What the Panthers want in their next GM: Someone who better meshes with coach Matt Rhule THE VOICE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY SINCE 1906 TheThe CharlotteCharlotte PostPost WEEK OF DECEMBER 24, 2020 VOLUME 47, NUMBER 16 WWW.THECHARLOTTEPOST.COM $1.50 Adams: Erase US student loan debt Charlotte lawmaker pushes Biden to act upon inauguration By Herbert L. White [email protected] U.S. Rep. Alma Adams is one of four House members calling on President-elect Joe Biden to elimi- nate more student debt than he campaigned for. Adams, who represents Char- lotte, joined Demo- cratic colleagues Ayanna Pressley (D- BRIAN HAMILTON FOUNDATION Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D- Minn.), and Maxine Starter U founder Brian Hamilton (in the black sweater) meets with incarcerated residents of the Mecklenburg County Detention Center Waters (D-Calif.), chair during a February meeting. Starter U is a free online entrepreneur course that’s part of the Inmates to Entrepreneurs program. of the House Financial Services Committee on Dec. 17 to intro- Adams duce a resolution cal- ling for the cancellation of up to Life after lockup: Program $50,000 in federal student loan debt using the Higher Education Act. The resolution, similar to one introduced earlier this year by Sen- helps inmates own their job ate Democrats, urges an executive order that would also bar tax liabil- ity for borrowers who received for- Starter U helps incarcerated transition to entrepreneurship upon release giveness. By Amanda Raymond Starter U. The goal of the course is to show Biden pledged during the cam- FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST The free, online entrepreneurship people that it doesn’t take a ton of paign to forgive $10,000 in student Starting a new business is intimidating, course is part of the Brian Hamilton money or experience to start a business. loan debt for all borrowers and to say the least. Foundation’s Inmates to Entrepreneurs King said she appreciated that the cancel the remainder for those Aspiring entrepreneurs may worry program. Thanks to a partnership with course addressed pros and cons of en- who attended historically Black about how much money they need to GTL, one of the largest technology pro- trepreneurship in a realistic way. colleges or state-supported raise to get started or how to get the viders to prisons in the country, the “It gave such a breakdown of how to schools and earn less than right experience to make their business course is now on mobile tablets and start your own business,” said King, who $125,000 a year. succeed. available for inmates to take. wants to start a food truck franchise Almost 50 million Americans But ask Toccara King, an inmate at the King recently took the course – along upon her release. have student debt. A third of all Mecklenburg County Jail, whether she’s with pages and pages of notes. Brian Hamilton, the founder of the adults ages 25 to 34 have an out- ready to start a business once she’s re- “It gave a lot of information that was Brian Hamilton Foundation and its sister standing college loan and Ameri- leased, and she’ll answer with a resound- really easy to comprehend but very in- organization Inmates to Entrepreneurs, cans collectively owe more than ing yes. formative,” she said. started the organization in the hopes of $1.6 trillion, which eclipses all Her confidence is thanks to a new pro- Starter U is already in more than 2,400 reducing the rate of recidivism in the credit card debt. The impact is gram that was introduced to the Meck- correctional facilities. So far this year, it country by offering another way to gain especially acute for African Ameri- lenburg County Jail earlier this month: has a 78% graduation rate. Please see LIFE | 2A can families, who tend to have fewer economic assets and are forced to borrow for college. Please see STUDENT | 2A The Post to host What racial national journalism equity panel corps in 2021-22 suggestions By Herbert L. White [email protected] really mean The Post has been selected to host an emerging journalist through the Report for America corps. By Lori D.R. Wiggins The Post is one of 64 media outlets to join the jour- THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE nalism service program as a host newsroom, en- The North Carolina Task Force on Racial Equity in Criminal Justice abling Report for America to place more than 300 NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL CLUB journalists in the field next year. Report for Amer- has delivered 125 recommenda- ica’s support is adding more than 100 new reporting The proposed Downtown South sports and entertainment complex in Raleigh has tions aimed at eradicating sys- positions and expanding to more than 200 news- sparked concerns of gentrification and environmental damage in mostly-Black neigh- temic racial bias from the state’s rooms across the U.S. at a time when economic borhoods in the urban core. systems of cops and courts. stresses from the COVID-19 pandemic has accel- Gov. Roy Cooper commissioned erated economic pressures on local news organiza- the task force in June following the tions. LaNoticia, The Charlotte Observer, and WFAE Controversy swirls over killings of George Floyd, Breonna are also host newsrooms. Taylor, Ahmaud Ar- “With the local news system shrink- bery, and others at ing, it’s important that we both put ‘Downtown South’ project the hands of police and racist vigilantes. On The Net more and more reporters in the field—and that we help newsrooms By Lori D.R. Wiggins and David Knight voted for the plan. Since then, the 25- www.reportfor- David Cox was the lone “nay” vote. member panel held america.org that are working toward becoming THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE more sustainable, and more RALEIGH – The Wake County Plan- “This is a significant moment for 61 meetings; hosted grounded in the community,” said ning Commission last week unani- our city and serves as one more step six listening sessions Steven Waldman, president and co- towards delivering critical infras- and three public hear- mously rejected a request by Stein founder of Report for America. “It’s particularly grat- developer John Kane to rezone 145 tructure and community benefits ings; accepted and ifying that newsrooms have, en masse, decided that acres near South Saunders and Wil- that will shape South Raleigh for studied countless they want to do better coverage of communities of mington streets and Interstate 40 generations to come,” said Steve submissions by the color and rural areas.” for a mixed-use sports-entertain- Malik, owner of North Carolina Foot- public and experts; Daily and weekly newspapers, digital-only outlets ment complex dubbed “Downtown ball Club, whose team would play in and established two and broadcast stations are host newsrooms, where South.” Downtown South's soccer-specific work groups each to they will employ corps members as journalists to Raleigh City Council, however, stadium. “We look forward to bring- focus on law enforce- cover specific beats. The Post’s corps member will didn't agree. ing this transformative district to ment and courts, said report on health in the African American com- City Council voted 7-1 Dec. 17 to life with our partners through con- Supreme Court Asso- munity. confirm its support of rezoning at a sistent dialogue with the com- ciate Justice Anita S. Hill RFA, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, is a special meeting. Mayor Mary-Ann munity and stakeholders to help Earls, who co-chaired two-year program (with an option for a third) pays Baldwin and council members Nic- shape these essential benefits and the task force alongside state At- up to half of the journalists’ salaries, provides train- ole Stewart, Jonathan Melton, Patrick deliver with a tax increment grant. torney General Josh Stein. The final Please see REPORT| 2A Buffkin, Corey Branch, Stormie Forte Please see CONTROVERSY |3A Please see NC RACIAL | 2A INSIDE Please Digital edition: STAY IN TOUCH Sports 5A Snapchat: thecharpost www.thecharlottepostnewspaper.com Recycle Life 1B Twitter: @thecharpost A&E 5B To subscribe: (704) 376-0496 or online Facebook: The Charlotte Post Classified 4B http://tcppc.com/Subscribe Instagram: @thecharlottepost #PaperThursday 2A NEWS | The Charlotte Post Thursday, December 24, 2020 Student loan relief sought Life after lockup: From Continued from page 1A ration of the COVID-19 ior counsel. “…The time “The incoming Biden- pandemic. has come for a new admin- Harris administration has “Student debt cancella- istration to prevent further the opportunity to change tion is a racial justice issue financial devastation for inmates to entrepreneurs lives and jumpstart our since Black and brown bor- those who are dispropor- rowers face the greatest tionately struggling the Continued from page 1A economy on day one by “Entrepreneurship is a good route hurdles when it comes to most under the weight of financial stability and success. cancelling $50,000 in stu- for people that have a pretty extensive access, affordability, and their student debt burden, Hamilton recalled that when he dent loan debt,” Adams criminal history simply because they retention in higher educa- Black borrowers and com- started Inmates to Entrepreneurs with said. “These loans are can sometimes make their own tion,” said Tiffany Loftin, munities of color.” the Rev. Robert J. Harris in 1992, it holding American families route,” she said. “They can be their national director of the Despite a pause in stu- was obvious people with criminal back from buying houses, own boss.” NAACP’s Youth and Col- dent loan repayments until backgrounds were having a hard time cars, and opening small And even if those who go through lege Division.