K. Lemon to Emcee Operation Purple's Black Tie Affair

March 19, 2012 / Charlotte, NC-- Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists President Ken Lemon (WSOC-TV) has been tapped to emcee the United We Serve Black Tie Reception. The event will benefit Operation Purple, a charity organized by the National Military Family Association to send children of military families to summer camp. Gubernatorial Candidate Pat McCrory will be the guest speaker.

The event takes place Sunday April 1st, 6 p.m., at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture. Also speaking: Patrick Cannon, Mayor Pro-Tem and City Councilman; Radio personality Cheryl “Chirl Girl” Patterson of WBAV 101.9, Niki Kapoor, NIKA formalwear owner and designer, and Oronde McClean, Mecklenburg County Commissioner-at-Large candidate.

The reception is also the official launch of SFTV, owned by Susan Flowers, PhD. According to Dr. Flowers, "The SFTV Network is not only giving North Carolina an international media presence this April by staking its claim here in Charlotte, we are giving back to the community from day one by supporting NC's hardest working military families with the Operation Purple Benefit Gala."

The mission of the Operation Purple program is to empower military children and their families to develop and maintain healthy, connected relationships. The program is open to children and families of active duty, National Guard or Reserve service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or the Commissioned Corps of the U.S.

• WHAT: United We Serve & SFTV Launch to Benefit Operation Purple
• WHERE: Harvey B. Gantt Center, 551 S. Tryon St, Charlotte NC
• WHEN: Sunday, April 1, 2012, 6 – 10 pm. VIP Cocktail Mixer at 6, Opening Address at 8
• TICKETS: http://tinyurl.com/6qa3b8z

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For more information or to schedule an interview with Dr. Flowers, please contact:
Helen Davis, Co-Owner NextStep Marketing  @ 704-408-8073 or hdavis@nx-step.com

Deadline Approaches for DNC Press Credentials

Attention journalists planning to cover DNC events: the deadline to apply for press credentials is April 15, 2012. There is less than ONE MONTH LEFT to do so. For more information on the process, see the press release below.
__________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
November 8, 2011
Contact: LaVenia LaVelle, Kristie Greco 704-338-7075

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY***

DNCC Announces Launch of Media Credentialing Process for
the 2012 Democratic National Convention

CHARLOTTE - The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced the opening of the 2012 media credentialing process for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Applications are being accepted by both the Congressional Press Galleries and the DNCC Press Gallery.

The credential application process is open from December 8, 2011, through April 15, 2012, to allow media outlets to apply in order to obtain access to the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, the week of September 3, 2012.

The majority of press credentials for the Democratic Convention will be issued through the Congressional Press Galleries—Radio-Television, Daily, Periodical, and Photographers. The DNCC Press Gallery exists in order to credential organizations that do not fit into their categories or meet their requirements. The DNCC Press Gallery spans a range of media including specialty media, blogs, college/student media, entertainment media and other outlets that the Congressional Galleries defer.

*** Links to the Congressional Press Galleries and the DNCC Press Gallery application can be found here.   The credential application deadline is Friday, April 15, 2012***

If you have questions in the interim, please contact our DNCC Press Gallery team at DNCCpressgallery@demconvention.com or our Communications Department at press@demconvention.com for any editorial inquiries. Please note submitting an application does not guarantee an organization will be credentialed for the Time Warner Cable Arena site during the Convention.

DNC Director to Speak at Monthly Networking Meeting

Kristie Greco, executive director of communications and public relations for the Democratic National Convention planning committee, will attend our next monthly membership meeting. 
She will be giving updates as well as speaking OFF THE RECORD about what to expect. 
The meeting is Saturday, March 24th at 11 a.m. at Johnson C. Smith University's Communication Arts, Music, Business and Technology (CAMBT) Building, Room 113, 100 Beatties Ford Road. 
**BREAKING NEWS**
In fact, Johnson C. Smith has agreed to be our hosts for 2012. For the rest of the year, unless otherwise specified, our meetings will be held every third Saturday in Room 113 of the CAMBT, so mark your calendars and tell your friends! Journalists and students are welcome to attend.
To get to the CAMBT Building:
-Turn Left at the Guard booth
-Make another Left at the next stop sign
-Head towards silver building with black gate. Sign reads CAMBT.
-Room 113 is straight down the hall on the right.

Sorority Greek Health Olympics Kicks Off

By Sondra EZ Hines for QCity Metro

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Charlotte Alumnae Chapter is sponsoring the inaugural Sorority Greek Health Olympics.
The event will be held Saturday, March 17, 10 a.m. at Johnson C. Smith University (Track and Field Sports Complex) and is a part of the sorority’s annual Sisterhood Month.
"This event is a great opportunity for Delta members and other Greek sorority members to exercise in a competitive, yet fun environment," said Melody Harris, second V.P. of the Charlotte chapter and co-chair of Membership Services, the committee overseeing Sisterhood Month activities.
The idea of a SGHO is to “promote healthy living and to bond with our Greek sisters,” added Harris. “What better time to do so than Sisterhood Month?”
The public is invited to this free event. Read more here.

And the 2012 CAABJ Scholarship Winner Is...

Ms. Amber Quattlebaum!
The Johnson C. Smith University junior maintains a 3.8 GPA, and is on the President's List and the Dean's List. She is president of the Communication Arts Association, co-manager of the yearbook staff, and completed an internship at KISS 103.3 in Columbia, SC.

E-board members Trey Harmon, Emiene Wright, Davida Jackson and
Ken Lemon flank award winner Amber Quattlebaum, center.

Graduate School Coordinator and Career Counselor Melita Mitchell calls Amber "an extraordinary young woman" who displays the "highest degree of responsibility, integrity and ambition."
"Her ability to serve her community while maintaining the highest scholastic standards speaks to her tenacity," Mitchell says, even in the face of adversity.
Amber's father was recently diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.
While pulling close to her family, Amber still finds time to volunteer for Saturday Academy at JCSU, and at Bruns Elementary School.
We could think of no better recipient to represent the next generation of journalism. Congratulations, Amber!

For the PPL, By the PPL: DNC Kick-off Tonight!

By Jarvis Holliday / Full article at CharlotteMagazine.com


Here’s your chance to meet The PPL. The PPL (pronounced “people”) is derived from the Democratic National Committee’s mantra of the September 2012 convention being “The People’s Convention.” The PPL’s Kickoff Party (independent of the DNC) is this Tuesday, March 6, at Packard Place (222 S. Church Street).

So what is The PPL? It’s an organization of logistics to secure co-working and event space in uptown Charlotte for independent and traditional media during the DNC; to host parties, press conferences, and roundtable discussions; and to showcase the creative class of Charlotte and the South. It’s a community of DNC-focused bloggers, journalists, artists, activists, and independent media producers.

And it’s run by independent journalists and social media gurus Justin Ruckman, Matthew Tyndall, and Desiree Kane, who each serve as co-directors. So, it’s for The PPL, by The PPL.

Tuesday’s event goes 6-8 p.m., is free, and you can RSVP on Facebook. There’ll be a DJ playing, complimentary beer and wine served, and the first 30 people in attendance will receive a complimentary, limited-edition launch T-shirt by Ink Floyd. If you’re unable to attend, you can watch a live stream of the event at theppl.us, which is where you can also go to learn more about the project.

Read the full article at CharlotteMagazine.com.