Civility Localized

The 10-Week Civic Impact Academy with Civility Localized has officially wrapped up. At first, I didn't know what to expect with this academy because I was in a comfort zone with my current position and couldn't think outside of my bubble. But, this academy has provided me with insight on how to advocate for Black Single Mothers that struggle with Affordable Housing amongst other things we encounter as Black women. I now have a clearer vision and I know my work has just begun. I look forward to building on the connections that I've made so we can all push the needle forward. On 11/13/24, I graduated from the Civic Impact Academy with perfect attendance. I am so proud of myself! 🎉 📍 Some may ask, what is the Civic Impact Academy? The Civic Impact Academy is an educational experience that brings local community leaders and government leaders into the same rooms. Together participants learn from one another and work together to build understanding, trust, and better communities.

I highly recommend the Civic Impact Academy for Community Agents of Change. As a recent 2025 graduate, participating in the Civic Impact Academy was a transformative experience that shifted my paradigm and sharpened my strategic focus. I discovered how to effectively align my passions to serve the grassroots community by bridging the information gap for those often left behind. By developing multi-level communication strategies, I am now equipped to ensure every individual has the knowledge needed to drive lasting, local impact. I am very grateful, excited and extremely blessed at this next level of service and becoming! Thank you Christine and your amazing leadership team and board!

The Civic Impact Academy deepened my understanding of local government and pushed my thinking about what it truly means to be an active, thoughtful citizen. It challenged me to look beyond surface-level engagement and better understand how systems work and where real influence lives. Most importantly, it gave me hope — seeing how many people genuinely want to make our communities better for everyone was grounding and motivating. I walked away with clearer insight, stronger conviction, and a renewed sense of possibility in my civic life.

The Civic Impact Academy was a wonderful experience. I wasn't quite sure what to fully expect when I signed up for the program, but I knew that it would provide exposure to community leaders and broaden my understanding of our local government. Having worked in the political and economic development spaces for Mecklenburg County, I was familiar with some of the statistics about quality of life for disadvantaged residents. However, the opportunity to connect with so many indivuals leading lesser known programs and community efforts was invaluable. Most significantly, being able to develop an idea for how to use my skills and talents to support their work was a game changer and the AHA I didn't know I needed. Thank you for such a welcoming and supportive environment. This program lit a spark that reminded me of my responsibility to be "my brother's keeper," especially now! The Academy should be a requirement for everyone who wants to make an impact in our city and County. Thank you Christine and team!

Civic Impact Academy is an exceptional program grounded in community, clarity, and real-world civic leadership. While the curriculum was thoughtful and practical, the most valuable part was the cohort itself. The relationships and trust built through this experience directly shaped my future work, including the launch of CivicMen. This program didn’t just provide tools, it changed how I approach collaboration and long-term impact. Highly recommend to anyone serious about doing meaningful civic work.

Participating in the Equity in Contracting program and being coached by Christine has been transformative for my business. With her guidance, I successfully secured my NC HUB certification and City of Charlotte MWSBE certification. She helped me streamline my approach to contracting, making the process more strategic and effective. Through her coaching, I’ve also connected with key procurement officers in my region and have submitted four proposal bids. Christine’s expertise in contracts, proposals, and business strategy has been invaluable in positioning my business for growth.

I've had several encounters with this business, and it is always a pleasant, engaging, and inspiring experience. Their reputation in the Charlotte area is stellar, and they have consistently shown their commitment to helping our community grow in the right direction.

Christine’s government contracting program was such a great experience, and I really appreciated her advising and insight from someone who’s actually done the work. I left with a clear understanding of how to strengthen my proposals, attract contract opportunities, and position my company for success post-award through strong project management, and my capability statement now reflects that. If you’re serious about government contracting and want real, practical guidance you can apply immediately, hire Christine and her team!

Christine was very responsive to my request for meeting and quickly sent me resources that would help me before our consult. One of those resources was a webinar that was the most informative discussions about grants and government programs that I’ve ever watched. I felt empowered and able to see through the next steps of growing my business in the businesses I do digital marketing for. I’m so grateful to have Christine in my corner, not only because she knows her stuff but because she truly believes in her clients and their projects.

Amplify Charlotte was instrumental in helping my company become certified as a Small Business Enterprises/Minority and Women Business Enterprises (SBE/MWBEs) and Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB). I found it challenging to carve out time in my schedule to complete the application process but Christine was very helpful in guiding me every step of the way. She is easy to work with and has a wealth a knowledge to share about securing contracts or subcontracts. I look forward to collaborating with Christine in the future.