopic ‘On Writing and Giving Back’

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In November 2011, right after the release of Giving Back and during filming for the book’s trailer [ philanthropy reframed ], we created this 3-minute piece….I call it my micro biopic.

After a year, we finally carved out time to complete this short film and just posted it to YouTube yesterday. Watch. Enjoy. Share.

GBP video snapshot

Much Given, Much Expected

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“To whom much is given much is expected. This biblical passage from the Gospel of Luke conveys a belief that I and many of my African American family and friends hold dear. Many of us recall a defining moment or childhood lessons that influence our philanthropic giving.”

I’ve opened with these lines from Giving Back to say thanks to many of the people who gave their time, talent and treasure during the development of the book. The word cloud below is yet another way of giving props….as was done here too.

‘Stunning example of populist philanthropy’

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Photograph from "Giving Bsck" |Charles W. Thomas Jr., photographer

“African American philanthropy is a stunning example of ‘populist philanthropy.’ We as a people have been able to demonstrate how philanthropy is a form of relationship with others that everyone can practice. Children to seniors in our community have a long history of giving selflessly to those we know intimately as well as to total strangers. I am very proud of our cultural history as philanthropists!”

— Jennifer Henderson, a kind contributor of narratives for Giving Back

Booking It

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Charles and I have had the good fortunate of booking upward of a dozen Giving Back book events across Charlotte and other communities.

A recent book signing was hosted at my hometown church, Gaston Chapel AME in Morganton, North Carolina. Seeing family and friends, including former classmates and teachers, turning out in droves was the kind of delight you can only get at home. The Women’s Ministry that sponsored the event transformed the hall, spectacularly, for my book signing and awarded me a lovely engraved plaque, too. All too sweet for words.

Morganton is back on the schedule in February 2012. Burke County Public Library has selected me as the featured author for the 10th Annual “Gathering of the People.” It’s a culminating event in celebration of Black History Month that recognizes local African Americans who have made significant professional or community contributions. This is a wonderful honor, plus nothing rivals hometown love! (Well…except perhaps being utterly swept away by an impromptu Marley family book signing “event” during our Thanksgiving gathering in Asheboro, NC.)

Three back-to-back events are on the schedule next week. I’m pretty excited about the mix of settings and audiences each event will draw. One is the BPA Annual Meeting in DC where I’m the keynote speaker. Another is an program sponsored by the Charlotte Chapter of AFP. The third is at Park Road Books, a popular independent bookstore in Charlotte.

At the Park Road Books event, Charles and I will give our first joint “book talk” about our inspiration for the Giving Back Project, our collaboration on developing the book and our roller-coaster of ride while collecting the content and getting it published. Our talk will be followed by a Q&A session and book signing.

We hope you can come join us on Wednesday, December 7 at 7:00 pm.

Here’s your invitation!

— VF

Giving Props…Again

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Charles W. Thomas Jr, photographer

    The circle of members composing New Generation of African American Philanthropists joined with me to bring to fruition our book Giving Back. Proceeds from book sales will support the mission, philanthropic initiatives and grantmaking of our collective giving circle.
    The Giving Back Project—our giving circle’s civic engagement campaign to reframe portraits of philanthropy—has benefited from the financial support of a host of tribute sponsors, individual donors and organizations.
    We would like to thank our project supporters again, and below is a list of the people and organizations that helped bring our stories to light.
Tribute sponsors and individual donors
Edwin Atlas, Brant Aycock, P. Jean Bligen, Alexandré Bailand Bohannon, Renee L. Bradford, Joyce M. Brayboy, Brenda Erwin Brewer, Christa Carter, Ph.D., Ronald L. Carter, Ph.D., Ruthye Cooley, Rashad Davis, Patrick L. Diamond, Ayanna Fisher (in memoriam), Dawn A. Fisher, Rosalyn V. Frazier, Valaida Fullwood, Diatra Fullwood, Doris “Ann” Fullwood, Allen W. Fullwood, Karen Geiger, Ph.D., Bridget-Anne Hampton, Sharon Harrington, J.D., Bryan Hassel, Ph.D., Arthur Jamison, Sandra Jamison, Sheila Jamison, Melandee Jones, Coron Jordan, Mary Klenz, Kathi M. Knier, Michelle S. Langdon, Candice Langston, Eric Law, Dee K. Lee, Dionne Lester, Myrna E. Lewis, Cori Lindsay, Athan L. Lindsay, Britt Brewer Loudd, Bilenda Madison, Nettie McGimpsey McIntosh, Willie McIntosh Jr., John F. McKinley, Lisa Nannette Moore, James Mitchell (in memoriam), Dorothy Murray, Edna M. Norwood, Dimeji Onafuwa, Cathy Peterson, Pam Pompey, Reginald F. Pretty, Tracy Russ, Kathryn Sain, Meka S. Sales, Octavia Seawell, Stoney Sellars, Tonya Sellars, Jenene Seymour, Shades of Brown Book Club, Jehan Shamsid-Deen, Eric Shelton, Geraldine Sumter, J.D., Mildred Dwiggins Swift, Charles W. Thomas Jr., Vonda K. Villines, Edward Wall, J.D., Qiana L. White and anonymous donors.
Sponsoring partners