The city of
Charlotte, NC is now:
• the 20th largest city in the U.S.
• one of the fastest-growing cities in the country
• the second largest banking/financial center after New York
• considered one of the gateways to the “New South”
• a city with per capita income above the national average
• cited for its philanthropic nature and giving patterns
• the 20th largest city in the U.S.
• one of the fastest-growing cities in the country
• the second largest banking/financial center after New York
• considered one of the gateways to the “New South”
• a city with per capita income above the national average
• cited for its philanthropic nature and giving patterns
Yet, awareness of
issues related to global AIDS
remains relatively low
in the city and surrounding metropolitan
region. In November 2005, Patricia Shafer, co-chair of
“Mothering Across Continents”, wrote an
editorial for the “Charlotte Observer” on World AIDS Day
(December 1), titled: “Will
Charlotte heed the cries of AIDS orphans?” The editorial asked:
“If we’re serious about being ‘world-class,’
then why not play a role in the greatest global
health and humanitarian challenge of our time?”
In early 2006,
Shafer and committee co-chair Dr.
Lyndall Hare discussed
how to bring these issues to the forefront by focusing
on engaging women. The organizing committee of "Mothering
Across Continents" decided that
Charlotte’s 2005/2006 hosting of a number of
events called “South by South Africa” made it
logical to begin an
ongoing “Mothering Across Continents” initiative
starting with a focus on select projects in South Africa.
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