Articles about Government and Civic Engagement

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Residents wait to see if they can stay in fast-changing South End
   June 4, 2020
Mae Israel
Debbie Williams grew up in Charlotte’s Brookhill Village, a neighborhood of one-story duplex and triplex apartments built for black families in the 1950s. She has watched while its owners let the buildings deteriorate as luxury apartments began rising nearby.  Two decades ago, she moved away. But her mother and sister remained in the low-rent housing community, home to several generations of... Read more


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The racial wealth gap: Business ownership & entrepreneurship
   June 1, 2020

In Mecklenburg County, business ownership rates are proportionate to the racial and ethnic makeup of the county. But disparities persist: Although ownership is demographically proportionate, the majority of the economic value of business ownership is held in a small number of White-owned businesses.  Read more


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How jobs contribute to the racial wealth gap
   May 26, 2020

Income is a major component of wealth, but the relationship between income and wealth is complex. Wealth and income are both used to measure a family’s economic situation, but they tell us different things about the health and strength of economic well-being.  Read more


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Home ownership and the legacy of redlining: Charlotte’s racial wealth gap
   May 18, 2020
Angelique Gaines, Lori Thomas, Ph.D.
Sydney Idzikowski

This is the third in an ongoing series, based on a report by the Urban Institute. The report was compiled with support from Bank of America, ​which partners with the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and the Institute for Social Capital on research that provides insight into community initiatives. Join us Wednesday at 7:30 p....

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Eating healthy in a food desert: Mecklenburg leaders seek new solutions
   April 6, 2020

Jonathan McFadden
Mecklenburg County leaders are trying to find solutions for a worsening food crisis in the county’s poorest neighborhoods. Nearly 15 percent of the county’s population lives in what the U.S. Department of Agriculture calls food deserts — low-income communities where most residents don’t have access to a full-service grocery store or supermarket carrying nutritious food. That figure exceeds the... Read more


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Do youth end up in the justice system because they disengage from school?
   June 10, 2019
Ely Portillo
A UNC Charlotte professor used the integrated data system at the Institute for Social Capital, a part of the Urban Institute, to examine whether students of color are more likely to enter the juvenile justice system because they’re more disengaged from school. Her conclusion: “The way our kids are being processed in the system is affected by the color of their skin.” Read more


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Civic Engagement: Reflecting back and looking forward
   November 28, 2018

Charlotte boasts a demographically diverse population, well-educated residents, and a thriving economy. Home to the largest population in the state, the Queen City also serves as the economic epicenter of the state. Read more


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How can more people be inspired to civic involvement?
   September 6, 2017

What motivates Charlotteans to vote? Volunteer? Hold political conversations or attend events? Two public events this month will showcase what researchers have learned. Read more


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Dear City Council: Where are bike lanes to our new uptown park?
   December 8, 2015

Shannon Binns
The street beside uptown's new First Ward Park has plenty of parking but no bike lanes. What does that signal about the city's commitment to improved bicycling infrastructure? Commentary. Read more


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Towns fear loss of government offices will sap downtown vitality
   September 10, 2014
Chuck McShane
Several local governments in the N.C. Piedmont are considering moving offices out of downtown. Those plans worry downtown development officials and business owners, who fear downtown vitality will be lost. Read more