Last year, Charlotte was invited to join the Southern Communities Initiative (SCI), founded by executive leadership of Vista Equity Partners, Paypal, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Charlotte is one of six communities partnering with SCI to tackle some of the most endemic problems facing communities of color in the South, where almost 50% of all Black Americans live.
Charlotte’s invitation and selection to participate is the result of our historic and unprecedented commitment to the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative (MREI), and the alignment between SCI’s priorities and MREI’s focus areas.
| SCI Priorities | MREI Focus Areas |
| 1. MBE Entrepreneurship and Supplier Diversity Grow Black-owned and other minority business enterprises (MBEs) |
1. Catalyze Employer Commitment Advance more Black and Brown leaders in C-suite positions and on boards, develop career paths for students and workforce development programs, and extend corporate policies for equity |
| 2. Access to Capital Modernize CDFI/MDI systems & technology, hire & train talent and increase CDFI/MDI capacity to issue more capital |
2. Invest in Corridors of Opportunity Improve access to employment, mobility options, housing, and daily services in six business and neighborhood corridors of opportunity |
| 3. Education/HBCU/Workforce Development Reduce student debt and support high-paying employment opportunities via education/skills training for people of color |
3. Transform Johnson C. Smith University for the Future Position JCSU as a top-tier, career-path-oriented HBCU by growing the university’s academic offerings, recruiting top talent through career-oriented incentives, and appointing a Transformation Leader that will champion positive change |
| 4. Digital Access Increase access and adoption of affordable high-speed internet solutions for low-income and minority households |
4. Bridge the Digital Divide Create the Center for Digital Equity and provide devices, internet access, and digital literacy education in vulnerable communities |
Last month, Charlotte hosted an SCI team with the intent to deepen our partnership, share progress on focus areas within the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative, and learn about how SCI can amplify Charlotte’s collective efforts on a national level. As the Charlotte point of contact for SCI, the CLT Alliance facilitated meetings with local corporate, non-profit, education, and government leaders. Resoundingly, SCI walked away with a clear understanding that leaders in Charlotte care deeply about racial equity and are very engaged through public-private partnerships.
Through investments with national partners in support of its above-mentioned priorities, as well as providing capacity through professional consultants, SCI offers Charlotte an opportunity to tell our story and share milestones, track the progress of our initiatives alongside peer markets, and help us stay accountable to corporations that have invested in racial equity and the very neighbors we are seeking to support.
