Resources

Join Us in Creating A More Equitable & Just
Charlotte-Mecklenburg

At CBI, our goal is to equip people and organizations with the skills necessary to build and advocate for more opportunity, equity, and justice. While we primarily do this work through our programs, we have developed tools, picked up tips and tricks, and made connections along the way – and we’re glad to share some of these resources with you!

Below you’ll find worksheets, guides, and graphics pulled from our signature programs: LDI, LU40, Community Bus Tours, and Equity Impact Circles. You’ll also see tools we’ve adapted or developed for your use. You can explore some of the organizations we have partnered with over the years and what they are working for in pursuit of inclusion and equity. Further down the page, you’ll find a collection of additional resources – books, podcasts, articles, videos, films and more to guide you as you dig deeper. Resources Through the Ages captures gems developed in the past that are still useful in today’s fight for equity.

We hope the resources you find here help you feel more equipped- to think differently about issues, to ask different questions, and to consider what it might mean to be an “interrupter” where you are as you zoom in on the issues that mean the most to you. Is there something we’re missing? Let us know!

Stay Connected to CBI

Resources from CBI Programs

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Weeds and Flowers

Racism is like a weed. We can try to get rid of it by picking the leaves and stems that we see growing above the surface, but if we don’t get the roots it will keep coming back.

Talking Together in Challenging Times

This "evergreen" guide helps to create a safe space for dialogue following crises that occur in our community.

Have a Conversation About the Fault Lines Which Divide Us

At CBI, we continually examine what’s in our ground. Our ability to build a more inclusive and equitable future starts when we become more aware of our ground, the things that divide us, where we stand, and what shapes us.

Use CBI’s Equity Cards

These quick-reference cards can help guide conversations about equity and using an equity lens.

Explore CBI’s Equity Framework

In our Equity Impact Circles, we talk about equity in terms of Resources, Rules, Stories and People.

2020 Stakeholders Breakfast Video Archive

View videos from our largest annual community event.

What’s In and On Our Ground?

CBI's Curiosity-Guided Tour of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

ORID Framework

In CBI's Leaders Under 40 program, participants use the ORID Framework to examine community issues.

Explore the CBI Glossary of Terms

Explore the vocabulary CBI uses within our programs to work for a more equitable and just community.

See How Charlotte Became Segregated

In a memorable part of the "CBI In Black & White" Bus Tour, Dr. Tom Hanchett uses a pushpin map to indicate how the City of Charlotte was first racially integrated, before becoming segregated in the late 19th Century.

CBI’s Vision, Mission and Values Statement

CBI believes these inclusion and equity values make common sense, business sense and moral sense, and we are committed to these ideals for the benefit of this generation and generations to come.

Things to Do

CBI's Things to Do page collects events and actions you can take to further your knowledge, skills and courage.

2020 Stakeholders Breakfast Video Archive

View videos from our largest annual community event.

Talking Together in Challenging Times

This "evergreen" guide helps to create a safe space for dialogue following crises that occur in our community.

Have a Conversation About the Fault Lines Which Divide Us

Explore CBI’s Equity Framework

In our Equity Impact Circles, we talk about equity in terms of Resources, Rules, Stories and People.

Explore the CBI Glossary of Terms

Explore the vocabulary CBI uses within our programs to work for a more equitable and just community.

Talking Together in Challenging Times

This "evergreen" guide helps to create a safe space for dialogue following crises that occur in our community.

Use CBI’s Equity Cards

These quick-reference cards can help guide conversations about equity and using an equity lens.

What’s In and On Our Ground?

CBI's Curiosity-Guided Tour of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

See How Charlotte Became Segregated

Things to Do

CBI's Things to Do page collects events and actions you can take to further your knowledge, skills and courage.

United Way 21-Day Equity Challenge

United Way of Central Carolinas fights for the education, health and financial stability of every person in our community. With more than 90 years of experience, we are a strategic community leader, convener and advocate with in-depth knowledge of the communities we serve across five counties in the Charlotte region.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations is the human relations agency for the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The department seeks to enhance community harmony and promote awareness of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s growing multiculturalism by facilitating community dialogue and meetings, and coordinating resident and organizational coalitions to address community issues and concerns.

Charlotte’s Arc and Wedge

The Arc & The Wedge evolved from the Wedge and the Crescent, a term originally used to describe Charlotte’s voting patterns. Since then, Wedge and Crescent has been used to describe everything from income, schooling, race, food deserts, and even the COVID infection rate. Wedge and Crescent identifies two geographic Charlotte regions that have dissimilar demographics.

Identiversity

The name says it all – we’re going to school on identity! identiversity covers LGBTQ+ terms and topics you’ve heard about but don’t necessarily understand. We've assembled the latest information from leading experts. Now you can get your answers on gender and sexual identities in one place.

Race Matters for Juvenile Justice

Race Matters for Juvenile Justice (RMJJ) is a collaborative leadership group working within our community to reduce disproportionality and disparate outcomes for children and families of color through institutional organizing, education, and workforce development.