On September 23, 2021, the Women of Color affinity group hosted their first event of the year, Cocktails and Conversation. The program touched on ways to mobilize this important population of Junior League membership by bringing authentic voices to the table and supporting their continued leadership journey. With the slate nomination process currently underway, members discussed important issues around leadership…
Recently, we officially kicked off our new League year with the first General Membership Meeting (GMM) on September 8. The meeting was held virtually, with more than 720 members tuning in via Youtube and Facebook. Here are some highlights from the evening: Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) President, Kellie Lofton, was the first to address members and, fitting to…
This year, the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) will focus on growth and change in a way that it never has before. It is the first year our League has an official Diversity & Inclusion Committee (D&I), and we reached out to Chief of Diversity & Inclusion, Spencer Lash to get the scoop on the exciting things this new…
Meet Angie Ratliff, a sustaining member of The Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) and 2021 recipient of Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award. In May, Angie was awarded American Banker’s Most Powerful Women in Banking: Next award for her work as the global head of disputes and prepaid operations for U.S. Bank. In addition to her banking career,…
The beginning of the school year is here and while there are still many challenges, The Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) is ready to support students, teachers and parents as they head back to class. We caught up with two Community Impact Council (CIC) members, Ready to Learn Team Chair Hilleary Boyer and Heart Math Tutoring Chair Jessica Schloemp,…
Meet Linda Lockman-Brooks, a sustaining member of The Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC). In July, Linda became the first Black person and the first woman elected to chair the Central Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees. A marketing industry veteran, Linda is the founder and president of Lockman-Brooks Marketing Services and shares her expertise as a JLC Marketing and…
We all have memories of children’s birthday parties – decorations, games, gifts and cake. Ask a young child about their birthday and watch their face light up in anticipation. But for families in Charlotte who struggle to provide basic needs like food, clothing, and housing, these celebrations can result in financial strain. Since 2005, Bright Blessings has served thousands of…
Over the past 95 years, the Junior League of Charlotte (JLC) has donated more than $13.7 million in grants and special projects and provided more than 1.6 million volunteer hours across the city of Charlotte. This year, we are excited to uphold our legacy by supporting 12 new and returning community partners. So how does the JLC decide which organizations…
By: Jennifer Saarbach One year ago, I was going about my daily routine for what I didn’t know would be the last time in a year. The second Monday in March of 2020, I dropped my kids off at school. I grabbed my laptop, drove to an Eastover coffee shop and met up with a few friends from the Junior…
In honor of Black History Month, we are featuring Junior League Sustainer and the first ever Black President of the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC), Toni Freeman. Toni began her Junior League involvement as a Provisional in 1992. She became the President of the JLC in 2003 and was the President of the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) from…