Durag Fest, the Carolinas' largest Juneteenth event, moves to northeast Charlotte
According to the Charlotte Observer, the 8th annual Durag Fest will be held at the Blackbox Theater and the Pine in the Sugar Creek area.
ALSO READ: Gastonia takes over Juneteenth festival after public outcry
Previously, it was held at Camp North End.
Organizers said the change allows for more comfort and creativity.
The adults-only event is scheduled for Saturday, June 21st, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
VIDEO: Gastonia takes over Juneteenth festival after public outcry
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San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Philanthropist Wendy Schmidt insists science and immersive media can inspire action for the planet
NEW YORK (AP) — Technology drove the personal wealth behind many philanthropists atop the list of last year's biggest American donors. But Wendy Schmidt and her husband, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, are fairly unusual in their insistence that the scientific advancements they fund be shared widely and for the planet's protection. The Silicon Valley veterans' philanthropies, led by Wendy Schmidt, have joined the growing ranks focused on marine conservation since the Schmidt Family Foundation's inception in 2006. With a net worth estimated to exceed $25 billion, they're embracing that role as the Trump administration cuts billions in federal funding to scientific research. 'We work really hard to make sure science holds its place in our society," Wendy, the president and co-founder of the Schmidt Family Foundation and Schmidt Ocean Institute, told The Associated Press. "It's how we got where we are. It's why we have these technologies that we're using today.' Her latest philanthropic venture is Agog: The Immersive Media Institute. Co-founded last year with climate journalism pioneer Chip Giller, the effort attempts to spark social change by fostering new connections with the natural world through extended reality technologies. Grantees include 'Fragile Home," a project exploring displacement through a mixed reality headset that takes users through the past, present and future of a Ukrainian home; and Kinfolk Tech, a nonprofit that aims to help excluded communities reshape public monuments by superimposing their own digitally rendered installations onto real world spaces. The Associated Press recently followed Wendy Schmidt on a tour of Kinfolk Tech's Juneteenth exhibit in Brooklyn Bridge Park and spoke with her about funding scientific research. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Q: What do you hope to accomplish with Agog: The Immersive Media Institute? A: (Extended reality) has an enormous amount of power. It has a power to get inside your head. It has a power to move you and remove your ego in a way, and it puts you inside as a participant of something. You're seeing a story rather than just being an observer. And so, it has a potential for stirring you to action. We realized someone's going to take this and they're going to make it really good. And they'll probably use it for entertainment and someone will make money with it. But maybe there's a better way to use it. As a philanthropist, I'm thinking about what good can come out of this and how can we use this for social good and to create more empathy in the world, more connection for people. Q: Why are you leaning into diversity and inclusion with this tool when others are rolling back similar philanthropic efforts? A: Well, they're not going away. Because even when you think about AI and how you program an AI, if you're not inclusive, you're not really serving everybody. And when you have a technology just as powerful as this one is, and those that are more powerful, they must be inclusive by design. We work with all of our grantees to make sure that we're listening and that their voices are heard and their stories, in this case, get told by them. Q: What is philanthropy's role in advancing climate research when the U.S. government is reducing funding for that area? A: We've frankly continued to do what we've always done, which is to try to be on the frontier of research and efforts to understand our planet, to share that understanding openly with more people. Because when you see something differently, your whole worldview changes. We're finding things in the ocean we didn't know existed at all, even five years ago. And they should change the way we think about the planet. And so (what's going on today in our country) is really a shame. There are many important projects that have lost funding, and you can't save all of them. But we are doing everything we can to shore up people in our very broad network of scientists and young PhD students and post-PhD folks, researchers everywhere. We're expanding our opportunities on Falkor (too), on the (ocean) research vessel. Most people are lacking funding. We're helping them to have funding so they can complete their mission. We don't think science should stop because of what's going on here. In fact, it's more important than ever. As always, it's our job as philanthropists to take risks -- to do what governments and industry often won't do anyway. You can't do everything, but you can do a lot. Particularly when it comes to climate and climate science. Climate modeling is super important in terms of public health and the surveillance and reporting of data. When the United States isn't doing that, there are others who can do that if you build out their architecture. And philanthropy can play a very big role in doing that. Q: How do you restore that faith in science? A: Experiential (media) I think is important. One of the things that Agog can do is expose people to realities that they don't see. People accept what they see on the surface. But when you, for example, bring people along on a dive that our robot SuBastian does off of Falkor (too), and you show them a world no human eye has ever seen, and they witness what is really on the earth. And then you give them the science and tell them this is most of life on earth and that this plays this function in your life and your well-being. ___
Eater
14-07-2025
- Eater
The Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week: July 14
The editors at Eater LA dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we're always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here's the very best of everything the team has eaten this week. Mapo tofu and minced pork on rice from Pine & Crane in Silver Lake Pine & Crane. Meals at Pine & Crane have been a constant in my life for longer than I can remember. I've spent numerous nights in the lively dining room, sipping on Taiwanese beer and splitting plates of fluffy buns. The no-reservations set up keeps the restaurant a flexible option for any kind of night, and minimal pre-planning is needed to swing by. Lately, Pine & Crane has become part of my go-to takeout rotation. The minced pork over rice and mapo tofu travel incredibly well (as does most of the menu), and the affordable prices and generous portions mean that there are usually leftovers in the refrigerator for the next day. 1521 Griffith Park Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Cinnamon roll from Badash Bakes in Pasadena Cinnamon roll from Badash Bakes in Pasadena. Mona Holmes In a city where cinnamon rolls from non-corporate operators are fairly easy to find, it's always fantastic to find one that suits my personal taste. For me, the requirements include a balance of frosting, layers of cinnamon, and sweetness that is not overpowering, plus a well-proofed dough that is good hot or cold. Badash Bakes prepares one of LA's best cinnamon rolls that hits each of these perfectly, and it is easy to understand why entering Ashley Cunningham's Pasadena bakery is so popular. The display case is packed with cookies, brownies, lemon loaves, and two types of rolls (matcha and traditional), and more. Of all the delicious baked goods, the cinnamon rolls are replenished by staff the most often. Though the buzz surrounding Badash Bakes has definitely slowed down, it remains busy. If hanging out long enough, one will witness another patron bite into one of her celebrated cinnamon rolls with a reaction that's best described as euphoric. Actually, that was my response. As someone who isn't always attracted to sweets or dessert, Cunningham's cinnamon rolls are actually that good. As are her s'mores cookies and ceremonial grade matcha drinks. 247 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91101. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Heirloom melon salad at Diner Antonette in Santa Monica In the height of summer, nothing is better than in-season melons. Diner Antonette's charming space in Santa Monica occupies the former Ingo's Tasty Diner, and feels like a kind of Musso & Frank west, though instead of pure silence at the old Hollywood haunt, it's booming bebop jazz played on a hi-fi system. The food is also much more contemporary, and this melon salad is proof positive. Chef Jordan Lynn takes delicate, even slices of melon with salty prosciutto, mache, and almond oil, which would feel appropriate in Italy right about now, except that he sprinkles on chile flakes for a Tajin-esque punch. The balanced assemblage felt so thoughtful and fun for a weekday dinner — an appetizer that doesn't fill you up before the mains. By the way, the crispy fried chicken with rowdy greens, the crust tinted with turmeric and juicy to the bone, is a stunning shareable entree to enjoy after this melon salad. 1213 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90403. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Sweet and sour mushroom at Men & Beasts in Echo Park Sweet and sour mushroom at Men & Beasts in Echo Park. Matthew Kang It's wild how quickly a new space can turn over in Los Angeles. The former Cosa Buona has been morphed into Men & Beasts (a reference to a Confucius quote), a modern Chinese restaurant that eschews meat, replacing everything with plant-based proteins. For the most part, the meat won't feel like it's really missing, and that is best illustrated in the sweet & sour mushroom, typically pork or chicken, but here breaded, fried, and seasoned to an appealing ruddy color. Each bite popped with tangy sauce and a gentle interior of what seemed like oyster mushrooms. Bites of cashew, garlic, and bell pepper bring in textural contrast. It's still fairly early in the Minty Zhu and Alex Falco's foray into the LA market (they were previously in Miami), but with their sleek patio and indoor tea lounge, it's clear Echo Park denizens have already bought into their plant-based approach to Chinese cuisine. 2100 W. Sunset Boulevard, Echo Park, CA, 90026. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Eater LA All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Axios
02-07-2025
- Axios
The biggest Fourth of July fireworks in the Carolinas
The Fourth of July is days away, and our news partners at WBTV have compiled a list of the biggest events happening across the Charlotte area to help get you ready for this Independence Day. SkyShow 2025 (Uptown Charlotte) The biggest fireworks show in the Queen City is happening Thursday, when the Charlotte Knights take on Jacksonville in Uptown. After the game, which starts at 6:05pm, the 2025 SkyShow Fireworks Spectacular will happen. For ticket information, click here. City of Monroe Fourth of July Celebration The City of Monroe's Fourth of July Celebration kicks off at 5pm Friday in downtown. There's no cost, and it will feature bouncy houses, live music, and fireworks. U.S. of Cay (Tega Cay's Fourth of July Celebration) The U.S. of Cay (Tega Cay's Fourth of July Celebration) is an all-day event on Friday and starts at 9am. There's no cost, and it will feature fireworks at 9pm over the town at the golf course. Gastonia Fourth of July Celebration Gastonia's Fourth of July Celebration kicks off at 5pm on Friday at the Rotary Centennial Pavilion. There's no cost, and it will feature music, food, and fireworks. Red, White & Belmont The Red, White & Belmont celebration starts at 6pm on Friday in Stowe Park. There's no cost, and it will feature music and fireworks. Lake Wylie Fireworks Lake Wylie Fireworks kick off around 9pm on Friday at the Boyd Bridge area. There's no cost to see the fireworks. Rock Hill's Red, White & BOOM! Rock Hill's Red, White & BOOM! will happen from 4-9pm on Friday on Main Street. There's no cost, and it will feature live music, food and fireworks. Carowinds Star-Spangled Nights Fireworks Spectacular The Carowinds Star-Spangled Nights Fireworks Spectacular happens at 9:30pm on both Friday and Saturday. Ticket prices for the event vary as they're included with admission to the amusement park. The event features music and a fireworks show. Fourth of July in Lincoln County The Fourth of July in Lincoln County starts at 6:30pm, before fireworks at 9:30pm Friday near City Park. There's no cost, and it will feature a parade, fireworks, and a Lincolnton Fire Department spray zone. Field of Flags The annual event in Lake Norman honors our veterans, fallen and active service members and first responders with hundreds of American-made flags on the Lowe's YMCA.
