Reflections on Heritage
Written by Banu Valladares

When I first walked into Charlotte Bilingual Preschool (CltBP) in 2017, I felt what everyone feels: a sense of belonging to a place where I could be fully me.

That was not my original experience of my new home, though. I moved to the United States in 1982 with many privileges: money, language, and familiarity from many years of travel. As the novelty of moving to the dream country wore off, isolation set in. I missed all the “familiars” that had so far defined me: my family, my language, my traditions, my culture. I no longer “belonged.” 

It took me years to understand and be able to name what is so drastically different in the United States: a focus on the individual first vs. a focus on the community. I came to learn that this difference stems from the history, geography, and climate realities that set the United States apart.

It's Hispanic Heritage Month, and in Charlotte, we are celebrating locally with #HHMCLT2021!

We are honored to help champion this conversation and celebration alongside other organizing partners, Latin American Coalition, Latin American Chamber of Commerce, and Charlotte Bilingual Preschool!

What is SHARE's Role in #HHMCLT2021?

Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off on Sept. 15 and we are excited to spend the month honoring the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latin Americans!

Tech Rising, an initiative founded by AvidXchange, was created with the goal of helping to eliminate the digital divide and foster digital inclusion here in Charlotte. The initiative launched last summer and AvidXChange hosted their first Tech Rising Virtual Summit in partnership with SHARE Charlotte on February 25, 2021.

The Virtual Summit brought together local government officials, public school representatives, business leaders, nonprofits, and members of the community all of whom play a key part in bridging the digital divide in our community.