Featured Coming Attractions

Engage Charlotte After Hours
November 16, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Charlotte City Club
Join us for our final after hours networking event of the year, which is shaping up to be our best yet! Drink specials and an assortment of appetizers will be provided. We will also raffle a $200 gift card for Belk department stores, and evening dinner reservations will be accepted for guests of Engage Charlotte immediately following the event. Charlotte City Club will donate 15 percent of its event proceeds to Good Fellows and Good Friends, which contribute to the betterment of the Charlotte community this holiday season. Admission is free. Register on Facebook.

Charlotte Chamber Annual Meeting
November 29, 6:30 - 9 p.m.
NASCAR Hall of Fame
Join more than 2,000 members of the Charlotte business community. Featuring 2011 Chairwoman Pat Rodgers of Rodgers Builders and 2012 Chairman Frank Emory of Hunton & Williams, the event is themed "Outrageous Aspirations" and highlights successes in the past year in the Charlotte business community and focuses on goals for 2012. In addition, Harvey Gantt will be presented with the Citizen of the Carolinas Award, and the Belk Innovation in Diversity Award will be presented. The event is open to the entire community, regardless of chamber membership. Register at charlottechamber.com/events.

Upcoming Charlotte Chamber Events

The Charlotte Chamber has many great events for you to attend. Here are just a few:

• The Business of Social Media, Survive & Thrive! Breakfast
  November 9, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Mint Museum RANDOLPH
• Transportation Infrastructure: Connecting Charlotte's North Corridor
  University City and NorthWest Chapter partnered luncheon 
  November 10, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Hilton Charlotte University Place
• Supplier Diversity in Today's Economy, East Chapter luncheon
  November 15, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., The VanLandingham Estate
• Energy Summit: Growth, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  November 18, 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge
• A.M. Biz Leads
  November 30, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Sam's Club University City

Visit www.charlottechamber.com/events to view more events and to register.

Engage Charlotte Seeking Energetic YPs to Serve on the 2012-2013 Board

Interested in becoming more involved with the Charlotte Chamber and serving the community in a greater capacity? The application deadline is Wednesday, November 23. Download the application to learn more and to apply. Get to know current board members here.

Public Policy News - November 8 Election Day

Even though many people in Charlotte are focused on hosting the 2012 Democratic National Convention and on voting in the presidential election next year, we cannot forget that election day is this week. A variety of candidates are running in local elections that could impact every aspect of our city's quality of life. Regardless of your political affiliations, here is your chance to make a real difference. To find out more, visit the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections and PLEASE VOTE tomorrow, Tuesday, November 8!

Economic Development

Northeastern University landed a long way from home on Monday, October 31, trading chowder for sweet tea at its new uptown Charlotte campus. Read more in the Charlotte Business Journal.

Importance of Cultural Diversity
by Skyne Betha

The economy and the world marketplace are becoming increasingly diverse. Cultural diversity makes our country stronger and better able to compete in that new global economy. People from diverse cultures bring language skills, new ways of thinking, creative solutions to difficult problems and negotiating skills. Charlotte is becoming that place that values and appreciates the diversity of its people. Cultural diversity makes this city as well as the state and country a much more interesting place in which to live. Just think how boring a meal would be without Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, Italian, French or Indian food! Just think how boring the world would be without diversity!

Cultural diversity is about building those bridges of trust, respect and understanding across productive interactions and agreements. It gives us the good grace that I see you and I honor and respect your differences. Thank goodness for diversity!

Engage Charlotte Blog

Interested in joining the dialogue on the Engage Charlotte blog? We're looking for interesting, intelligent, constructive guest posts about the Charlotte area or for local young professionals. If you would like to contribute, submit your entry to engage@charlottechamber.com. If your entry is selected, we'll email you to let you know when it will be published. Be sure to include a title for your post, your name, organization and your job title.

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