Statement signed by over 200 Charlotte community leaders

A STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

The recent shooting and death of Keith Lamont Scott and the subsequent protests have struck a chord deep within our community. They have surfaced questions of who we are, what we think, how we feel, and what we value.

To those questions, we would simply say that we are a community which understands that:

• The anger and pain are real;
• The issues connected to the reality of racism are not new;
• The work requires change in systems and structures;
• Our work will be ongoing and long term and must include additional voices, leadership and
  perspectives;
• The changes required will not be easy or comfortable;

We must have the courage to listen, to respond and to act now. We commit ourselves to the continuous work of building and being a community of justice, equity, fairness, and opportunity for all.

As individuals, companies, organizations and congregations that care about Charlotte, we add our signature as our commitment to the long term solution of these questions and challenges and invite others to join us in this evolving and ongoing effort.

#ThisisOurCharlotte
Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown, Novant Health and Co-Chair, Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force Dee O’Dell, US Bank and Co-Chair, Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force
Patricia Albritton, Community Relations Committee at City of Charlotte
Bishop Claude Alexander, The Park Church
Kendall Alley, Wells Fargo
Natalie and Will Alston
Francisco Alvarado, Marand Builders
Reverend Haven Anderson, Marvin AME Zion Church
Joshua Arnold
Reverend Cornelius Atkinson, Wilson Heights First Church of God Omega Autry
Molly Barker, The Red Boot Coalition
George E. Battle III
Cathy Bessant, Bank of America
Sean M. Bird
Reverend Bem Boswell, Myers Park Baptist Church
Crandall Bowles, Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force
Charles Bowman, Bank of America
Reverend Joshua Bowron, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church
Terry Bradley, Community Relations Committee at City of Charlotte
Lezlie Briggs, Community Relations Committee at City of Charlotte
Ronnie Bryant
Robert Bush, Arts & Science Council
Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce
Ron Carter, Johnson C. Smith University
Dr. David Chadwick, Forest Hill Church and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
Charlotte Dragon Boat Association
Elisa Chinn-Gary, Race Matters for Juvenile Justice
Amy Chiou, Queen City Forward
Astrid Chirinos
Ann Clark, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Keith Clark, PNC Financial
Laura Clark, Renaissance West Community Initiative
Bruce Clark, Digital Charlotte
Dr. Joseph Clifford, Myers Park Presbyterian Church
Emily and Jarred Cochran
Harold Cogdell
Malcomb Coley, EY
Brian Collier, Foundation For the Carolinas and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force
Jeff Conway, Charlotte Prime LLC, d/b/a Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force Dorothy Counts-Scoggins, Community Advocate for Social Justice
Lisa Crawford
Ann Crehore
Oliver Cross
Emily Crow
Jesse Cureton, Novant Health
Ned Curran, Bissell Companies
Patricia and Peter Daniel
Pamela Davies, Queens University of Charlotte
Jon Davis
Mike DeVaul
Philip L. and Lisa Dubois, UNC-Charlotte
Reverend Chip Edens, Christ Church
Thereasea Elder
Lisa and Frank Emory
Natalie English, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
Dianne English, Community Building Initiative
Mac Everett
Rabbi Murray Ezring, Temple Israel
James E. Ferguson II
Annetta Foard, Community Building Initiative
Anthony Fox
Moses Fox III
Ed Franklin, New Generation of African American Philanthropists
Michael Friedland, The Friedland Foundation and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force Valaida Fullwood, New Generation of African American Philanthropists
Pastor Steven Furtick, Elevation Church
Tom Gabbard, Blumenthal Performing Arts
Jenni Gaisbauer
Cindy and Harvey Gantt
Sean Garrett, United Way of Central Carolinas
Dr. Donnie Garris, Antioch Baptist Church
Rod Garvin, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
Dr. H. Neely Gaston, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Dale Gillmore, Make an Impact Foundation and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force Lynn Good, Duke Energy
Patrick Graham, Urban League of Central Carolinas
Geoff Gray, Signature Consultants, LLC.
Derwin L. Gray, Transformation Church
Herb Gray
Dr. Tisha Greene, Oakhurst STEAM Academy and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force Lucia Zapata Griffith
Pete Guelli, Hornets Sports & Entertainment
Jane and Marc Gustafson
Rose Hamid, Muslim Women of the Carolinas
Tom Hanchett, Community Historian
Deb Hanna
Carol Hardison, Crisis Assistance Ministry
Sharon and Rob Harrington
Johno Harris, Lincoln Harris
Dr. Robert Henderson, Covenant Presbyterian Church
Andre Hester
Kathryn Hill, Levine Museum of the New South
Jasmine Hines
Dr. Dennis Hollinger, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Jibril Hough, Islamic Center of Charlotte
Grazell Howard, Black AIDS Institute and Opportunity Task Force
John Howard
Dr. James Howell, Myers Park United Methodist Church
Jon Joffe
Chris Johnson, Debonair Execs
Damian Johnson, No Grease Barbershop
Dr. Clifford Jones, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
Christine Katziff, Bank of America
Lee Keesler, Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library
Dr. Casey Kimbrough, Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
Rabbi Asher Knight, Temple Beth El
METRO Landmarks
Steve Larson
Latin American Economic Development Corporation
Latin American Women’s Association
Christi Lee, Community Building Initiative
Christi and Vic Lee
Ron Leeper, R.J. Leeper Construction and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force
Tene Osahar and Trent Legare
David Leitch, Bank of America
Jonathan Lindsay, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. – Beta Nu Lamda Chapter
Bishop James Logan, Kingdom Fellowship Christian Center
Kevin Long, Temple Church International
Marianne Lyall-Knusel, Central Piedmont Community College and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force
Kia Lyons, The African American Community Foundation
Rhett Mabry, The Duke Endowment
Michelle A. Maidt, Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation
Mike Manning, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
Michael Marsicano, Foundation For the Carolinas
Reverend Leslie M. Marsicano
Matt Martin, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force
John Martin, YBM Alliance
Reverend Clifford Matthews, Jr., St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force Jane and Hugh McColl
Dr. Ralph McCormick, Second Calvary Baptist Church
Symone McGee, Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force
Elizabeth McKee, Leadership Charlotte
Ray McKinnon, South Tryon Community United Methodist Church
Mary Nell McPherson, Freedom School Partners
Men for Meck
Robert Mock, EdD
Bishop Brian Moore, Life Center Church International Ministries
Moore & Van Allen
Katherine Mooring
Bob Morgan, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
Andrew Morton
Violeta Moser
Dr. Mike Moses, Lake Forest Church
Tom Murray, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Board of Directors, Muslim American Society of Charlotte
Wilfred Neal, United Way of Central Carolinas
Kerbie and Brandon Neal
Rolfe Neill
OneMECK
Michael Parkins
Wendy Pascual
Cyndee Patterson, Lee Institute
Susan Patterson
Reverend Pen Peery, First Presbyterian Church
Justin L. Perry, Co-Chair of the OneMECK Steering Committee
Lee Perry
Kevin Pitts, Charlotte Business Journal
Andrew Plepler, Bank of America and Charlotte Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force Julie Porter, Charlotte Mecklenburg Housing Partnership
Crawford Pounds, PwC
Carol Quillen, Davidson College
Moira Quinn, Charlotte Center City Partners
Willie Ratchford, Community Relations Committee at City of Charlotte
Bess and Shep Reynolds
Munro Richardson, Read Charlotte
Mike Rizer, Wells Fargo
Sally and Russell Robinson
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.
Pat Rodgers, Rodgers Builders, Inc.
Toussaint Romain, Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Defenders Office
Tracy Russ, SOLID
Dr. J. Elvin Sadler, The AME Zion Church
Dr. Rodney Sadler
Ann and Blaine Sanders
Ashley Saulpaugh
Molly Shaw, Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Reverend James Shea, SJ, St. Peter Catholic Church
Julie and David Sheffer
Kate Shelton
Dr. Sheldon R. Shipman, Greenville Memorial AME Zion Church
Terry Shook, Shook Kelley
Kirsten Sikkelee, YWCA Central Carolinas
Bob Simmons, Council for Children’s Rights
Mark and Tami Simmons
MaryBeth Simon
Andrea Smith, Bank of America
Michael Smith, Charlotte Center City Partners
Laura Smith
Andi Stevenson, The Lee Institute
Sarah Stevenson
Holly Welch and Matt Stubbing
John Switzer, KPMG LLP
Reverend Robin Tanner, Piedmont Unitarian Universalist Church
David Taylor, The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts+Culture
Teach for America Charlotte
Temple Beth El
The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Charles Thomas, Knight Foundation
Dr. Leon Threatt, Christian Faith Assembly
Todd Tibbits, YMCA of Greater Charlotte Brenda Tindal
Lou Trosch, Race Matters for Juvenile Justice Irene Vogelsong, Perkins+Will
Dr. Dwayne Walker, Little Rock AME Zion Church
Keysha Walker, The African American Community Foundation Keva Walton, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
Jenny Ward
Dianna Ward
Tom Warshauer
Denise Watts, Project LIFT
Molly Shaw and David Webb
Laura Meyer Wellman, E4E Relief
Ward Wellman
Dr. Peter Wherry, Mayfield Memorial Baptist Church
Mike Whitehead, Center for Intentional Leadership
Fred Whitfield, Hornets Sports & Entertainment
Gene Winchester, NC Local Barber Association
Lauren A. Woodruff
Reverend Ricky Woods, First Baptist Church West
Angela Woods, Girl Scouts Hornets Nest Council
Sue Worrel, The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Gary Young, Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce Emily Zimmern